Chapter 88

*Crack.* Faseem's rifle butt smashed into the other person's mouth, a few teeth flew out, and the man screamed as he fell to the ground.

Satisfying! Faseem's eyes were bloodshot as he looked at the next target.

Once the melee began, no one dared to use their rifles to shoot. The small-caliber bullets of the AK-74 had low penetration power, but they could still pierce through a person's body and then into another.

A Soviet soldier, with a bayonet attached to the front of his AK-74, lunged at Muhammad's back.

"Watch out!" Faseem shouted. Like a cheetah, he ran towards Muhammad, but before he could reach him, he saw the Soviet soldier's bayonet already pierce into Muhammad's back.

The Soviet soldier was confident that this bayonet thrust would pierce Muhammad through, but when the bayonet touched his body, it felt as if it had hit a hard rock and could not penetrate further.

*Clang.* The bayonet made a crisp sound, and his hands went numb. Then, a large black shadow flew in from the side.

Faseem had already pounced, using the butt of his rifle to smash the Soviet soldier's head, cracking it open.

"Move closer to me!" Muhammad said. At this moment, both sides were still engaged in a melee. Several guerrillas had already controlled a few Soviet captives, and the remaining guerrillas, except for one who had been killed by a bullet, were still fighting despite their injuries.

Throughout the past winter, Muhammad had been training the guerrillas in hand-to-hand combat. The few he brought were the best among them. After a round of fighting, the Soviets did not gain any advantage.

Of course, more importantly, they had their equipment. By cutting open the bulletproof armor of the downed Mi-8, Muhammad had made over a dozen bulletproof inserts. The people with him all wore this equipment, which could easily withstand the small-caliber bullets of the AK-74, and even the Soviet bayonets.

Muhammad still had his rifle pressed against the neck of the Soviet platoon leader, who was now barely alive.

Suddenly, the rifle around his neck loosened, and he gasped for breath. Everything had happened too quickly, too fast for him to react.

When he finally saw everything clearly, he realized that he and his men were already controlled by the guerrillas, and both sides were facing off.

"You won't escape," a Soviet battalion commander shouted from a distance. Hundreds of men surrounded the dozen guerrillas. If they let them escape, the battalion commander would have no face to stay here.

"We never intended to run," Muhammad said. "We've already killed enough. If you don't want these captives to die, it's best to stay away from us."

The tactical objective was fully achieved. If they hadn't surrendered, they would have been bombed to pieces by the helicopters. Now, with the guerrillas mixed in with the Soviet soldiers, the helicopters, though circling in the distance, could not join the battle. As for the melee on the ground, the outcome was already clear.

The guerrillas controlled four Soviet captives, and hundreds of Soviet soldiers surrounded them.

Though surrounded, Muhammad was not afraid. Objectively, he had the upper hand.

The Soviets would not stand by and watch their comrades die. As long as they had these captives, Muhammad's escape was guaranteed. The only thing he was worried about was the Soviet snipers. If there was a sniper hiding in the distance, it might foil his escape plan.

"I have a proposal," Muhammad said. "You let us through, and once we retreat to that hill, we'll release these men. What do you say?"

"Impossible!" the Soviet battalion commander shouted. "You, a dozen men, have killed hundreds of our brave soldiers. Now, to let you go is a fantasy! If you release our men, you might have a chance to live. If you resist, you will die!"

As the battalion commander spoke, all the Soviet soldiers surrounding them raised their rifles, aiming at the guerrillas. At the command, countless guns would fire, and the guerrillas would be eliminated, along with the captives.

"Captain Mirostov, you will become our hero," the battalion commander shouted at the captured platoon leader, indicating that he was willing to sacrifice these men.

Muhammad felt the sweat on his forehead. Had he misjudged? Would the Soviets rather die than surrender?

Or was he just bluffing? Damn, I've been through worse!

Before Muhammad could speak, Osama suddenly stepped forward.

During the fight, Osama had been hit on the head with a rifle butt. Blood flowed down his face and onto his clothes, making him look terrifying.

His arm was also bleeding. Though he wore bulletproof inserts, his arm was still unprotected and had been nearly disabled by a Soviet bayonet.

He coldly looked at the surrounding Soviet soldiers and suddenly tore open his robe.

Inside was a unique vest, with a modern design. The bullet holes showed the metallic sheen of the inserts.

What was Osama doing? Muhammad couldn't figure out his intentions, but he watched as Osama tore off the outer fabric of the vest.

The vest was designed by Muhammad based on modern tactical vests, with many pockets for various equipment. Now, Osama tore open the pockets, revealing the contents inside.

Everyone gasped.

C-4 plastic explosive!

This military-grade explosive, named for its four-carbon molecular structure, is a highly effective explosive made from a mixture of tex and white phosphorus. It can be ground into a powder and molded into any shape. Due to its adhesive properties, it can be placed in very hidden locations, like chewing gum, hence its nickname.

It is chemically stable and will not explode from gunshots or impacts. Even when ignited, it burns slowly. Some soldiers use it for warmth in cold weather. However, when detonated with a blasting cap, it becomes a powerful explosive.

Now, all the pockets of Osama's vest were filled with C-4, with an electric blasting cap in the front pocket, and the wire in Osama's hand.

Seeing the C-4 on Osama, the Soviet soldiers instinctively took a step back, then another.

Muhammad was also stunned. He hadn't expected Osama to turn himself into a human bomb.

In the future, Osama used human bombs to attack the United States, a measure taken due to the technological and military disparity, the only way for a backward nation to fight a developed one.

Now, Muhammad realized that this method of resistance had already formed in Osama's mind, and he was the first to implement it.

If the C-4 were to detonate, Osama would be obliterated, and a large number of Soviet soldiers would also be killed. This was a tactic of mutual destruction.

The Soviet soldiers slowly retreated, knowing the power of the C-4.

The Soviet battalion commander was also stunned. What kind of people were these Afghan guerrillas? Didn't he know that if the C-4 exploded, the guerrillas would also be wiped out?

He could disregard the lives of the four or five soldiers, including the platoon leader, but he could not disregard the lives of his entire battalion. If the C-4 exploded, the casualties would be in the hundreds.

But to let them go, to open a path for them to escape from the encirclement, how could he explain this to his superiors?

More soldiers were coming, and the regiment commander was definitely among them, but he was not showing himself, clearly seeing that the situation was out of control and leaving the mess to him.

"Commander, on the other side of the hill, there is a cliff," a soldier said as the commander was indecisive.

The hill was high, and the sound of flowing water could be heard. The commander recalled the sand table before entering the valley. Yes, there was a cliff!

These guerrillas, in their panic, had run to the wrong place, thinking it was a way out. Since it was a cliff, it might be better to let them go. Once they reached the top of the cliff, they would be sitting ducks. Right, the snipers?

"Let them go, and prepare the snipers," the commander said to the soldiers around him.

In the Soviet army, the SVD sniper rifle was assigned to platoons, with nearly ten snipers in a battalion, enough to complete the task and save their own captives.

Osama stood at the front of the guerrillas. He knew this was the most dangerous moment. If a Soviet soldier, due to nervousness, lost control and pulled the trigger, they would all be blown to pieces.

Osama was not afraid of death, especially after escaping from prison and fighting with Muhammad. He had put life and death aside. But now, he was not seeking death; he was using this method to force the Soviets to let them go.

Time passed slowly. Osama could even hear his own heartbeat, *thump thump*, slightly faster than usual. The sweat on his forehead, mixed with blood, dripped to the ground. (To be continued...)

Chapter 89: The Frenzied Battle:

... (To be continued...)