London, MI6 Headquarters, "Eagle's Nest" Command Center.
Dead silence.
Suffocating dead silence.
On the huge main screen, the last faint signal of Captain Don's command vehicle and his troops, after a series of unsuccessful connection attempts, suddenly flickered a few times and completely transformed into a red cross representing "lost," then faded away.
The entire electronic map of the northwestern Sahara region fell into a cold, lifeless grayness.
"Sir... Captain Don voluntarily cut off all active transmission links... signal... lost."
An intelligence officer reported in a dry voice.
M's gaze was as sharp as ever, yet concealed a weariness and icy anger that were hard to describe.
She looked at the gray area on the screen, representing the intelligence blackout, as if she could see Don's face twisted by hatred and the troops rushing toward unknown destruction like moths to a flame.
Foolish!
Arrogant!
A fool completely consumed by anger!
M's heart was roaring.
For Song Heping, for so-called revenge, he dared to defy the highest orders and cut off contact!
This was no longer a tactical gamble; it was outright suicide!
Even scarier, this out-of-control mad bull was charging one thousand lives straight into the cunning trap Song Heping had meticulously set!
Don was no match for Song Heping!
She could almost foresee the bloodbath about to unfold at some ambush-ready location in that unknown desert.
Song Heping only needed to stall Don's steps, waiting for his four thousand mercenary "Musicians" to complete their encirclement...
The GNA's main forces, along with the remaining SBS elite inside, would be completely turned into new skeletal markers in the Sahara Desert.
"Sir, should we attempt to forcefully enter their backup emergency channel? Or activate..."
The Intelligence Chief tentatively asked, his voice carrying a last trace of hope.
"It's useless."
M's voice coldly interrupted him, carrying a kind of insightful cruelty.
"Since Don dared to cut it off, he's prepared for total blackout. He... has gone mad."
She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the boiling anger and frustration, and turned around, sweeping her gaze across the command center with a sense of determination: "Immediately connect me to General Sai Fu, top priority encrypted line!"
A few seconds later, the encrypted line was connected.
Saif's face appeared on the screen with an obvious displeasure and a hint of faint anxiety.
He wore camouflage, his background the dark night of the Sahara Desert.
"Ms. M? I am racing against time to reach Kurtan Oasis..."
Saif's voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction from being disturbed.
"General! The situation is urgent!"
M didn't offer any pleasantries, her tone crisp and forceful, and with undeniable pressure.
"Captain Don defied orders, cut off communication on his own, and is leading your main forces in Sahara at full speed toward Kurtan Oasis! The target is Song Heping!"
Saif's face showed confusion: "What's the problem..."
"Let me finish!"
M forcibly interrupted him mid-sentence.
"This is Song Heping's trap! His 'Musician' defense main forces, numbering over four thousand elite mercenaries, have already crossed the border into the Sahara Desert, with their target also being Kurtan! They intend to encircle and annihilate Don's forces! The time window is extremely narrow! Don's actions are burying your armed forces in Desert City!"
"Damn..."
Saif took a sharp breath, his face instantly becoming extremely ugly.
"It's too late to say anything now, he's already cut off all communication channels, you can't reach him, not even Yarif, so I order you!"
M's voice suddenly heightened, piercing the air like an ice pick.
"Immediately! Right now! Gather all your mobile forces! Armored units! Armed convoys! At all costs! With utmost speed, rush to Kurtan Oasis! The only target: before Song Heping's mercenaries complete their encirclement, rendezvous with and rescue Captain Don and his forces! Meanwhile, seize the opportunity to eliminate the major threat that is Song Heping! This is your only chance to turn the situation around! It is also our common goal! Understand?!"
Saif agreed without hesitation: "Ms. M, my forces to cross the desert and reach Kurtan... need time! And, we need air cover and precise intelligence support! The Americans..."
"I will strive to coordinate intelligence! You just focus on taking action! Speed! General, speed is life! Don's life, along with your over one thousand elite, is in your hands!"
M's voice carried a final warning and a trace of urgency, unwilling to involve Saif in discussing the Americans.
After all, Vincent's previous outburst still echoed in her ears.
"Act immediately! Every second is precious!"
The screen went dark.
M slowly exhaled, fatigue washing over her like a tide.