Chapter 432: The Guard
Chapter 432: The Guard
After a journey of over ten hours, Chen Chuan and his team disembarked from the train and took a half-hour break at a fortress outpost along the route. They then drove out in seven armored off-road vehicles, continuing towards their destination.
As the sky gradually darkened, Consultant Rao urged, "We need to reach the next outpost before nightfall!"
Not all military outposts were located along the railway line; some were situated along the rivers of the Fusion Zone, while others were positioned in treacherous terrain.
The place they were heading to was the latter type.
As nightfall approached, Chen Chuan's team arrived at a defense post around six in the evening. The moment they entered the fortress, darkness seemed to descend instantly. Looking back, the outside world was already pitch-black.
Consultant Rao, who had been tense the entire journey, finally breathed a sigh of relief as he constantly checked his watch.
Unlike Rao, who was nervous, Chen Chuan and the other two were fighters, confident in facing external threats. Thus, both their physical and mental states remained in good condition.
This outpost was a small fortress with over fifty personnel stationed there. The sudden arrival of their team made the place slightly crowded.
However, they were only staying for the night, and the next day they would continue their journey. Knowing that they were on an urgent mission, the commander arranged for them to have a place to stay and provided water and food.
During the meal, Chen Chuan asked, "Consultant Rao, how many more outposts are there ahead?"
"There are five more outposts. We'll be traveling for another two days."
Chen Chuan said, "These places aren't far from the train tracks, so supplying materials shouldn't be difficult. But I see there are even more remote outposts. How do they manage their supplies?"
Consultant Rao replied, "On one hand, we rely on air transport, which can provide supplies for a long period. Occasionally, we also obtain simple supplies from some locals."
"Locals? You mean the Remnants?" Yuan Qiuyuan interjected, surprised. "Are they willing to cooperate with us?"
"Some of them are, and some are considered indigenous people here," Rao answered.
"Indigenous people? Are there really natives here?" Yuan Qiuyuan suddenly became interested.
"Yes, these people might have arrived here during the earlier stages of the Transformation. They have fully adapted to this environment, and both their appearance and internal characteristics differ slightly from ours. One research suggests that they could be our distant relatives from twenty to thirty thousand years ago, or perhaps even as recent as a few thousand years ago."
"Wow, that's a distant relative," Yuan Qiuyuan exclaimed.
"These people are different from the Remnants of the Imperial Family," Consultant Rao explained. "Most of them maintain a good relationship with us because they also fear the existence on the other side. They have been fighting against them for a long time, and in this regard, we stand on the same side.
"After all, they have been in contact with the other side longer than us and possess information we don't know. However, some of them hold deep hostility towards us."
"It seems their relationship with the Remnants of the Imperial Family isn't good either," Chen Chuan noted.
"Yes," Rao agreed. "In the past hundred years, the Remnants have frequently used their military might to plunder the wealth and population of these people, encroaching on their territory. So, when dealing with this common enemy, they are also quite cooperative."
Chen Chuan nodded. In truth, he knew that governments and companies weren't necessarily good either, but at least they knew which ones could be temporarily cooperated with and utilized. Without a common enemy, the behavior of governments and companies might not be any better.
Yuan Qiuyuan was amazed, "This place is so complex."
"Complex?"
Consultant Rao shook his head. "We're not even close to the real complexity. As we're about to move away from the railway line, we need to be cautious of the Fusion Zone's existence ahead. In the upcoming sections, we must be careful not to accidentally intrude into the territory of the Fusion Zone's creatures, as there's a possibility of being attacked by them."
He further explained that most of the Fusion Zone's creatures were massive and extremely ferocious. The good news was that there were weapons to counter them. The real fear was encountering groups of these creatures, as they could appear in overwhelming numbers, making them extremely difficult to deal with. Hiding in the fortress wouldn't be enough to stop them.
Therefore, Consultant Rao suggested that they should avoid these creatures whenever possible. If they were to suffer losses due to an accidental encounter, such sacrifices would be utterly unworthy.
After the meal, Consultant Rao brought out a map and pointed to a location, "If our journey goes smoothly, we should reach this place in two days—Outpost Number Seventy-Three."
Chen Chuan looked at the map. This small fortress was strategically located at the entrance of a river valley, right where two mountain ranges converged. If they wanted to go further, avoiding this fortress would mean a significant detour, possibly adding ten days or even half a month to their journey.
