ANMELDENThe team moved in unison like shadows. Within seconds, they left the bamboo house and disappeared into the darkness of the jungle. Before leaving, Garuda Hitam swept away their footprints in the soft ground using a long branch.The night wind swayed the bamboo groves.Srrrk... srrrk...The rustling leaves swallowed every trace of their presence.Inside the house, the bound man struggled desperately in the dim light, surrounded by invisible death traps.Meanwhile, several kilometers away, Ravok was sitting in his temporary camp. An oil lamp hung low overhead, casting sinister shadows across his scarred face.He read the message about the crate filled with gold over and over again.His hand rubbed the long scar on his cheek. His gaze turned toward the dark night outside the tent.“Damn it...” he muttered softly.This could be a fortune of a lifetime, or it could be a grave. Greed and survival instincts fought fiercely inside his head.A few seconds later, he suddenly stood up and kicked
The man trembled, then struggled to pull an old waterproof phone from his belt. Its screen was badly cracked, and its casing was covered in mud and blood.“U-use this... whenever we find something, we send a text message with a special code.”Arka took the device. The screen lit up and requested a password. He looked at the man. “Four... eight... four... eight...” the man hurriedly answered.Arka unlocked it, then scrolled through the latest messages. The top line contained a random combination of numbers and letters that appeared meaningless. Yet that was precisely why his eyes narrowed.In a place like this, messages that looked foolish often concealed the most dangerous information.“Now,” Arka returned the phone to the man's hand while slowly tapping the pistol's barrel against his opponent's forehead. “Send Ravok a message. Tell him you saw us opening a crate filled with gold bars through a gap in the bamboo house's window.”His voice was low and calm, yet carried enough pressure
Less than ten minutes after the taillights of Ravok's pickup truck disappeared into the jungle, Arka stood beside the second-floor bamboo railing. His gaze moved slowly, sweeping across the dense trees surrounding them like a flawless scanning device.The damp wind blew through the leaves. The sounds of insects, night birds, and rustling branches rose and fell, forming the wild rhythm characteristic of the forest. Everything seemed normal. Yet the slight furrow between Arka's brows only grew more pronounced.“Garuda Hitam,” he said without turning around, his voice low but firm. “Hand me that rifle.”Without asking any questions, Garuda Hitam immediately retrieved the assault rifle that had just been assembled from the equipment compartment. He handed it over in one swift motion. The metal was still cold, carrying the lingering scent of damp wood and earth.Arka accepted the weapon. There was no optic, no additional sighting equipment. Only his sharp eyesight and instincts forged on t
Arka remained calm. His gaze stayed fixed ahead, not wavering in the slightest.“Just call me Ravok,” the man said briefly, pointing toward the pickup truck. “Listen, this place isn't safe. Every half hour, there's always a patrol passing through, whether government troops, local militias, or members of the Snake Fang Group. If you run into them, things will get complicated. Get in.”They immediately climbed into the covered truck bed. Sacks, toolboxes, and wooden crates were scattered inside, mixed with the smell of harsh tobacco and the pungent odor of chemical fertilizer.The engine roared again, and the vehicle drove deeper into the jungle. The road was far worse than they had expected. It resembled a long stretch of muddy pits carved out by heavy wheels more than an actual road. The truck shook violently from side to side.Vanessa gripped the side of the cabin tightly until her knuckles turned pale. Arka sat beside her, deliberately positioning his shoulder to absorb some of the
On the morning of the fifth day, the engine's rhythm changed. The ship began turning slowly.Through the narrow window, a distant stretch of land could be seen ahead. There was no port or city. Only a wall of dense forest that seemed to grow directly out of the sea.“Get ready.”Arka's voice was low, but the entire team immediately sprang into action.The weapons that had previously been assembled were dismantled and returned to their concealed configurations. Barrels, bolts, ammunition, and optics were packed into specialized cases.Vanessa's medical bag had now become an important distribution hub. Besides medicine, it also contained pistol components and several miniature explosive devices.The ship did not approach the shore. Instead, it stopped approximately one kilometer from land.Through the morning mist, an old motorboat emerged from the forest line and sped toward them like a shadow.“That's our contact from the Old Shadow route,” Garuda Hitam whispered. He raised his hand a
“This is the fastest route.” Arka's answer was brief and calm.He looked at them one by one. “I'm leaving everything in your hands.”Mireya took a deep breath before handing him a small waterproof pouch. “Emergency medicine and a backup communication chip.”Her eyes reddened. “Keep the signal active. Send at least one safe code every forty-eight hours.”Arka accepted it without saying much.Calista stepped forward next. Nervously, she handed him a small amulet that looked well-worn. “I... I got this from a spiritual practitioner.” Her face turned red with embarrassment. “They said it's effective.”The corner of Arka's lips lifted slightly. “Thank you.”Keira remained the calmest of them all. She handed him an encrypted USB drive. “It contains three years' worth of satellite scans of the Snake Fang Syndicate's operational territory. Previously detected stronghold locations, river routes, logistical routes, and possible minefields.”Her gaze remained steady. “Time is limited. This is ev







