<?php
$string = 'asdfasdf {_LINK_2_} asdf {_LINK_1_}{_LINK_3_} asdf{_LINK_8_}';
$exp = '/(?<={_LINK_)[0-9]+(?=_})/';
?>
PD9waHAKJHJlc3VsdHMgPSBhcnJheSgpOwokc3RyaW5nID0gJ2FzZGZhc2RmIHtfTElOS18yX30gYXNkZiB7X0xJTktfMV99e19MSU5LXzNffSBhc2Rme19MSU5LXzhffSc7CiRleHAgPSAnLyg/PD17X0xJTktfKVswLTldKyg/PV99KS8nOwokZmluZCA9IHByZWdfbWF0Y2hfYWxsKCRleHAsICRzdHJpbmcsICRyZXN1bHRzKTsKcHJpbnRfcigkcmVzdWx0cyk7Cj8+