Beyond the fortress, there were only a few sparsely distributed outposts ahead. Further in the distance, the land was tinged with a reddish hue, indicating the control zone of the old dynasty.
However, the Fusion Zone was vast and uncharted, with entry points to it from every central city in the world. So, for now, they only had to deal with the enemies on their side.
In the other Central Cities, the situation remains unclear.
Rao Consultant speaks up again, "Entering from the rear, there are three options. One is to take a large detour, but that would consume too much time, and the situation is ever-changing. By the time we send out a squad, they might have already returned, or we might have summoned more forces from the rear, so 'Iron Demon' won't choose that path.
The second option..."
He points to a certain location, "Here, at Fortress '104', it's blocking an upstream river bend. It's very easy to raft or travel downstream from there.
For Iron Demon to lead his troops through there without being detected is impossible. Even if he manages to slip past, we can still block this rear route. So, he'll either ignore it or choose to clear this place first before advancing."
"And the last option is the '73' Fortress, where we're headed."
Chen Chuan asked, "Rao Consultant, do you think Iron Demon will choose to break through here this time?"
Rao Consultant nodded.
"Based on previous intelligence and analysis of Iron Demon's personality and behavioral patterns, we believe that this time, he's most likely to break through here and enter our rear!"
At this moment, Qin Qingque inquires, "Rao Consultant, if they launch an attack, when does the Intelligence Room estimate it will happen?"
"Iron Demon is leading over fifty mounted warriors this time. According to the distance, if they're heading straight for '73', they'll reach there in three to four days. At most, they'll be a day or two behind us. If they push hard and travel day and night, they might arrive in a day or two as well. So, we're on a tight schedule."
Chen Chuan's gaze fixed on the map, "Then we'll rush there as soon as possible."
After a night's rest, they hurried during the day, making good progress. In a day and a half, they arrived at Fortress 73, where over two hundred soldiers and several 'Degree' Fighters were stationed, including the formidable fighter, Hai Cheng.
Hai Cheng, a robust man in his fifties, had both hands replaced with implants, and even one of his eyes. Despite his age, fighters in this age group don't lose much strength and have richer experience.
Hai Cheng, having received radio intelligence about their mission to deal with Iron Demon, was well-prepared and showed great enthusiasm. Several of his friends and many of his subordinates had been killed in Iron Demon's attacks.
Chen Chuan ordered his squad to rest while he conversed with Hai Cheng to understand the situation. At that moment, he noticed a teenager, around fourteen or fifteen, observing them from a distance and even approaching Yuan Qiuyuan to gather information.
Chen Chuan took a look and asked, "Hai Defender, do you have soldiers as young as him here?"
Hai Cheng rubbed his short hair and replied, "Well, his father was one of us, a fellow townsman, and an old-timer here. He took a liking to a local indigenous woman and decided to settle down. He never returned to Central City.
My fellow townsman passed away early, leaving behind two sons. The older one, like him, joined the defense forces. He's a fine young man. Later, when Iron Demon attacked our patrol team, the entire squad, including this young man, was killed by Iron Demon. This kid has been determined to avenge his brother. So, he's been staying here, waiting for an opportunity.
Honestly, I wanted to send him back, but I figured if I didn't agree, this kid might run off on his own. However, his mother's family has considerable influence here. If something happens to him, it might affect our relationship. So, I kept him as an attendant by my side, giving him something to look forward to."
Chen Chuan nodded, "There will be a chance."
He asked Hai Cheng to assign a soldier familiar with the surroundings to guide him around the fortress, allowing him to familiarize himself with the terrain. Afterward, he returned to the fortress and discussed and planned specific tactics with Rao Consultant.
However, they waited for two days without spotting Iron Demon.
During this time, they received a radio message that a small group of troops had crossed the river at Fortress 104 the night before.
The sentry conducted a prolonged machine-gun sweep, and by dawn, they found the interception cable on the river severed. Downstream, they discovered a dead Dragon Nose Horse, suggesting that Iron Demon and his group had passed by.
This intelligence disrupted their initial plans. Did Iron Demon not intend to go through here but chose to break through from another location? If so, they had guarded the wrong position. The next step seemed to be to withdraw from here and pursue the group.
However, Rao Consultant remained adamant. He told Chen Chuan, "No, I still believe that the other side isn't his choice. This is likely a smoke screen from the enemy. Iron Demon's target should still be here!"
(End of Chapter)
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