In the early morning, a dense fog enveloped the forest, rendering visibility practically nil.
Number 36 slumbered soundly, leaning against a large tree, cradling his squad automatic weapon.
An extraordinary tranquility prevailed. Suddenly, the grass beside 36 rustled. From a nearby tree, Numbers 1 and 24 aimed towards the disturbance.
"Negative." 13 descended from another large tree.
"Another fruitless wait," 24 sighed, landing on the ground.
"Cease the feigned slumber; it is not the target individual," 1 stated.
Just then, a wild boar charged out from the undergrowth, rushing towards 36.
"How utterly tedious!" In an instant, 36 sprang up. The boar, unable to halt its momentum, collided forcefully with the tree.
"Hey, we feast on meat today," 36 announced excitedly, straddling the stunned boar.
"The fog is quite dense," 1 observed the surroundings. "Flames and smoke should remain concealed from afar, correct?"
"Speak no more of it. Three days have passed, yielding nothing, not even a single decent meal," 24 lamented.
"Very well, you win. Let us consume it!" 1, too, grew animated.
"I shall stand sentinel. Prepare my portion when ready," 13 swiftly ascended a nearby large tree once more.
1 sighed.
"What troubles you?" 24 inquired.
"Like an infallible machine, every decision is precise. 13 seems intrinsically forged for combat."
"Dwell not on such thoughts. In our current predicament, is this not optimal?" 24 smiled, patting 1's back before heading towards 36.
"Indeed. For survival, his presence as a teammate is indispensable!" 1 affirmed, following 24.
"That fellow, 13, does he not partake?" 36, having already drawn his knife, commenced butchering the boar.
"He stands guard. Let us proceed," 1 gathered some firewood casually.
"That fellow simply enjoys projecting meticulousness," 36 remarked dismissively.
"Do you not find a profound sense of calm knowing he is on watch?" 24 cleared a patch of ground.
36 fell silent, continuing his work. 1 shook his head resignedly, thinking, "Though 36 remains verbally reticent, he too acknowledges 13's potency. It appears we accept only his strength. Is this equitable towards 13?"
"Whose culinary skills reign supreme?" 24 inquired expectantly, having prepared the fire pit.
Both 1 and 36 simultaneously pointed towards 24.
"Jest not! Why me?" 24 was nearly rendered speechless.
"You are female; adeptness in cooking is presumed? Correct?" 36 looked towards 1.
1 nodded emphatically in agreement.
"You two..." 24 was truly speechless.
Thirty minutes later,
1 and 36 agonizedly swallowed blackened chunks of meat, tears welling in their eyes.
"You scoundrel, having never tasted her concoctions, why did you propose she prepare it?"
"Cease your complaints. When I suggested her, you concurred readily. Pretend we are Red Army soldiers consuming bark and roots..." 36 closed his eyes, indulging in fantasy. He shook his head, seemingly trying to dispel the dreadful taste.
"Is it efficacious?" 1 inquired with astonishment.
"Negative. It still tastes akin to a corpse charred by high-explosive incendiary munitions," 36 was on the verge of tears.
"You scoundrel, attempting to jest with me!" 1 hurled a rock-hard piece of meat towards 36.
36 dodged the "fatal blow" with a swift turn of his head.
"Cease your cunning; escaping consumption is futile!" 36 retrieved the meat from the ground and tossed it back to 1. "Though unpalatable, it constitutes valuable protein and fat. For future engagements, replenishing our stamina is imperative!"
"For combat..." 1 and 36 exchanged glances and began gnawing.
24 did not overhear their conversation, otherwise...
She ascended the tree where 13 stood sentinel, carrying a slightly better-looking piece of meat.
"For you," 24 proffered it timidly. The agonized chewing expressions of 1 and 36 had eroded her confidence in her maiden culinary creation.
"Gratitude." 13 commenced eating as if entirely unaffected.
"Is everything satisfactory?" 24 inquired tentatively.
"Aside from its unpalatability, nothing else is amiss," 13 stated placidly.
"You are remarkably direct..." 24 felt a pang of disappointment, having anticipated some commendation. A sudden thought startled her. What exactly was she thinking?
"It has been thirteen days without protein intake. Physical stamina declines rapidly, impacting future unknown engagements," 13 analyzed.
"Does your mind perpetually revolve solely around combat?" 24 asked curiously.
