Chapter 224: The Assault
Chapter 224: The Assault
Behind the hill, Bao Yuan witnessed the train suddenly come to a halt, and his excitement surged. He gave orders to his men, "Teams three and four, hold your positions here. Team five, go and harass the watchtower. Teams six to ten, follow me down!"
The resistance members cheered in response, and except for those stationed at the higher ground, the rest eagerly followed him, charging down the slope.
However, these individuals were clearly well-trained. Instead of rushing in a disorganized mob, they spread out, forming a surrounding formation as they advanced towards the train. During their movement, they would periodically stop to provide cover for each other, ensuring their backs and other directions were secure.
On the hilltop opposite, Ren Xiaotian, who had been sent to scout ahead, rushed over.
"Most of the resistance members are behind the northern slope. There are about a hundred of them this time. There's another group on the opposite mountain, but I didn't go over. From their formation, it seems there are no more than twenty people. And there are people moving towards the high points on both sides of the mountains..."
As he spoke, he used a stick to draw a few marks on the ground and pointed to various positions.
"There's a team at the foot of the southern mountain, but the exact number is unclear. There are quite a few vehicles parked there, probably to pick them up after the operation. On the northern side, there are some people lying in ambush, likely to counter any possible reinforcements from the north."
"Also, on the eastern side, we heard gunfire from a distance earlier. They must have sent people to attack the watchtower there, but the number shouldn't be significant. It's mainly to create a distraction..."
With just a few sentences, he provided a clear picture of the situation from his reconnaissance.
Chen Chuan had also been in contact with the Patrol Bureau via radio during that time, and much of the information matched what Ren Xiaotian had reported, giving him a clear understanding of the situation.
At this moment, a team member from Wei Chang'an's team, responsible for observation, exclaimed, "Look, they're moving!"
Chen Chuan glanced down and saw several armed individuals emerging from the forest, swiftly running towards the train in the bright morning light.
He immediately responded, "I'll handle these people down here. Wei, please take your team to deal with those on the opposite mountain and the high points."
"Leave it to me," Wei Chang'an assured him.
Chen Chuan added, "Ren, please lead the rest of the team to eliminate the armed personnel on this side of the hill."
As he spoke, he snapped his fingers, and the battle spider slowly crawled out from the nearby bushes. "I'll have the battle spider assist you," he said.
The night before, everyone had fed the spider with their blood, allowing it to recognize them as allies and understand some hand gestures. This enabled the spider to coordinate with their actions.
Chen Chuan had initially considered bringing the spider with him, but as a living creature, it might also be affected by the ritual's effects. So, it was better to leave it above.
Ren Xiaotian and his team had witnessed the spider's prowess the night before. It was an excellent assault specialist, capable of replacing three squads, especially in mountainous and forested areas where it could fully utilize its abilities. If the enemy didn't have powerful fighters, this spider alone might be enough to wipe out everyone above.
Chen Chuan finally said, "If there are no objections, let's begin."
The team members nodded, and they immediately split up to carry out their tasks.
Chen Chuan stood alone, taking out a double-sided mask with Secret Sect Ritual patterns and slowly putting it on. The patterns were intricate and complex, but from a distance, they appeared blurry, like a swirling cloud of smoke.
He thrust his sword into the soil and walked forward, unsheathing the blade as he reached the steep slope. With a swift leap, he charged down the hill.
At the hidden watchtower, Director Lei was observing the location of the hot air balloon and the train's position. He then took out a map and the Secret Sect Ritual tools to make a comparison. "Team One, head to Zone 093."
"Yes, sir!"
"Team Two, proceed to Zone 034."
"Yes, sir!"
"Team Three..."
As he gave instructions, the Investigation Bureau team members began to disperse. Destroying the ritual was easier than building an organization; they only needed to reach designated locations and sprinkle the special ritual powder they carried to disrupt the ritual.
At this moment, the resistance members had reached the front of the train.
However, just as they were about to approach, their vision blurred, and they realized there was no train in front of them. Many of them halted, but in the next moment of confusion, the train reappeared. They shook their heads, and seeing Bao Yuan already climbing aboard, they hurried to follow.
Bao Yuan led the charge, assigning two people to deal with the driver and conductors while he headed towards the rear carriages.
One of his men, following behind, saw two passengers still talking. He drew his gun and shot at one of the passengers, whose head instantly exploded.
Strangely, the other passenger across from him remained calm and continued the conversation with the bloody, half-headed individual.
"Hehe, interesting," the team member muttered, as if he had found something amusing. He drew his gun again and shot at the other passenger.
