Chapter 431: The Iron Demon
Chapter 431: The Iron Demon
Half an hour later, Chen Chuan, Yuan Qiuyuan, and Qin Qingque boarded the train, accompanied by a tactical squad of twenty-two members assigned to them.
These individuals were responsible for coordinated attacks and various support tasks, including logistics, communication, and transportation.
Among them was a familiar tactical advisor named Mr. Rao, arranged by Ding Mou, considering their lack of familiarity with the local situation, to assist in formulating tactical plans.
Due to the urgency of their departure, it wasn't until the train was in motion that Advisor Rao began briefing them on the mission.
"The Iron Demon," he said, placing a roll of documents in front of the three, "is our target for this operation." He unfurled the documents, revealing a large color-printed photograph.
Chen Chuan glanced at it; the so-called "Iron Demon" was a person wearing an old-style armor and helmet, with a terrifying red demon mask, holding a long spear adorned with white feather tassels, and mounted on a large black horse with blood-red spots.
The horse, also clad in old-era armor, had blood-red eyes, and judging by the reference object in the photo, it stood at least shoulder-high and possessed powerful muscles. It seemed both swift and agile.
"We received intelligence from the front," Advisor Rao explained, "that this individual is leading a squad of fifty, planning to take advantage of our reduced forces at the front to harass and disrupt our rear areas."
Yuan Qiuyuan stroked his chin as he examined the photo. "I thought this was just a monster from the Convergence Zone, but from what you're saying, Advisor Rao, and judging by his appearance, he seems like an ordinary person. Who is he, and which hostile force does he belong to?"
"He is indeed from the Convergence Zone," Advisor Rao confirmed.
He raised his head and continued, "But you should know that in the past, when the two worlds drew close, there were numerous periods of upheaval. When the worlds came into proximity, contact, exchange, and even clashes were inevitable."
"The Convergence Zone has existed since the old era," he added. "In the past, the understanding of the Convergence Zone was not profound, and the rifts between the two worlds were scattered in various locations. Many people fled to this place, and it was once considered a place of exile for disgraced officials and political failures."
"Recently, after the overthrow of the world's great empires, numerous imperial family members and former nobles and officials sought refuge here, establishing independent dynasties. They hold a strong grudge against us."
"Through the secret rifts and connections once held by the imperial families, they have maintained communication with our world, collaborated with corporations, and acquired some lost relics. As a result, they are not technologically backward. Moreover, due to their long-term presence in the Convergence Zone, they have acquired unique abilities."
"Currently, aside from the entities behind the World Ring, these remnants of the old dynasties are our primary enemies here."
Chen Chuan asked another question, and it became clear that the stronghold they had established was on the border of the old dynasty's self-proclaimed territory.
As the military fortress expanded, it would gradually compress their space, which, to them, was a clear attempt to eradicate them once again, leading to the intense conflict between the two sides.
Advisor Rao pointed to the photograph, "This 'Iron Demon' is a former elite imperial warrior of the old imperial family, leading a group of mounted warriors. These warriors often take advantage of our strained front-line defenses to harass us."
Chen Chuan picked up the accompanying documents, which explained that the term 'warrior' was used in the old era to refer to fighters. Imperial warriors, however, were different; they were fighters who served the imperial family and had been granted a title for their skills.
To receive a title from the imperial family meant that one had reached the Third Level.
The documents introduced that due to the vast and sparsely populated Convergence Zone, these imperial warriors each had their own territory or fiefdom, typically in the form of fortified manors. Each imperial warrior commanded a group of mounted warriors under their command.
Chen Chuan reflected that this was an ancient system but seemed quite suitable for the area.
Advisor Rao continued, "This 'Iron Demon' has repeatedly sabotaged railways, dismantled communication stations, attacked patrols, and even launched assaults on our bases.
They utilize vehicles, but they usually ride specially bred Rhinoceros Horses, some of which have been modified with implants, like the one in the photograph.
These horses are exceptionally strong, fearless, and possess incredible endurance and carrying capacity. In the wild, they can match the speed of off-road vehicles at a quick trot and can run for an entire day without food.
With these horses, their harassment becomes more mobile, sudden, and difficult to counter. Once we mobilize our main forces, they quickly retreat and relocate to another area."
However, Qin Qingque found this puzzling. "Advisor Rao, even with their superior mobility, we have more advanced tools. How can we not deal with them?"
