Chapter 134: The Retrieval
Chapter 134: The Retrieval
In the 134th chapter, Rusty Bandit Leader and Venom Snake led their men in a retreat, only to board an armed vehicle within the camp. However, due to the uncertainty of what lay ahead, another off-road vehicle took the lead.
The road behind was a downhill slope, and as soon as the vehicle left the camp, it accelerated downhill, intending to break through in one go.
By this time, the sky had started to brighten, but visibility was still somewhat affected. By the time those inside the vehicle realized something was amiss on the road ahead, it was too late. The vehicle had already run over a tire-bursting device, causing the tires to burst instantly, and it skidded out for dozens of meters before flipping onto its side.
Venom Snake, who had been driving the armed vehicle, suddenly realized something was wrong and quickly braked. He was startled, feeling a cold sweat down his back. Fortunately, he hadn't been at the front earlier, or he would have been the one outside now.
At this moment, gunshots rang out on both sides of the slope. Bullets struck the makeshift steel plates of the armed vehicle, unable to penetrate, but they dared not stay in place and retreated backward.
Rusty Bandit Leader angrily slapped his vehicle and cursed.
With the tire-bursting device blocking the way, forcing their way forward would only result in the same fate for their tires. While they could walk, without a vehicle in the wilderness, progress would be nearly impossible.
Venom Snake spoke up, "Boss, we can only get out from there now."
Rusty Bandit Leader knew what he meant. It was a trench they had left behind earlier, and they could escape the camp through a narrow gap in the trench. He picked up his gun and said, "After we get out, should we attack from the rear? Alright, let's fight them!"
"Boss!"
Venom Snake grabbed his hand and said, "These people must have come by car too. They probably came from the city, and there's only one place to hide vehicles in that direction, probably not far ahead. Even if there are people left behind, there won't be many. Let's get out first, then check there. As long as we can get a car, we still have a chance to escape!"
Rusty Bandit Leader was taken aback, but then a glimmer of hope for escape ignited within him. He thought for a moment and said sternly, "Let's do it!"
Earlier, they had taken six brothers with them, but four of them had already crashed. In this vehicle, aside from the two of them, there were also two Maka students who had come with Evergreen Oak Leaf. After Qisai's disappearance, these two could take his place in communicating with the exchange delegation. They might even speak up for them when they returned, so they had to take them along.
The four of them reached a corner of the camp and, one by one, began to climb down a rope.
Meanwhile, at the front, the firefight continued.
Chen Chuan noticed that the enemy's firepower had noticeably weakened, and after a short while, he heard gunfire from the rear. This likely meant that bandits from the camp were trying to escape from the rear but were blocked by the rear guards.
However, the gunfire stopped after a few shots, indicating that the bandits hadn't managed to break through. Still, he couldn't shake his unease. He checked his watch and saw that it was almost 5:00 am, and the sky was already starting to brighten. After some thought, he said, "Wei Ge, I'll go check the rear. You're in charge here."
Wei Chang'an pointed to the team member on the watchtower behind them and said, "Rest assured, Ding Brother is up there keeping watch. With their current weapons, they won't be able to break through."
Chen Chuan nodded and quickly retreated from the camp's main entrance, heading towards the rear. If there were no issues at the back, he could attempt to break through from there, sandwiching the bandits between two fronts and ending the battle swiftly.
When he reached the rear of the camp, he saw the overturned off-road vehicle, and the people who had crawled out had already been dealt with by Ren Xiaotian's team. After a brief discussion with Ren Xiaotian, they prepared to launch a rear assault.
At the same time, outside the camp, Rusty Bandit Leader, Venom Snake, and the two Maka students emerged one by one from the ravine. They glanced back at the camp, where the firefight continued, unaware of their presence for now.
Venom Snake waved them forward and whispered, "Boss, this way." Rusty Bandit Leader nodded, crouching low and sprinting out, with the two Maka students following closely behind.
However, just as they had gone a short distance, the gunman in the watchtower took aim at the open wilderness. Although the sky wasn't fully bright yet, he could vaguely make out several moving objects. But Chen Chuan had just passed by, so he adjusted his aim and fired based on his instincts.
A gunshot rang out, and a Maka student's arm flew off, eliciting a painful cry as he fell to the ground.
Venom Snake was startled and said, "Run! Spread out!"
In the open wilderness, with no cover, they could only hope that the gunman's next shot wouldn't hit them. After running for twenty meters, another gunshot sounded, and the Maka student at the front fell face-first.
At the camp's rear entrance, Chen Chuan had only taken a few steps when Ren Xiaotian called out to him, "Chen Shidi, wait!"
Chen Chuan stopped and turned, asking, "Ren Shixiong, what is it?"
Ren Xiaotian's expression turned solemn. "That last shot was fired outward."
Chen Chuan understood immediately. A shot fired outward meant either someone had approached from outside or someone had escaped from within, using unknown means. If someone had come from outside, a different signal would have been sent, so the latter was more likely. Moreover, whoever had escaped at this point was undoubtedly a key figure.
Ren Xiaotian shared the same assessment. "Let's take my car and pursue them."
Chen Chuan nodded. Wei Chang'an and his three team members were guarding the rear, and the tire-bursting device blocked the way. Even if someone got out, they wouldn't get far in the wilderness.
So, Chen Chuan got into Ren Xiaotian's car, and as soon as the engine roared to life, they sped off toward the front.
Rusty Bandit Leader and Venom Snake were also running for their lives, using the dim light of the not-yet-bright sky as cover. Fortunately, they weren't hit by any more gunfire, and after sprinting for hundreds of meters, they indeed spotted several vehicles parked ahead, filling them with joy.