"That's enough, stop playing around," Bao Yuan scolded with a stern face. "These people are valuable. Don't mess this up."
The team member chuckled, "Captain, losing a few won't make a difference."
"Bao Yuan shot them a cold glance, silencing the team members instantly. At that moment, the resistance members who had rushed into the various carriages quickly gained control of the entire train.
Bao Yuan instructed the technicians, 'Send a telegram to the rear, informing them that I've hijacked the Chang Shun Express. There are three representatives from major foreign corporations on board. Let this news spread.'
The resistance organization had its own radio station, with many listeners both domestically and internationally. Some regulatory agencies also monitored this channel, so the impact of this news would be immense once it was released.
Bao Yuan believed that after this incident, his reputation within the resistance organization would reach unprecedented heights.
He then added, 'Also, use the train's radio to send a message to the Yangzhi City Government Hall. Tell them to accept the conditions we proposed earlier. Give them half an hour to consider, and every ten minutes after that, I'll execute a batch of people. We must show them that we keep our word. Start by killing all the company security personnel, then use their radio to send a message to their company, pressuring the Yangzhi Municipal Government!'
"Yes, Captain!"
The team members excitedly rushed towards the representatives of the various companies, starting to shoot down the security personnel.
No matter how much noise they made, the security guards showed no reaction to their actions. Even when someone standing next to them was shot, they remained unmoved, like lifeless targets.
Perhaps it was because of their momentum, but when they reached the carriage of Pollen Corporation, one of the team members aimed and shot the assistant, creating a bloody hole in the side of his head, causing his body to slump to one side.
Across from him, Steven Linden Berg commented, "Is this the Yangzhi Government's welcome ceremony? They seem very enthusiastic."
Chen Chuan had already reached a spot not far from the front of the train. He heard gunshots coming from both sides, seemingly aimed at him, but he didn't pay them any mind. With the distance and his swift movement, it was impossible for the shots to hit him.
At that moment, he noticed the Second Self on his body experiencing a wave of distortion, indicating that he had entered the range of the ritual's influence.
Using the method taught by Director Lei, he determined it to be a mental assault. Fortunately, the outer windbreaker he wore had patterns to counter such rituals.
So, he immediately erased the extra stroke at the collar, and the secret ritual took effect. The distortion on the Second Self weakened significantly, almost to the point of disappearance, though the vibrant colors of the patterns also seemed to fade slightly.
Countering the secret rituals involved mutual attrition. The patterns he had drawn with the limited materials would not last long, so he quickened his pace.
Two resistance organization members guarding the train saw someone approaching and fired without hesitation. But before they could react, a flash of blade light passed by them, and a figure crashed into the train!
A loud bang echoed as a person who was shooting in the carriage collided with the opposite wall. His chest caved in, and his internal organs, along with the spine, turned into a bloody mess.
At the carriage door, the two people standing there slid down in unison, and a long, narrow slash mark appeared on the carriage wall behind them.
Chen Chuan slowly stood up from his half-kneeling position, and at that moment, someone from the rear carriage rushed over. But before they could shoot, a blood hole appeared on their forehead, and they fell backward, collapsing lifelessly.
Chen Chuan retracted his hand that had thrown the pebble, turned his body, and slowly raised the longsword, pointing the tip towards the depths of the carriage. He took a deep breath, and his body instantly became scorching hot.
He lowered his body slightly, pushed off the ground with force, and with a loud bang, he surged forward. In his vision, everything around seemed to slow down, and wherever his feet touched, the carriage floor began to crack, warp, and shatter, like waves following in his wake.
Through the long line of train windows, a blade light flashed from the front of the train towards the rear, leaving behind a trail of severed bodies.
It was as if a row of dominoes had been knocked down, one by one, as the resistance organization members in each carriage were cut down. Heads flew, limbs scattered, and blood splattered, even as the passengers on both sides remained smiling and conversing, casually drinking the blood that had dripped into their teacups.
Amidst the shattering carriage floor and the sound of blades cutting into flesh, the medicated person at the rear finally reacted. They raised two shields that folded together, blocking the path of the incoming blade light.
However, the two shields instantly shattered, and the shield bearers were flung to the sides, falling lifelessly to the ground.
Chen Chuan halted his momentum and stood upright. From behind the mask, his gaze fixed on the firearms aimed at him from the front. He slowly raised his longsword, holding it horizontally in front of him.
The next moment, gunshots filled the carriage...
...
(End of Chapter)
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