Mercenary’s War
Chapter 529 - 529 525 Who Cares About Face

529: Chapter 525 Who Cares About Face 529: Chapter 525 Who Cares About Face “Be alert, the enemy on my side is making a move, and my thermal imaging device has malfunctioned.

I can’t accurately determine the enemy’s movement.

Everyone, stay vigilant.”

“I can’t determine the enemy’s movement.

Prince, how are things on your end?”

Gao Yang had already taken action; his thermal imaging device was functioning without any issues, at least for the moment, and the enemies on the cliff hadn’t made a move.

Poor Eric had no idea that his equipment had become the target of interest.

After hearing Gao Yang ask twice, he honestly replied, “There’s no movement from the enemy in front of me.”

“Good, I’ll send someone to get your rifle.

Lend me your gun for a bit, over.”

After finishing his statement, Gao Yang gave Li Jinfang a signal with his eyes, and then Li Jinfang immediately made an anxious expression and ran towards Eric.

In battle, when a comrade needs to borrow equipment, Eric had no reason to refuse, so Li Jinfang was quick to return, bringing back Eric’s rifle with him.

Excitedly taking Eric’s rifle, Gao Yang immediately put his eye behind the scope, and after only a glance, he muttered under his breath, “Curtis, the difference is indeed huge, the effect is much worse!”

The principle of a thermal imaging device is simple; an infrared thermal imager detects infrared energy and converts it into an electrical signal, then generates a thermal image and temperature value on a display, and can calculate the temperature values.

Forward-looking infrared thermal imagers are the best, using the differences in thermal radiation from objects for imaging where bright areas indicate high temperatures and dark areas low temperatures.

A good thermal imager can detect temperature differences down to one thousandth of a degree, can penetrate smoke, rain, snow, and camouflage, and can detect vehicles and personnel hidden in trees and bushes, and can even find objects buried underground.

The visible range of modern rifle thermal imagers is about one kilometer, while the large thermal imagers used on tanks can detect targets three kilometers away.

But, please note, these are just specifications on paper.

In actual use, the performance of different brands and models of thermal imagers would vary significantly if they were the same; it would be quite a surprise.

The thermal imagers that the Old Russians equip on tanks could realistically detect up to eight hundred meters, while the American ones from the same period could easily detect targets two kilometers away.

This is for large thermal imagers.

As for the smaller ones mounted on rifles, the Russian-made imagers are barely usable with incredibly high failure rates, and if they can reach a third of the claimed detection range, that’s fortunate.

A thermal imager that boasts a detection range of one kilometer, if it can actually reach three hundred meters in use, would be a cause for celebration.

In addition to detection range, the quality of thermal imagers also lies in the detection and display of temperature differences.

A good thermal imager can clearly image objects with different temperatures after the chip processes the data, while a poor one would show an area with only slight temperature differences in just one brightness level, making it impossible to distinguish the target from the background.

The thermal imager that Gao used was actually very good already.

Without obstructions, a detection range of seven to eight hundred meters was certainly possible.

With obstructions, it depended on what the obstructing material was, but in general, the performance was good, better than most thermal imagers available on the market.

Comparing one with another can be disheartening; Gao’s thermal imager was good, but contrasted with Eric’s, the difference was clear.

Gao’s couldn’t be said to be far behind Eric’s imager, but there was definitely a gap.

Now that both thermal imagers were operational, Eric’s produced a clearer image, with each tree being clearly visible.

The key was that it penetrated obstructions more deeply.

Gao’s image was also quite clear at the moment, but in terms of depth, it was only half as good as Eric’s, and in many areas with little temperature difference, it showed as one brightness level, only indicating that probably no one was there, but unable to discern specific details.

If Gao had to battle Eric, in most terrains it might be manageable, but in the jungle, Gao would likely be the one to die because before he could detect Eric, Eric would have already found him.

As top-tier marksmen, detecting the enemy first meant the difference between life and death.

Sometimes human capabilities reach their limit, and when both have pushed to the extreme of what humans can achieve, whoever has the better technological equipment has the advantage.

You don’t know until you compare, and the comparison can be startling.

Gao, who had initially the intention to “acquire” Eric’s thermal imager, now realizing the gap, felt he simply had to get his hands on Eric’s device.

Having decided to “acquire” someone else’s equipment, Gao had already decided to abandon shame, but when it came down to it, he found his skin was still somewhat thin.

“Toad, tell me, would it really be okay for me to just take his stuff?”

Li Jinfang didn’t hesitate, “Not okay, not okay at all.

Do you even need to ask?”

Gao Yang said with difficulty, “I don’t feel good about it either.

How about we ask Prince first, ask him if he’ll sell the thermal imager to me, what do you think?”

“Not a good idea, he definitely won’t sell.”

Gao Yang frowned in distress, “Then what should I do?

I can’t just say I’m taking it, no giving it back, I can’t say that.”