In this modern era, even with the superior mobility of the Rhinoceros Horse, we can still catch up with them by bringing extra fuel for our off-road vehicles. This is an internal operation, so we have the advantage of convenient logistics and communication. We also have airships in the sky, and with determination, we can temporarily deploy some capable personnel to eradicate them.
Advisor Rao spoke up, "These people aren't ignorant of technology. They're well aware of our advantages, and they have their informants within our ranks. They only strike when our forces are deployed to the frontlines, and they repeatedly test us before taking action, ensuring we don't have the strength to venture deeper.
Moreover, they have an advantage we don't possess—the ability to handle anomalies in the wild... Well, the instructor might not have had the chance to tell you this, but it's best to avoid spending the night outdoors."
His expression turned solemn, "The night is when anomalies occur frequently, leading to all sorts of inexplicable situations and bizarre events.
Inside the fortress, we have solid fortifications and protection against anomalies, ensuring our safety. But it's a different story in the wild. We've suffered significant losses in such situations in the past.
Iron Demon and his group seem to possess a method that allows them to operate at night. Many of their hit-and-run attacks happen during the night, and they either hide during the day or retreat from the area entirely, making it challenging for us to implement targeted measures."
Chen Chuan noticed the activation indices of the team members, which were around seven to eight and rising. They were probably affected by their outdoor activities. As time went on, the values continued to increase, and they would soon need to use breathing techniques to adjust.
After observing this, he asked, "How do those people, who have been active outdoors for a long time, resist and overcome activation?"
Advisor Rao replied, "There are a few possibilities. Perhaps these people have lived here for a long time, and through natural selection, those who survived developed a certain resistance. Or, they might worship some kind of existence, which grants them a degree of resistance.
Another possibility is that they use drugs and breathing techniques like us to resist. And finally, there's a portion of them..." He spoke with a somber tone, "...who are already complete entities after activation."
Yuan Qiuyuan was taken aback upon hearing this, "Are they even human anymore? How can they use them?"
Advisor Rao said, "Although they might not be human, their thinking might still be human. The old imperial family seemed to have a way to identify and utilize them, so there were many such beings in the ancient kingdom.
We've encountered similar situations before. After killing the enemy, their brain or a limb might escape, and they could even take over the person responsible for inspection. When you encounter such individuals, you must thoroughly eliminate them from head to toe. They are a group composed of old-era noble warriors, fused with demons and monsters from the Convergence Zone!"
He added a reminder, "This 'Iron Demon' is rumored to be named Qu Mohu. He often wears a demon mask when he goes out, leading many to suspect that he is a demon himself!"
Yuan Qiuyuan pondered for a moment, as if struck by a thought. He asked, "Oh, Advisor Rao, you mentioned faith earlier, right? Can faith prevent activation?"
Advisor Rao seemed reluctant to discuss this, hesitating before speaking vaguely, "They might worship some beyond-limit existence from the Convergence Zone.
Those beings are said to gather in the first half of the Convergence Zone and are reportedly hostile to certain entities on the other side. I don't know much about this, and we have regulations against discussing such matters casually, so it's best to avoid mentioning it in the future."
"Understood," Yuan Qiuyuan said, his fingers clenching tightly, the sound of his knuckles cracking. "In any case, this time, we're dealing with this guy named Iron Demon, right?"
"Yes," Advisor Rao confirmed. "Our task is to drive this group out or, at the very least, keep them under surveillance and prevent further damage."
Chen Chuan asked, "Is it just about expulsion or surveillance?"
Advisor Rao looked at them and chose his words carefully, "Actually, that's already a significant achievement. You are a newly formed team unfamiliar with the situation. Qu Mohu is not only an Imperial Warrior but also a Marshal appointed by the imperial family.
"Is that an old-era military rank?" Yuan Qiuyuan asked, surprised. "My grandfather told me that in the past, he would have been granted a military title.
"Yes," Advisor Rao confirmed. "Theoretically, Imperial Warriors are the personal soldiers of the imperial family, but they are still just soldiers. However, those granted a title are different; they are military officers with the authority to command troops."
He emphasized, "Those who receive an official title are truly elite warriors. I might not be explaining this well, but to put it another way, according to the assessment from above, this person is likely on the verge of perfecting his mind and body as a fighter."
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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