32: Combat Team

Let's go back thirty minutes.

The combat team, fully clad in camouflage, led by Lu Mingde, quickly arrived at a position above the halfway point of Yinhua Mountain.

Just as Lu Mingde was about to continue climbing, he was suddenly stopped by Gao Lingfeng, the captain of the combat team.

"Alright, this is far enough. Don't come any closer. Head down the mountain as quickly as possible."

Gao Lingfeng looked at the human-head-sized pile of animal droppings on the ground and turned to instruct Lu Mingde.

Lu Mingde nodded and quickly turned to descend the mountain.

Gao Lingfeng didn't waste time and signaled to a young soldier.

The young soldier immediately stepped forward, used a small wooden stick to poke around the droppings, and identified the remnants inside.

After a while, he stood up and reported seriously:

"Captain, based on the digestive remnants, this is an extra-large carnivorous beast at least 3 meters long. It should be our target."

Captain Gao Lingfeng nodded, immediately raised his right hand, chopped it down with a vertical palm, and then tightly clenched his fist.

"Attention everyone, we are close to the target. Switch to combat formation and advance at a steady pace!"

Seeing this, the soldiers behind him, whose expressions had been relaxed, immediately became serious, and the fierce aura of battle-hardened elites emerged.

With Captain Gao Lingfeng at the lead, all personnel formed a single-arrow formation suitable for mountain combat, continuously and rapidly maneuvering forward.

After advancing about 300 meters, Gao Lingfeng suddenly stopped.

He looked at the large claw prints appearing on the muddy ground ahead, and a slight ripple appeared in his normally calm eyes.

"Attention everyone, disperse and be on alert. The target is nearby. Stay vigilant!"

As his words fell, the previously compact formation immediately spread out.

Everyone stood back-to-back, their specialized stun guns aimed forward, fingers already on the triggers, ready to fire at any moment.

Just then, Gao Lingfeng's ears twitched. Without thinking, he lunged forward, and with the momentum, rolled forward again.

A claw strike that would have almost certainly hit him did not injure him in the slightest.

This caused the Silver Beast, which had been observing in the shadows for a long time and finally delivered a throat-sealing blow, to show a human-like expression of surprise.

"Fire!"

The captain was attacked, and the vice-captain immediately took over command, ordering to open fire.

The next moment, all personnel simultaneously adjusted their positions, their fingers almost simultaneously pulling the triggers.

Chii chii chii —

The sound of electric currents, almost forming a continuous line, burst forth, like the sharp cries of a thousand birds.

However, the Silver Beast had already leaped away from its original spot, dodging the thousands of volts of electrical attack.

Then, not daring to linger, it dug its four claws into the ground, ready to flee in a panic.

"RPG!"

However, at this moment, a specialized RPG, trailing thick white smoke, flew towards it.

Looking at the combat personnel all around, they had already tacitly taken cover behind nearby trees, rocks, and other obstacles.

The next moment, boom!

Blinding white light, rumbling thunder.

A violent explosion, mixed with the Silver Beast's piercing roar.

From the sudden start of the battle to its abrupt end, it took less than six seconds.

Gao Lingfeng showed no joy or sorrow regarding the outcome of the battle. He simply put down the rocket launcher with a cold expression and then strode into the smoke.

Five seconds later, the smoke gradually dissipated.

The soldiers saw their captain crouching on the ground, using a dagger to prod the massive carcass of a beast.

No, that's not right.

Someone with sharp eyes noticed that the "carcass's" lower abdomen was still twitching slightly.

"What kind of monster is this? It took a shell and it's not dead?"

A young soldier couldn't help but exclaim.

But a stern look from the vice-captain immediately silenced the team member, who dared not say another word.

At this moment, Gao Lingfeng, who had confirmed that the Silver Beast still had a breath left, stood up and said:

"Ban Yangming, the hunting mission is complete. Immediately notify logistics to come over."

"Yes!"

Ban Yangming, the vice-captain who was called by name, immediately took a specialized satellite phone from his combat belt, pulled out the antenna, and quickly dialed the number.

The call connected, and a steady middle-aged man's voice sounded.

"Report, the combat team's hunting mission is complete. Request logistics personnel to enter the area!"

"Received. Logistics personnel have already departed. Good work."

---

"The final improved ingredient for ice cream, found!"

Lu Chuan excitedly looked at a string of berries on the bush.

The shape of these berries looked somewhat similar to blueberries.

But judging from their color and aroma, they appeared to be much more premium than blueberries.

That's right, premium!

As soon as Lu Chuan saw these berries, the word "premium" inexplicably appeared in his mind.

The originally round, black berries, when observed from different angles, reflected a kaleidoscope of colors with just simple contrasts in light and shadow.

It was truly magical!

In addition, the berries carried a refreshing fragrance that, at first sniff, resembled sun-drenched currants, but upon closer inspection, it was like a mixed fruit aroma of apples, red grapes, pineapples, and even mangoes.

This complex, premium aroma made Lu Chuan feel a surge of craving in his stomach, and his mouth began to salivate madly.

"Gulp."

Lu Chuan couldn't resist. He picked a finger-sized berry, gently rubbed off the dew on its surface, rinsed it with clean water, and then popped it into his mouth to chew slowly.

As his teeth and tongue gently pressed against the plump fruit, with a slight force, the delightful sensation of bursting juice immediately made Lu Chuan narrow his eyes.

Then, a complex mixed fruit aroma instantly gushed out, blending with a sweet and slightly tart taste, causing Lu Chuan's Adam's apple to move uncontrollably as he swallowed the delicious pulp and juice.

"Delicious!"

Lu Chuan's eyes lit up. He reached out again and plucked five plump, dark berries.

After a simple rinse, the five berries were all tossed into his mouth, filling it completely.

The next moment, his teeth and tongue automatically completed a perfect coordination.

The skin burst upon contact, the pulp overflowed, and then the juice splattered, filling his mouth.

Some of the juice even sprayed out from the semi-closed gaps of his lips, refracting a subtle, colorful rainbow in the sunlight.

"Hmm?!"

Compared to his initial taste, this five-fold concentration of berry juice gave his taste buds an even richer experience.

The five-fold complex fruit aromas overlapped, like a perfume bomb, completely detonating.

This made Lu Chuan let out an astonished moan.

It was too delicious!

The deliciousness of this unknown berry instantly surpassed the sum of all fruits Lu Chuan had tasted in the past decade or so.

Even durian, hailed as the king of fruits, seemed somewhat overshadowed in the face of such a rich aroma.

"I absolutely, absolutely must add these berries to the improved recipe for delicious ice cream!"

At this moment, this was the only thought left in Lu Chuan's mind.

He looked at the abundant fruits on the few bushes in front of him and smiled with joy.