Li Jinfang said earnestly, “Brother Yang, I’m telling you, if you’re planning to take his stuff, don’t pretend, no matter how good the excuse is, taking is taking, no honor in that, why make a fuss over it?”

Gao Yang steeled himself and said, “Should I just come out with it then?”

Li Jinfang nodded and said, “Just tell it straight, tell Prince that we’re keeping his thermal imager.

If you’re too embarrassed, I’ll go talk to him myself.”

Gao Yang steeled himself and replied, “This thing is a lifesaver, I’d rather be shameless than dead, dammit, I’m going all out.

Why should you talk for me about using the stuff I need?

It’s just looted goods anyway, and I’m just going to say it straight, what of it?

I’m shameless, so what?

However much he paid for it, I’ll compensate him double, yeah, that’s how it’ll be.”

After quickly dismantling the thermal imager from Eric’s rifle, Gao Yang vigorously rubbed his hands on his face a few times, then cleared his throat with a cough before speaking into the walkie-talkie with a grave voice, “That, um, Prince, how much did you pay for your thermal imager?”

“I don’t know; you’ll have to ask Nate.”

“Oh, then I’ll ask him how much it was and then pay you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, my thermal imager broke, I need to borrow, no, as the commander and the only marksman, I need to requisition your thermal imager.

As an injured man, you can go rest.

I’ll arrange for someone to carry you away.”

As Gao Yang spoke, he deliberately emphasized the words “injured man” and “carry away.” However, after a moment of silence, Eric said sternly, “It’s okay, you can borrow it, no need to pay; just return it to me after you’re done.”

Li Jinfang was right; they were indeed engaged in shameless acts.

No matter how many excuses they made, the ugly truth would be revealed.

After clearing his throat again, Gao Yang spoke with a guilty tone, “All right, I’ll just say it, your thermal imager is pretty good, and I’m taking it.

You don’t need to say anything more; I won’t be returning it.

I’ll ask Nate how much I owe you and then compensate you, or if you want anything else, just tell me directly, I’ll make it up to you.

But the thermal imager, I won’t be returning it, just like that.”

After a moment of silence, Eric gnashed his teeth and said, “Ram, you really are an asshole.”

Gao Yang felt his face burning with embarrassment and said sheepishly, “Sorry, or, maybe Nate can buy a few more.”

“Do you think this kind of thing is readily available for purchase?

We only have four of them, total.

If they were easy to buy, we’d all have one.

So, return the thermal imager to me.”

Gao Yang replied apologetically, “Sorry, with you saying that, I really can’t return it now.

Um, you tell me, I can trade you anything else for it, or, just name your price.”

“Fine, either exchange it for your gun or give me ten million.”

Gao Yang gave a wry smile, “Buddy, don’t joke around.

Be serious, I’m definitely not returning it anyway, so just put forward some realistic conditions.

How about this?

I’ll talk to Nate first, then we can discuss terms, okay?

Please rest assured, I won’t just take your stuff for nothing.”

“Ram!

You bastard!

F**k you, don’t let me catch you, I’ll shoot you dead, you bastard, f**k you!

F**k you!”

While Eric cursed angrily, Gao Yang’s phone rang.

Gao Yang hastily said, “I’ve got a call, I have to take this.

And remember, keep the channel clear.

And, f**k you too.”

After swearing one last time, Eric didn’t continue to curse on the walkie-talkie, because Gao Yang shamelessly asked to keep the communication channel clear, and the professional Eric, though furious, still refrained from hogging the radio bandwidth.

Gao Yang first took the call from Uriyangko, then said to Li Jinfang, “Go return the rifle to Prince, and then carry him back on a stretcher.”

After giving instructions to Li Jinfang, Gao Yang picked up the phone and said, “Hello, what’s up?”

“We’ve figured it out; the ones who attacked you should be a special operation group from the Jaguar Corps, seventy-six people in total.

They lost contact with headquarters after receiving the order to withdraw yesterday and haven’t reconnected since.

FAEC has already lodged a protest, but headquarters still can’t reach them.”

Gao Yang furrowed his brow and said, “This is very strange, are they planning some trick?”

“Shouldn’t be.

If they were up to something, they wouldn’t have sent just those men.

It’s also a mystery how they found your camp.

Until we make contact, no one can know the intentions of the troops who attacked you.

Anyway, is there any threat from those people?”

After thinking for a moment, Gao Yang said, “Basically no threat, don’t worry.

So, when can we withdraw?”

“That’s what I was about to tell you.

The negotiations have concluded, and details have been settled.

You guys don’t need to worry about anything, just have Angel’s people leave behind some anti-aircraft missiles.

The rest will be handled by the government forces, FAEC will cooperate and issue a statement of defeat or whatever, everything that follows is none of our business.

Today, the government troops will remove the blockade, and the people coming to meet you will soon arrive.

I’ll tell you the rendezvous time and location later; buddy, we’re going home.” (To be continued.

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