"Negative," 13 looked directly at 24. "My thoughts center on survival."
"Does 'he' also engage in combat with such meticulousness?" 24 recalled that the current 13 was merely a fragmented personality of the body.
"'He'..." 13's gaze softened. "His inner thoughts merely contemplate a tranquil demise? He is an exceedingly pessimistic individual, perhaps attributable to his origins?"
"Origins?"
"That constitutes highly classified information, inaccessible to you presently. After the 'examination', Nie Yun will apprise you." 13 resumed consuming the food.
"Grant me one promise, if you would?" 13 paused his actions.
"What is it?" 24 felt a stir of emotion.
"Upon fulfilling his desire, I shall recede into dormancy once more. He will retain no memory of this period. Divulge nothing to him; conceal my existence," 13's tone was gentle, akin to a loving father concerned for his child. "His psyche remains immature; the child has yet to attain maturity..."
24 wished to speak but found herself bereft of words. She simply sat quietly beside 13, watching him finish the food.
The forest fog thickened progressively; visibility dropped to five meters. The temperature plummeted to a mere eight degrees Celsius.
The four individuals sought refuge under a large tree. Moving recklessly in such dense fog would merely render them targets for hunters.
13 remained on watch while the others slept soundly. For several days, apprehension regarding ambushes by the unknown target had precluded proper rest. They seized the opportunity afforded by the dense fog to replenish their stamina.
However, the "examination", delayed for three days, commenced at this very moment.
Within the dense fog, a spherical object hurtled directly towards 13.
"Awaken!" 13 shouted concurrently with pulling the trigger.
"Boom!" The blast wave, synchronized with 13's cry, roused everyone.
"What was that?" 36 raised his B60, scanning the vicinity.
"Enemy sighted? 13!" 1 whispered urgently.
"Negative. That was a hand grenade, launched almost like a cannonball, directly towards me. Furthermore, I detected no target; the thrower is at least thirty meters distant!" 13's calm analysis astonished everyone.
"Having eliminated humans, are we now tasked with eliminating monstrosities? Our misfortune is truly exceptional," 24 quipped sardonically.
"Follow me; we withdraw!" 13 leaped down from the tree, his finger never leaving the trigger.
The others swiftly descended, forming a perimeter around 13, vigilantly observing the three other directions.
"Target number unknown, target weaponry unknown, target capability..." 1 paused, "...a monstrosity possessing immense wrist strength."
"Visibility is merely ten meters; detection from thirty meters away? Gentlemen, I harbor an ominous premonition." Despite the cool weather, beads of sweat trickled down 36's forehead.
"Down!" As 13 spoke, he had already dropped prone. Everyone dove forward onto the ground. A bullet pierced the massive tree trunk behind them, a tree requiring two individuals to encircle.
"Anti-materiel sniper weapon!" 1 chuckled awkwardly, observing the fist-sized entry hole in the trunk.
"Damnation, thermal sights paired with an anti-materiel sniper rifle." 36, prone on the ground, furiously tore up a patch of grass. "Treating us like four tanks!"
"Incoming again!" 13 leaped up from the ground. The spot where he had just lain was blasted by the immense force of a sniper round, creating a crater half a meter in diameter.
13 instinctively fired two shots towards the direction of the incoming bullet. Maintaining his firing stance, he remained perfectly still. Five minutes passed in silence; the attack did not resume.
"Departed," 13 lowered his AWP.
"Finally departed," 1 sighed, rising from the ground.
"Did you eliminate him?" 36 inquired.
"Negative!" 13 began examining the large crater.
"Henceforth, even slumber appears perilous," 24 dusted herself off.
"Our target employs no anti-materiel weapon," 13 stated after digging for some time without finding the projectile.
All eyes turned to 13.
"An anti-materiel weapon could not operate with such silence. It must be merely a large-caliber sniper rifle."
"Jest not; such a large crater caused solely by a sniper rifle? Attempt it with your AWP," 36 clearly disbelieved 13's conclusion.
"I too wish it were a jest, yet the reality remains. According to my data, the only sniper rifle capable of delivering projectile impact comparable to an anti-materiel weapon is the COOL-FIRE," 13's expression grew somber.
"What is that?" 24 asked curiously.
"If my deduction is correct, allow me to reveal some 'composition' content to you," 13 tightened his grip on his rifle.
Silence descended upon the group.
"Our target should be none other than... Special Operations Team 6!"