For a combatant to fight comfortably, the individual combat weight was usually limited to 10-12 kg. Where 7-8 kg was for ammunition and weapons, and the rest was divided into NVG, medic-bag, radio, and combat knife.

Meanwhile, other equipment would be packed into a backpack which would be put down when a versus contact occurred.

Green Raccoon personnel were also inseparable from the maximum combat load concept. The individual armaments carried by Green Raccoon's personnel on this mission consist of three variations.

Carbine HK416A5 + Eotech 551 + tactical flashlight + 6 extra magazines, HK M320 40 mm grenade launcher + 12 rounds of ammunition.

Precision Rifle HK M110A1 + long range all-weather scope + bipod + 4 extra magazines

Long Range Precision Rifle, AWM 338 + long-range all-weather scope + bipod + 35 rounds of match-grade .338 Lapua Magnum

Each variation of individual weapons had one thing in common, weighing no more than 8 kg.

As soon as he decided to intervene, Sergeant Liam ordered all Green Raccoon's personnel to gather. He then asked who was willing to volunteer, and without further ado all Green Raccoon personnel raised their hands.

Subsequently, tasks, weapons, and ammunition were immediately divided while unused equipment was wrapped in poncho and buried with a mini-transmitter to mark their location.

---

Sgt. Liam was an experienced veteran, but his heart was still pounding as he and the first sub-team members walked closer to Villa Hagel, relying solely on the darkness of the night as cover.

Villa Hagel had no outer walls and no plants or trees in the fields around it. In addition, carrying out a hostage rescue mission was a foreign thing to Sergeant Liam and his men.

And even though Green Raccoon managed to rescue the hostages, the problem did not end. For intelligence said that 8 km west of the villa, there was a border post with hundreds of potential hostile.

Moreover, defending a captured target was not the skill-set of STA Platoon. A well-led, well-equipped, and highly morale regular platoon would give better results when asked to defend a captured target, compared to 12 STA personnel which had a wide range of advanced skills but unsuitable for conventional combat.

Secrecy was the main weapon of STA Platoon. Therefore they would instinctively avoid large numbers of enemies. Whereas if they were forced to engage with larger units, then they would rely heavily on artillery support or close air support.

If artillery strikes or airstrikes could not be provided then measures to be taken were 'Resistance, Evasion and Escape'. Prolonged versus contact should be avoided at all costs, as it would allow the opponent to carry out a siege and launched a fatal attack.

Therefore STA personnel carried minimal ammunition. Apart from the fact that gunfire was the last line of defense, the statistics also showed that reconnaissance unit that carried excessive ammunition were usually killed because they were trapped in prolonged versus contact.

But currently, Green Raccoon personnel were volunteering to enter into a versus contact with larger units, with limited ammunition.

The operations control center at FOC South 860 was already sending in reinforcements, but it would take some time before they arrived.

The Green Raccoon's personnel split the force into three sub-teams that were approaching from three different directions. The first sub-team approached from the front and was tasked with attacking the main building and rescuing the hostages.

The second sub-team was approaching from the left side, and would attack the barracks beside the main building. Meanwhile, the third sub-team would split into a two-men cell, took a position 200 meters from the villa, and eliminated hostiles on the right and back of the villa.

As soon as all the sub-teams confirmed that they had arrived at their designated positions, the raid was executed.

---

The first sub-team was led directly by Sgt. Liam. They managed to close into the main building without difficulty, as there were no sentries or patrols around the villa.

All personnel of the first sub-team used HK416A5 with a sound suppressor. The HK M320 grenade launcher on the carbine had been removed. The buttstock which was stored in the backpack then installed before the four grenade launchers were distributed to the second and third sub-teams.

The assault formation they used was a point-man, two strikers, and a rear-guard.

Point-man would enter first and secure the side where the majority of hostility was present. This side was commonly referred to as the heavy side.

The first striker then catched up and secured the light side or side where the number of enemies was smaller. Followed by the second striker that would come in last and help point-man clear the heavy-sides.

Meanwhile, the rear guard was in charge of opening the door, throwing a flashbang, and then securing the point of entry from opponents who might try to sneak from behind. Although unfortunately, in this attack Green Raccoon personnel did not carry flashbang.

The living room of the villa was only lit with candles and oil lamps, but the lighting was adequate that the NVG would lose its effectiveness. So Sergeant Liam turned off his NVG before peering in through one of the windows.

Not long after that, he gave instructions to the personnel of the first sub-team using hand signals. The fastest right-handed shooter would become point-man because the heavy side was on the left, and on that side the hostages were lying on the floor.

Sergeant Liam would take the second striker position, and the enemy must be eliminated as quickly as possible. Once the positions and assignments have been determined, personnel of the first sub-team immediately line up beside the front door of the main building.

Sergeant Liam gave a small nod, and the rear guard immediately opened the door which happened to be unlocked, then took a position to secure the entry point.

Then, with a steady step and HK416A5's muzzle directed towards the front, the point-man walked in followed by the two strikers.

Beep! Beep!

Point-man's first victim was a hostile who was standing with his hand on his hips, watching his comrades having raped the hostages. A silenced double-tap slammed into his back and shattered his heart, and in an instant he collapsed to the floor.

Be-beep! Be-beep! Be-be-be-beep!

As soon as the first victim fell, the following victims immediately followed. In three breaths of time, seven hostiles collapsed to the floor and a puddle of blood formed under their body. At the same time, the five hostile who were engrossed in intercourse with the hostages were realizing the incoming dangers.

They swiftly crawled towards the short swords propped against the wall not far from their position. Unfortunately, at the moment their hands grabbed the short sword, they fell into the aim of the third striker. Without a second thought, the third striker pulled the trigger, and the combination of a long and short outburst instantly tore apart their bodies.

Meanwhile, Sgt. Liam found three hostile sitting around enjoying wine. He instantly killed two of them as they tried to grab short swords at their waists. While the third bandit smiled as he casually put his wine to the table.

"Soldiers of Amethyst Merchant, I challenge you to a one-on-one duel bare-handed. If you win, I will give you every piece of information I have."

Be-beep!

Without further ado, Sgt. Liam pulled the trigger, and the hostile in front of him fell to his knees while squeezing his chest.

"Sorry, I don't have time to play," Sgt. Liam said as he pulled the trigger one more time.

Eighteen enemies were knocked down, while some of them managed to escape through the back door.

Sgt. Liam and the pointman then checked the hostages' condition and wrapped their body using some curtains. And as the second striker guarded them, he and the point-man swept the 2nd floor.

Not long after that, the hostages were moved to a room on the 2nd floor.

*****