121: Where is Muñoz? Has he been caught?

"Heh, coming to give us free kills?" The Captain raised his head from behind the scope, his face completely calm.

"Brothers, let's stretch our muscles. Don't kill them; try to capture them alive. The higher-ups still need to question them."

"Understood!"

"Roger!"

Ignacio's men relied on their numerical superiority and launched a charge from three directions.

Bullets flew wildly through the air, tracer rounds drawing trajectories of death.

"Surround them! Push forward! They don't have many people!"

Ignacio hid behind a broken wall, waving his pistol and shouting hoarsely.

The rebel Soldiers yelled and howled, gradually tightening the encirclement.

Although the Special Operations Regiment's firepower was precise, they were outnumbered and were genuinely suppressed for a moment.

Seeing this scene, a glimmer of hope ignited in Ignacio's heart.

Maybe it really could work?

However, just as he thought victory was within reach, a sudden change occurred.

More ferocious and denser gunfire erupted from their flank and rear.

That was the direction they had come from!

"Behind us! Someone is behind us!"

"We've been surrounded!"

The rebel Soldiers charging at the front were instantly mowed down by a hail of bullets from behind.

The entire offensive formation instantly collapsed.

Ignacio spun around, his face filled with disbelief.

He saw that in the darkness, more National Defense Force Special Operations Regiment Soldiers emerged like ghosts from all directions, having already formed a counter-encirclement around them.

They had long ago set up a trap, just waiting for them to walk right into it.

He understood: from beginning to end, he was just a pawn Muñoz used to buy time.

Despair and fury surged in his heart. He suddenly stood up from behind the broken wall, intending to roar at the sky.

"Bang."

A bullet accurately pierced his glabella.

The expression on Ignacio's face froze; his body swayed, and he fell straight backward, motionless.

With the death of their Commander, the already disheartened Rebel Forces completely collapsed.

"The General is dead!"

"Run!"

Everyone threw down their weapons, scattered in panic, and cried out for their parents.

But where could they run to?

What awaited them were the cold muzzles of the Special Operations Regiment's guns and repeated orders to surrender.

"Drop your weapons! Kneel on the ground! Hands behind your head!"

The gunfire near the airport gradually faded.

In Muñoz's command post, the atmosphere was extremely oppressive.

When the last Signalman reported tearfully that Ignacio had been killed in action.

And the counter-attacking force was completely annihilated, Muñoz, conversely, calmed down.

He neither roared nor killed anyone anymore.

He simply sat back slowly in his chair, looking at the huge map of the Santa Ana Cartel on the table.

On the map, red arrows representing the National Defense Force had surrounded the City Hall Building where he was located, making escape impossible.

He knew that everything was over.

The Santa Ana Cartel could not be defended.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the few remaining confidants in the command post.

"Prepare the car."

His voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable command.

A trusted aide was stunned and asked cautiously, "General... where are we going?"

"Leaving this wretched place." Muñoz stood up and straightened his military uniform, as if preparing for a dinner party.

"If we don't leave now, are we waiting around to host a victory banquet for the National Defense Force?"

After speaking, he ignored the others and walked straight toward the back door of the command post.

The few confidants exchanged glances and immediately scrambled to follow him.

Soon, an inconspicuous black sedan, under the cover of night.

Quietly drove out of the City Hall's back alley, merged into the chaotic streets, and sped toward the south side of the city.

Inside the car, Muñoz looked back at the city behind him, brightly lit yet echoing with gunfire.

In his eyes, there was no regret, only malice.

The next day, twelve noon.

When the flag of the National Defense Force First Field Army

Was raised atop the Santa Ana Cartel City Hall Building, it signaled the official recapture of the largest city in the west.

Commander Theodore stood on the building's balcony, surveying the devastated city through binoculars.

The battle had largely concluded, with only sporadic street fighting and operations to capture remaining elements.

"Reporting, Sir!" The Adjutant strode over and handed him a battle report.

"The preliminary statistics are out. In this campaign, our forces eliminated over five thousand rebel armed elements and captured nearly ten thousand prisoners."

"Our forces... suffered fewer than three hundred casualties."

This was an astonishing casualty ratio.

Theodore nodded, showing little joy on his face.

"Where is Muñoz? Was he captured?"

"Reporting, he escaped. According to the prisoners, he fled overnight with his trusted aides through the South Gate."

"Fled?" Theodore snorted coldly. "Where can he run to?"

He lowered his binoculars and turned to give orders.

"Order! The First Brigade is to immediately take over city defense, maintain order, eliminate all remaining enemies, and establish a Provisional Military Control Committee!"

"Yes, Sir!"

"Order! The Second and Third Brigades, rest for two hours! After two hours, immediately head south in pursuit!"

"I don't care if they run to the ends of the earth, bring me Muñoz's head!"

"Yes, Sir!"

Following Theodore's command, the massive war machine began operating at high speed once more.

The recapture of the Santa Ana Cartel was like pushing over the first domino.

The Sosa Group entrenched in the south, hearing the news that Muñoz was defeated, the city had fallen, and the National Defense Force army was advancing south, instantly scattered like birds and beasts.

Those armed elements who usually lorded it over everyone else ran faster than anyone.

The group leader even boarded his private plane overnight and fled abroad.

The National Defense Force Second Army Group encountered almost no serious resistance.

And successfully captured the Sosa Group's stronghold, subsequently recovering several southern cities controlled by drug traffickers.

On another front, the Third Army Group finally completely captured La Conexión after a week of fierce street fighting.

The smaw rocket launcher, dubbed the "Can Opener," shone brightly in this assault.

Countless fortified firing points turned into paper targets before it.

Large numbers of rebel leaders were cornered in their beds by Special Operations Regiment Soldiers who descended from the sky while they slept.

Thus, the month-long Western Campaign achieved a decisive victory.

At the cost of over three thousand casualties, the National Defense Force eliminated tens of thousands of rebel armed forces and captured over fifty thousand prisoners.

A large net covering the entire western region was completely drawn tight.

According to the wartime decree issued by the Provisional Government, all captured rebels would face trial.

The most heinous leaders and core members, who had blood debts, were publicly executed.

Most of the others were sent to state-owned mines in the north, where they would spend the rest of their lives atoning for their crimes.

The shadow of war had not entirely lifted when a decree issued by the Provisional Government,

Yet bearing David's strong personal style, swept across the entire western region with irresistible force.

The Regulations on Weapon Management.

The content of the regulations was simple and blunt.

Except for state enforcement agencies like the National Defense Force and the police, no organization or individual was strictly allowed to privately possess firearms or ammunition.

All citizens must voluntarily surrender any weapons they possess to designated locations within 72 hours of the decree's promulgation.

Anyone failing to surrender their weapons by the deadline will be charged with treason upon discovery.

Enforcement units have the right to execute on the spot any personnel who dare to resist the confiscation with force.

As soon as this decree was issued, public opinion was in an uproar.