Chapter 100 Listen to Me, Yes

After returning to the team, Lynn was assigned to the reconnaissance team by Eric, responsible for scouting, surveillance, and eliminating enemy outposts that could not be avoided. Even before joining the "Vampire" assault team, Lynn had successfully crossed enemy lines at night. With additional specialized training in the camp, everything should have been straightforward. However, the clear moonlight illuminated the land, and the sparse trees failed to conceal their movements, making the journey quite challenging.

"Let me take a look!"

From a companion carrying night vision equipment, Lynn obtained a rifle with an infrared sight. Skillfully, he conducted short-term observations, both to save power and reduce the chances of being detected. Although the naked eye couldn't directly see the infrared light, with modified regular camera equipment, enemies could see the infrared light source and beam, just like infrared night vision users. It was said that Allied forces on the Western Front had started using such anti-night vision equipment, and although Soviet industrial technology lagged behind, assembling some camera equipment wasn't difficult.

Through the infrared sight, ordinary objects appeared in a strange grayscale, not much better than direct observation under current lighting conditions. However, objects with temperature, such as human bodies and vehicles, stood out conspicuously.

About thirty meters away, two Soviet sentries stood, probably chatting face to face. A little further, two other Soviet soldiers sat on a motorcycle that hadn't completely cooled down, the warmer parts displaying colors different from their surroundings. As for farther away, limited by the performance of the infrared night vision device, Lynn couldn't know, so he reluctantly used a regular telescope to observe. After assessing the situation, he gathered his six-man reconnaissance team.

"Carl, Lunx, you're a team. Use night vision to approach the two sentries nearby and ambush them at about five meters away. Jonas, Nicholas, you're a team. Flank near the other two sentries further away, also about five meters away. If there are no unexpected situations when you're in position, directly use silenced pistols to kill the targets. Carl and Lunx, follow up with silenced pistols as well! Bryuk and I will provide cover from here!"

Although Lynn was just a reserve non-commissioned officer and the last to join the assault team, the soldiers belonging to the Waffen-SS assault teams showed no signs of discontent. They immediately acted according to the orders.

Despite not having infrared night vision equipment himself, the bright moonlight now served as effective illumination. With the eagle-like vision left by "Lynn Gargo," Lynn accurately placed the nearby sentries within his rifle sights. If anything unexpected happened, he could easily eliminate them, ensuring the safe retreat of his comrades at least.

The tense atmosphere again affirmed the relativity of time. After agonizingly waiting for a few minutes, Lynn finally saw the four Soviet sentries in his line of sight fall one by one, without hearing any unusual sounds.

"Nicely done!"

Lynn whispered in admiration, knowing that close combat was not his forte, so he was not suited to play the role of slashing enemy throats like slaughtering chickens with a knife. As for using German-made PPs or Czech-made CZ27 with attached suppressors for close-range kills, it wasn't as handy for him as using a shotgun.

As the two assault groups returned one after another, Eric's "main force" also arrived. Having slipped through the Soviet defenses, they didn't risk crossing open ground but instead sneaked along a canal roughly parallel to the road.

The icy water soaked Lynn's feet, but he could at least minimize the negative impact of the harsh environment on his mindset. Moving forward lightly, he cautiously surveyed the surroundings. As a newcomer, he didn't try to argue with Eric for the use of infrared night vision equipment, as carrying around a 25-kilogram battery box all day was not an easy job.

Rumble...

Upon hearing the distinct roar of tracked vehicles approaching from above the road, Lynn quickly raised his left hand halfway to signal the following personnel to stop. They were nearly fifty meters from the road, but the elevated road provided a commanding view of the canal, so timely concealment was the wisest choice if enemy activity was detected.

Sergeant Eric, who was at the forefront, might not react slower than Lynn, but in silence, the soldiers in line tended to wait for the front companion to stop before doing so themselves. Consequently, simple commands inevitably experienced a certain delay from the front to the rear. In such situations, the ability of sergeants within the team to make timely judgments was very helpful for nighttime operations.

When crouching down alone, it was hard for an adult body to completely hide in a half-meter deep ditch. Taking advantage of the gap left by the front soldiers due to their "delayed reaction," Lynn decisively crawled forward into the canal, not caring that the chilly water splashed all over him. He quietly called out to the surrounding soldiers, "Get down!"

In situations like this, a mere infantry battalion-sized unit would find it difficult to confront enemy tanks and armored vehicles in the field, and the canal was the only place nearby to take cover. Sergeant Eric, who was at the forefront, quickly made the decision to hide on the spot. Shortly after, Lynn looked around, and there were no heads or bodies above the canal.

The heavy engine roar grew closer, but there was no light on the road.

Could the Soviets be secretly deploying troops to prepare for a nighttime counterattack?

Earlier, when passing by their own frontline positions, Lynn saw that the hastily constructed defenses of the German troops were still very crude, as if they hadn't had time to lay anti-tank mines. The effective defense against Soviet armored forces' counterattacks relied on tanks, assault guns, tank destroyers, and infantry anti-tank guns, but the quantity of these equipment seemed very limited, especially lacking heavy hitters like Tiger or Jagdtiger. Therefore, hearing the rumble from the road, he couldn't help but worry that the friendly forces would be caught off guard and suffer a major setback.

Amidst the increasingly tense atmosphere, time passed slowly, and the metallic tracks approached closer and closer. Lynn cautiously raised his head from the canal. By the moonlight above his head, he saw a column of troops, including tanks and self-propelled artillery, moving toward the German defense line about twenty meters away, with no visible lights on the road.

Could they be a secretly deployed Soviet artillery unit?

Having spent twenty minutes in the icy water, the Soviet troops marching along the road gradually moved away, and Lynn breathed a sigh of relief. As the rustling sounds came from ahead, he climbed out of the canal, feeling a bit numb in his chest, abdomen, and legs due to the cold water.

Seeing the team starting to move along the canal again, Lynn had a different idea in mind. He ran quickly like a black cat under the moonlight, crouching low and bending his waist, and soon arrived beside Sergeant Eric at the front of the team, asking, "Sir, are we going to continue moving forward like this?"

Afraid that Lynn's actions would expose their position, Eric quickly let him return to the canal and did not stop the team, but said as they walked, "What's on your mind?"

Lynn quickly explained in as brief language as possible, "The enemy force that just passed was not small, with tanks, self-propelled artillery, and large numbers of infantry, but few individual mortars. According to past experience, Soviet attacks always rely on heavy artillery for suppression!"

"What does that mean?" Eric asked skeptically. "To achieve the suddenness of a counterattack, the enemy may not have time to mobilize artillery but instead deploy such a powerful force for solo combat. At this time, if we attack their rear targets, not only will it be easy, but it will also distract their frontal assault!"

"The reasoning is correct, sir! But the enemy will always consider the possibility of initial attacks failing. Even if they take the position, on-site defense or deep advancement still requires artillery support!" Lynn persisted in his understanding.

After weighing the pros and cons, Eric finally raised his right hand, signaling the team to stop.