Pei Zhengnian took out a pair of binoculars from his backpack and carefully observed the area below the steep slope.
A few thin hemp ropes, disguised as vines, still remained at the edge of the grass.
"Something's wrong," he said quietly. "Look at that patch of grass. The flattened marks are too neat, not like they were formed naturally."
About three meters above the ground, several sharpened wooden stakes were hidden among the bushes, their points glinting coldly. They seemed to be stained with something dark red, like dried blood.
"It's a trap!"
Sun Xuelin gasped sharply.
"It's a hunter's snare trap. Step on it, and you'd be hoisted up, with those sharp stakes below... That's vicious!"
Pei Zhengnian lowered the binoculars, his gaze growing colder.
This was no ordinary hunter's trap.
Those sharpened stakes were too uniformly cut and had been treated for preservation, clearly processed with professional tools.
What ordinary hunter would go to such lengths?
He picked up a rock and threw it forcefully towards that patch of grass.
With a rustle,
the hemp ropes in the grass instantly tightened. Several vines snapped upward, pulling the sharp stakes below to tilt up and revealing the hidden mechanism buried underground.
It was a trigger device made of iron plates, extremely sensitive.
"That was close!"
Xiong Lei patted his chest, his heart still pounding.
"If anyone had stepped on that, they'd have been turned into a sieve!"
Pei Zhengnian didn't speak. He walked over to the trap, crouched down, and examined the mechanism's structure.
"The technique is similar to that used in minefields—focusing on camouflage, and the trap design is very professional, making good use of the terrain."
"The person not only knows this terrain well but also understands military trap setting."
This definitely wasn't an outside enemy. It felt more like one of their own.
Pei Zhengnian didn't voice this last thought.
But Sun Xuelin and Xiong Lei had already considered it.
No one spoke, but their expressions turned grave.
A mole within their own ranks was more chilling than any external enemy.
"Regiment Commander, should we turn back?"
Sun Xuelin asked quietly.
After encountering two lethal traps in a row, who knew what else might be waiting for them.
"We can't retreat."
Pei Zhengnian said decisively.
"The more we retreat, the more passive we become. They want us to panic, so we must stay calm."
"Continue advancing, but slow down. Move in groups of three, covering each other in turns. Pay close attention to the ground and the bushes on both sides."
He paused, then added,
"Report anything suspicious immediately. No unauthorized actions."
The team set off again, but the atmosphere was oppressively tense.
The soldiers divided into three groups, advancing cautiously, their eyes scanning every inch of ground and every leaf around them like searchlights.
The sunlight was bright, yet it couldn't penetrate the gloom in everyone's heart.
When they reached the mountainside, Sun Xuelin suddenly stopped and pointed at the path ahead.
"Regiment Commander, look at that pile of rocks."
Several boulders, half a person's height, were piled in the middle of the narrow path, seemingly having rolled down naturally, blocking most of the way. A gap just wide enough for one person to pass through was left beside them.
But on the stone walls flanking that gap, there were several fresh chisel marks, the edges still smeared with dirt.
"Another trap."
Pei Zhengnian saw through it at a glance.
The rock pile was man-made, the gap deliberately left.
Pei Zhengnian ordered the soldiers to fall back. He took the binoculars and observed the slope above the boulders.
Sure enough, about ten meters from the rocks, several cut tree trunks were visible, their tops tied with hemp ropes connected to stones above, clearly meant to secure rolling rocks.
"Devious," Xiong Lei gritted his teeth. "They're trying to trap us here!"
Pei Zhengnian's expression darkened further. Three traps in a row, each more insidious and professional than the last, clearly targeting them.
Moreover, the other side knew their route, pace, even tactical deployment intimately. The mole's position was definitely not low.
"Take a detour."
Pei Zhengnian made a quick decision.
"Climb over from the steep slope on the left. It's harder going, but safer."
"Sun Xuelin, notify headquarters. Report our position and situation, request support to sweep the surrounding area."
"Yes, sir!"
Sun Xuelin immediately began setting up the radio.
After notifying headquarters, the group continued their advance.
Climbing the steep slope was harder than expected. The rocks were slippery, covered in moss, and a moment's inattention could lead to a fall.
Pei Zhengnian led the way, using his combat knife to clear obstructing bushes.
"Pick up the pace. Reach Eagle Beak Cliff as soon as possible. The view is open there, good for keeping watch."
The soldiers, all nursing a simmering anger, climbed the steep slope with increased speed.
By late afternoon, Pei Zhengnian's group finally reached their destination.
It was a small valley surrounded by mountains on three sides, with a flat clearing in the middle and a babbling stream beside it. The view was open, easy to defend and hard to attack—a good spot for a rest.
The soldiers immediately divided tasks: some stood guard, some set up temporary tents, some fetched water from the stream, some lit fires to cook.
Sun Xuelin set up the radio and was contacting headquarters.
Pei Zhengnian sat on a large rock, watching the setting sun in the distance, his brow furrowed.
He held a branch, sketching the locations of today's traps and their route on the ground, trying to find a pattern.
The minefield on the flat, necessary path, the snare trap on the steep slope, the rolling rock trap at the narrow pass...
Each trap was set on a route they were likely to choose, clearly showing the other side knew their movement plan inside out.
"Regiment Commander, headquarters replied."
Sun Xuelin's expression was grave.
"They said no other units have been active in Wolf Fang Mountain recently, and they received no mine-laying notifications."
"They've dispatched an engineering company for mine clearance. They order us to stay put and not act rashly."
"Understood."
Pei Zhengnian threw away the branch and stood up.
The other side was cautious, leaving no direct evidence.
But that precisely indicated the mole was within their own ranks, and in a position high enough to access the training exercise plan.
Night fell, and a campfire was lit in the valley.
The sentry soldiers tightened their coats, their eyes vigilantly scanning the dark mountain forest.
Pei Zhengnian didn't sleep. He and Sun Xuelin took turns keeping watch, studying the map by moonlight, analyzing possible enemies.
"These mines and traps are all lethal, clearly meant to kill us."
Sun Xuelin felt a chill in his heart.
"To get new-model mines and set such professional traps... someone must be behind this, and their goal isn't simple."
"Regiment Commander, do you think someone is trying to sabotage the unit?"
Pei Zhengnian didn't speak, but his silence confirmed the suspicion.
He just didn't know if these traps were related to the unit... or if someone was using the training exercise as a chance to eliminate him?
For some reason, Pei Zhengnian remembered what happened at the military hospital the last time Shen Nanchu visited!
It couldn't be that coincidental, could it?
...
