Chapter 142: We Need a Plan

"Did they say you took down more than ten of these monsters with just a handgun yesterday?"

While waiting for new orders, the SEALs took turns keeping watch and resting. The young team member who nearly got hit by an arrow seemed more lively and started a conversation with Jack.

"More or less. These ogres aren't very quick. Jessie took down two with a crossbow, but they're very strong and fearless. We almost didn't escape during our first encounter with them."

Jessie, beside him, seemed to recall the scene from yesterday when Jack carried her princess-style and sprinted through the forest. She looked at him with a soft gaze.

"Nice shooting. If you ever want to join the Navy, maybe we could see you in the SEALs."

Jason returned after talking with the Black Hawk pilot, patting Jack on the shoulder. Despite Jack stealing a kill right in front of him, this veteran seemed to appreciate Jack's skills.

"Let me introduce myself again. I'm Jason, captain of Bravo Team. This guy is Clay."

Jason pointed to the young SEAL across from him.

"This is Ray, my old partner and the vice-captain." The long-faced team member with a full beard nodded. He looked like a mixed-race African American.

"That's Sonny. The other two over there are Trent and Adam."

Jason pointed to the two SEALs who had just come down from the Black Hawk. One was a sniper, and the other operated the Gatling gun mounted on the helicopter.

Sonny seemed familiar to Jack, as if he had seen the actor portraying him in many TV show cameos.

The team members appeared friendly. Clearly, soldiers preferred dealing with people with high combat skills, and Jack, who dared to take on these monsters in the forest with just a handgun, fit right in with them.

"Can you tell us what happened here? Two hours ago, we were still in Colorado, and then the FBI called us here to fight a bunch of monsters."

Jason was curious. Dealing with the FBI domestically was a new experience for them.

"Are these monsters aliens? I heard an alien spaceship crashed here. Oh, damn, are these people hybrid monsters resulting from aliens invading Earth?"

Sonny, probably a conspiracy theorist, excitedly shared his theories.

Jack couldn't help but laugh and waved his hand. "The story here dates back to the early 20th century."

Time passed as Jack narrated. The flames from the wooden house gradually died down, leaving only a few charred beams emitting wisps of smoke.

"Oh, for God's sake, that's disgusting. I can't take it."

After hearing the origin of the ogres, the SEALs all showed disgusted expressions. Sonny exaggeratedly shivered as if shaking off a chill.

"Alright, story time is over. Everyone, dismissed."

Jason waved his team away and pulled Jack aside for a private conversation. "Rossi told me this operation wouldn't be recorded and hinted that if there are any unexpected gains, you'd get a share. You know what that means, right?"

Jack understood immediately. Rossi had given him a heads-up. He nodded. "The ogres occupy a small gold mine. According to the information I have, there might be some gold stored in the Eugene family's mountain villa, but not much. I think Rossi means that these gains don't need to be reported and can be your reward for coming to help."

Jason's face lit up with surprise. "Your FBI is much more generous than those CIA bastards. Thanks, buddy. My guys will appreciate it."

According to Sam Eugene's confession, although the ogres had worked in that mine for half a century, due to insufficient labor and primitive mining methods, the yield was very low. Only a few kilograms of pure gold were refined each year, and in recent years, the yield had decreased even further.

After years of the Eugene family's extravagance, not much gold was left. It had been divided into three parts: one hidden in the vineyard, one in the villa's basement, and some with Bardem, who had been killed at the gas station. The gold found at the gas station, excluding the nugget, weighed no more than five kilograms, worth about twenty to thirty thousand dollars.

Jack estimated that the gold stored in the mountain villa wouldn't be much either. The FBI, having access to the gold mine, wouldn't care about the small amount left by the Eugene family.

A gold mine that could be exploited for half a century using primitive methods might seem like a small gold mine to the Eugene family. However, for modern mining companies with advanced technology, even the waste rock discarded by the Eugene family might be valuable.

In modern mining, extracting ten grams of gold per ton of ore is considered profitable.

At this moment, Ray, holding a tactical radio, approached. "Jason, the FBI is calling."

Jason took the radio and transferred the communication to his and Jack's earpieces.

It was Rossi. During the time the team had regrouped and ambushed the small squad of ogres, he had quickly coordinated with various parties and revised the plan.

The FBI, in collaboration with USFSLEI, had blocked traffic in the area, forcibly turning back hunters and tourists. They were preparing to launch an assault on the Eugene family's vineyard.

Jack and the SEAL team's mission was to rescue the hostages, eliminate all threats near the mine and the Eugene family's mountain villa, and then do an initial cleanup. The FBI would send a follow-up team to conduct a more thorough cleanup.

In essence, this meant rescuing people, killing all enemies, and destroying evidence, leaving only the beautiful gold mine for the world.

Of course, the innocent students attacked by wild beasts would receive some compensation after signing non-disclosure agreements.

Rossi emphasized the recent weather and relayed a warning from USFSLEI to avoid starting a wildfire, almost directly reminding them to be careful when setting fires.

"Gather up, everyone. Let's study our tactics. We have trouble."

Jason was a bit stressed. The drone had already sent reconnaissance images.

The mine and the mountain villa were less than two miles apart. Based on infrared images, there were four simple wooden huts near the mine with at least thirty active targets. There were nine people in the villa, one of whom was likely the hostage.

Clearly, the FBI's money wasn't easy to earn. A six-member SEAL team had to attack two locations simultaneously, rescue the hostage, and ensure no one escaped.

"Don't expect CAS (Close Air Support). Our only aerial asset is Alpha-5."

Jason wasn't worried about the success of the assault but about the FBI's demand for a complete eradication. Even with a Black Hawk, it was impossible to ensure not a single target escaped in the forest, let alone a group of monsters who had grown up in it.