In the wilderness, every bandit had the skill to steal a car, and reaching those vehicles meant a chance to escape.
The two people left behind were part of Wei Chang'an's team, responsible for technical matters. Still, they had been brought to the wilderness, indicating they could fight if needed.
As a figure approached, there were only two people, both initially remaining calm and unmoving. When they reached a suitable shooting distance, they raised their guns and fired. Yu An was instantly shot in the chest and fell to the ground. Mi Tai was startled, but there was no time for hesitation. He quickly moved, drew his gun, and returned fire.
Known as the Desert Hawk, his exceptional vision allowed him to shoot accurately even while moving. The bullets struck close to the two men, causing them to hastily retreat.
During the exchange of gunfire, Mi Tai was also hit, but his protective clothing prevented any serious injury. Just then, the sound of an approaching vehicle reached his ears, causing him to become anxious.
He continued to suppress the two men in front with his gun while rushing forward and taking cover behind a vehicle. He then retrieved a box from his person, opened it, and pulled out a piece of evergreen oak leaf, holding it high for everyone to see.
"You're here for this, aren't you? If you don't let me go, I'll destroy this right now! Don't try to deceive me; I'll tear it up immediately!"
He made a gesture as if to tear it apart with his bare hands. He wasn't sure if they were after this item, but he took a gamble. When the two men indeed stopped shooting, he confirmed his suspicions.
The approaching vehicle came to a halt in the distance. Chen Chuan stepped out, holding a sword, and slowly approached. He stopped at a safe distance and said, "You can't escape."
Mi Tai held the leaf in front of him, his face contorted, and said, "I'd rather destroy this than let you have it."
Chen Chuan calmly asked, "What do you want?"
Mi Tai's heart eased slightly, and he said fiercely, "Just give me a car and let me go. I can leave this item at a location or with a person of your choosing, and we'll have nothing to do with each other. I won't ask who you are, and you won't come looking for me."
Chen Chuan replied calmly, "You're not a native of Makah, are you? You probably haven't had much contact with this leaf before. There's something you might not know—this leaf is a gift from the Makah people to Dachuan, and it's not only evergreen and indestructible but also exceptionally resilient. It's not something that can be easily destroyed by ordinary means."
Mi Tai was startled, his eyes fixed on the leaf. Just then, a loud bang sounded, and his forehead suddenly exploded, causing him to collapse face-first onto the ground.
Behind him, Ren Xiaotian spun the revolver in his hand and smoothly returned it to his waist holster. He then nodded to Chen Chuan.
Chen Chuan also nodded and walked forward. As he passed by the fallen body of Yu An, the latter suddenly sprang up, seemingly attempting to rush forward and take him hostage. However, a flash of sword light followed, and his head flew off.
Chen Chuan's stride didn't falter. He simply flicked his sword, and the headless corpse behind him fell with a thud. Without a glance back, he continued towards the fallen evergreen oak leaf.
What he had said to Mi Tai wasn't entirely a lie. The Foreign Affairs Bureau had informed him that the leaf was incredibly resilient and couldn't be easily destroyed by conventional means. Even if damaged, it would regenerate, so there was no need for excessive caution when retrieving it.
Chen Chuan bent down and picked up the leaf.
As he touched it, he felt a slight tremor in his "second self," but only for a fleeting moment.
He examined the leaf in his hand for a moment, found the box, and placed it back inside.
With the leaf recovered, his mission was nearly complete. However, there was still one last group of bandits inside the camp, all of whom were wanted criminals. Since he was already there, he decided to eliminate them all.
As Chen Chuan returned to the camp by car, the gunfire continued. The bandits, having waited in vain for a rear assault, were growing despondent. Yet, even in this state, they refused to surrender.
In the desert, firefights between gangs rarely left survivors, and even if the opposing side offered mercy, it was rarely believed. These hardened criminals were prepared to fight to the death.
As dawn broke, Chen Chuan exited his vehicle and leaped across the trench, reaching the camp's edge. The ground was narrow, but he moved as if on flat land. As he approached the entrance, he sensed a bandit guarding the door behind a barrier. With a reverse grip on his sword, he spun and stabbed, piercing the barrier and skewering the man's head. He then crouched and charged forward.
As he made this move, several bullets struck the barrier behind him. Chen Chuan drew his sword in a fluid motion, spinning to face the entrance. He halted his momentum and faced two terrified bandits. With a swift slash, he beheaded them both.
He rushed inside, where he saw three remaining bandits, each positioned at different locations, seemingly unaware of the commotion behind them. Chen Chuan drew his gun and fired several shots, instantly taking down two of them from behind.
He then turned to the last bandit, a man nearly two heads taller than him, wearing a steel helmet and a metal face mask, his body encased in bulky protective gear. Upon seeing Chen Chuan, he roared and jumped down, charging towards him.
The bandit's massive frame created a formidable presence as he charged, making the ground seem to shake. Chen Chuan calmly faced him, sword in hand.
But just as the burly man was halfway through his charge, a muffled gunshot rang out. The back of his head seemed to take a heavy blow, and his helmet flew off. The upper half of his skull exploded, and after a few staggering steps, his body collapsed to the ground.
Chen Chuan looked towards the distant watchtower, where a gunman named Ding raised his thumb in acknowledgment. Chen Chuan nodded back and addressed the approaching crowd, "Everyone, let's clear out the camp. We aim to leave here before noon."
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(End of Chapter)
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