He gestured to the others to follow, and then Gao Guang shouldered his pack amidst the stone circles of the two sentry posts.
Reconnaissance always requires light equipment, and now that the scouting was complete, it was time to discard what must be discarded and switch to the necessary gear.
Better to have and not need than to need and not have; the honey badger rifle hadn't fired a single shot but had fulfilled its mission, and was promptly left behind in the stone circle without hesitation.
The assault was imminent, and shedding even a gram of weight was beneficial.