Damian knelt down and picked up a tree branch that was lying next to him, then began drawing with it on the dirt of the ground.
“First, we fire the remaining smoke bombs in this direction.
Then you run away in the opposite direction, with the smoke behind your backs.”
Damian drew successive arrows towards the north, indicating an escape route through the valley.
Then Vic shook his head in denial.
“But the smoke does not stay long.
I fear that we will not be able to leave this valley before it clears.
Then, whether we go north or south, we will be forced to cross the valley, and that will expose us to the enemy.”
Damian raised his finger, interrupting his conversation.
“The enemy will think that we are withdrawing under the cover of smoke, so they will follow the direction from which the cloud is rising.
If they do not see us, they will know the direction.”
Vic said hesitantly: “You are right, but…”
Damian added: “Just that is not enough.
Here...”
He drew smoke marks on the southern side of the valley, then said:
“As for the retreat, it will be to the north.
The north is connected to the forest, and if you hold on for a while, you will take cover under its trees and hide in it.
When you withdraw, I will blow smoke in the other direction, so the enemy will think that we are retreating to the south.
They will chase the mirage.”
Everyone turned their attention to his voice alone.
“And if their minds turn to the south, even if the smoke from the north clears before its time, you will have penetrated into the forest, and they will not notice you.”
Jimmy said in amazement, tilting his head:
“But if we flee north, who will blow smoke in the south?”
Damian pointed to himself with his thumb, his features cold:
"I am."
They stared at him, their eyes wide in astonishment, but he continued:
“The remaining bombs are enough to waste a long time.”
Jimmy shouted angrily, jumping to his feet and waving his hand in denial:
"No!
No, Sir Lieutenant!
This cannot be!
If we escape, you will not be able to survive!"
Nicole added in an emotional voice:
"Really!
What do you plan to do with yourself, sir?"
Some of them started shaking their heads in rejection.
Damian scratched his chin in embarrassment and said:
“Hmm… That may be the case, but I don’t find anyone to use as bait other than me.
I am the one in charge of the faction, so it is my duty to free you under my responsibility.”
Jimmy protested: “We don't mean you don't bear responsibility!
We're just looking for a way to get out of it!”
“As for me, I have no other choice.
Do you have a better solution?”
It fell into their hands, and silence prevailed.
Then he exhaled lightly and got up from his seat.
“I realize your concern for me, but perhaps it is easier for me to go out alone than for you to move as a group.
Attention is drawn to the crowd more than to the individual.
Then I used to work alone until I received medals for that... and I still have enough luck.”
Some of them protested: “But this is suicide!
Even if it was you, Sir Lieutenant, this is...!”
However, Damian did not listen to their objection, but continued:
“If we want to implement the plan, we must hurry.
The tighter the cordon, the less room there is to escape.
Prepare to move, and help the wounded.”
Someone called him eagerly: “Lieutenant!”
But Damian took his pistol out of its holster, turned the hammer, and then fired a shot at their feet, and they shuddered and shuddered.
He pointed the weapon at Vick's forehead, who was looking at him with resentment, and said sternly:
“Whoever disobeys his commander’s order in the hour of battle will be dismissed or executed.
Do what I say without objection, or I will make you the first example, Sergeant!”
The people were astonished, and no one said a word.
Nicole said angrily, running her hand through her hair: “Ah!
This...doesn’t make sense!”
Then she walked up to him and snatched the gun from his hand.
Damien did not resist her, but relaxed his arm, so Nicole turned to her companions and shouted:
“Enough!
There is no time to argue right and wrong!
I know you don’t agree, but the plans are clearer now than the lieutenant said.
Let us all comply.”
Then she bit her lip and added: “Let us do what he tells us to do.”
The faces were disturbed, and each one of them was holding his chest, but they agreed under duress.
This seemed the most likely way to escape.
Damien patted Nicole on the shoulder and said:
"Well done, Nicole.
If I'm gone, you're the deputy commander and take over the platoon."
She replied with a sigh: “I don’t like that, but there is no way out.”
Damian smiled and said as if he remembered something:
"Oh, I hope you do.
If you find Major Paul Jessica, inform him about me and say: 'You have satisfied my anger, you son of a bitch!' Then spit on his shoes.”
Nicole said in surprise: “Do you want me to be executed?!”
But he did not pay attention to it, but was busy collecting the remaining smoke bombs.
Finally he said: “Come on.”
They followed him, their faces sad.
When they reached a suitable place, he exploded a smoke bomb and said:
"Goodbye, dead or alive!"
As soon as he released it, they rushed north, abandoning him.
Damian began to retreat south, launching bombs one after another, while bullets rained down from behind the smoke.
The enemy was tracking him as he expected.
The surprising thing is that the bullets flew thickly, yet he was not seriously injured.
It was as if his misfortune had become an ally of strange luck.
He panted until his chest tightened, but he continued running.
He still had many bombs in his hand, and he refused to flee or hide before releasing them all.
Beads of sweat dripped down his face despite the cold of late winter.
When he dropped the last bomb, he slowed down and said:
“Maybe now is enough.”
But suddenly, a bullet pierced his shoulder, causing his body to tremble and his back to shiver.
He stared at his wound and saw that his military uniform was torn.
“They won't let me catch my breath.
Maybe they realize I'm the bait.”
Is it a clear realization or a persistent pursuit?
He did not know, but every bullet carried a hidden hatred.
So he thought to himself: 'How do I escape now?'
He holed up behind a rock inspecting the ocean, but found no way out.
He had no choice but to continue on his path south.
Soon, bullets rang out again, hitting his right arm.
"Agh!"
He suppressed his scream and steadfastly stood, and pressed his wound, and hot blood flowed out.
As soon as he felt it, pain swept through him like a whip.
He bit his other forearm to keep from screaming.
"Ahh…"
He extracted a bandage from his waist and pulled it above the site of the injury to stop the bleeding.
"Fuck."
If he loses his arm, he will no longer be able to carry a weapon.
'This time, the danger is real.'
When he separated from the group, he was like someone devoid of feeling, unsure of what he was in.
But now that he was injured, another feeling swept over him, as if death was staring at him.
A cold sweat ran down his forehead, not like the sweat of effort.
'Ah...even when I was receiving medals for my adventures...'
Then he smiled bitterly and said to himself:
'It was a miracle that my body remained intact from head to toe.'
What recklessness!
He had no right to take survival for granted.
He knew he was lucky, but now he realized how great his luck was.