Chapter 436: Facing the Enemy
Chapter 436: Facing the Enemy
At Fort Seventy-Three, Consultant Rao had barely slept the entire night. Early in the morning, he received a message from Chen Chuan and his team, causing him to mutter, "It seems like everything's fine..."
He heaved a huge sigh of relief, then after a moment's thought, he made his way to the radio room and activated a secret channel that connected to the Intelligence Operations Room.
He sent a telegram, "Requesting the activation of deceptive intelligence."
After a while, a simple response came back, "Confirmed?"
Consultant Rao hesitated for a moment before quickly tapping out a reply, "Confirmed!"
In a mountainous region, a Wu Ding District soldier responsible for reconnaissance reported the news and quickly departed.
An Imperial Samurai approached the Iron Demon, reporting, "Commander, the squad that has been pursuing us spent the night outside. They have a way to counter the anomalous assault at night. I suggest we eliminate them."
The Iron Demon, seated on his horse, did not respond immediately. After a while, a voice emerged from behind the mask, "Let's string them along for a day or two. If they can still keep up, then we'll take action."
The Imperial Samurai said, "But what if they continue to follow us? We'll have to keep avoiding them, unable to accomplish anything. Moreover, if we don't take advantage of this opportunity to deal with them, our rear will always be unstable."
It was the advantage of nighttime marching that allowed them to navigate this land freely. A single squad could stir up trouble in the enemy's rear, causing widespread disruption.
If the enemy possessed this ability, the threat to them was obvious. Especially now, as they seemed to roam freely, but in reality, they were deep in enemy territory. If they were truly cornered here, they could be surrounded and wiped out at any moment.
At that moment, a Cavalry soldier in charge of the radio put down his headphones and approached with a translated message, "Commander, we've received an insider report. One or two squads are approaching our location and are expected to reach us within two to three days."
"Fort 104 has been confirmed as a blockade, and there's additional information that the rear has requested a combat airship."
The Imperial Samurai immediately turned to the Iron Demon, saying, "Commander, we can't delay any longer!"
Dealing with one squad was manageable, but if another squad joined the pursuit, they would be at a significant disadvantage. The root of this problem lay with the squad that had been following them. If they could eliminate that squad, they would have more options.
The Iron Demon remained silent for a moment.
During the attack on the fortress, he had felt a sense of foreboding, but it had not resurfaced since, not even when the squad pursued them. However, a voice in his mind urged him to avoid this squad as much as possible.
The situation's development forced him to make a decision.
He said, "Pass the order. Mount up and prepare to depart in ten minutes."
"Yes, sir!"
Dozens of cavalry soldiers received the order, immediately checking their equipment and assisting each other with inspections. Within just a few minutes, they were all mounted and galloping towards Chen Chuan and his team's location.
Qin Qingque, in the off-road vehicle, received a telegram. He held it up with both hands and passed it to Chen Chuan, saying, "Captain, a telegram from Consultant Rao. Please take a look."
Chen Chuan took the telegram. "Deceptive intelligence...?"
A thought crossed his mind. The Iron Demon must have an insider in their midst, which was why they dared to move so freely in enemy territory.
According to the deceptive intelligence, two squads were rapidly approaching their location. Upon learning this, the Iron Demon would have only one reaction.
He raised his head, his gaze meeting the eyes of his two companions, and said, "Get ready. Unless something unexpected happens, the Iron Demon will be here soon."
Yuan Qiuyuan's spirits lifted, and he eagerly said, "Captain, are we just going to wait here?"
Chen Chuan said, "No. Since they're coming for us, we can't let them have it too easy. Let's change our location and set up somewhere else."
Qin Qingque immediately suggested, "Captain, I think a place we passed by earlier would be suitable."
"Good, let's go to the place you mentioned."
The three of them quickly packed up and made their way towards the off-road vehicle. Just then, a lance suddenly flew through the air, heading straight for them.
Yuan Qiuyuan turned and caught the lance with one hand, his arm steady as the lance's shaft vibrated. He raised an eyebrow, sensing that the thrower was at least two li away, but the dense forest obscured the person's location.
Chen Chuan didn't even turn around, calmly walking into the vehicle. Qin Qingque also paid it no mind and headed straight for the driver's seat.
Yuan Qiuyuan twirled the lance in his hand, then snapped it in two, tossing the broken shaft to the ground. He then leaped and entered the vehicle through the opening above, taking control of the machine gun.
If any Cavalry soldiers pursued them, he would give them a burst of gunfire.
The off-road vehicle started and headed in a specific direction.
Seated, Chen Chuan contemplated a matter.
He had been thinking about the Iron Demon's perception of danger. In his mind, it was likely a manifestation of a mental state honed to near perfection.
Of course, it could also be a special ability of the Demoghost, but due to the lack of information, it was difficult to confirm at the moment.
But this made them seem extremely difficult to deal with, as if they could always avoid danger.
However, he believed that even if it was a mental warning, there should always be a target. The problem might lie within himself, as the other party had retreated that night.
Therefore, after leaving the fortress, he merged with his second self, shifting away from all external invasions and various strange biofields.
Regardless of its effectiveness, he decided to give it a try first.
After driving for over two hours, the off-road vehicle arrived at an open area near a river. The river was swift and turbulent, providing a panoramic view.
On the riverbank, there was a large patch of soft mud, which was not a problem for the fighters but was quite different for the heavy horses.
Here, they could effectively prevent the rapid charge of cavalry, and with the wide river at their back, they could also prevent the enemy from flanking them.
A typical cavalry charge held no significance for them; their horses were not as fast as their movements, and it would only expose more weaknesses. Moreover, the machine gun on their vehicle's roof was not just for show.
These Dragon Nose Horses were modified with implants, and the fighters' control over them might have special qualities. Therefore, they chose to be more conservative in their tactical decisions.
After parking the vehicle, the three set up some simple arrangements outside using tools and then began their pre-battle adjustments.
Yuan Qiuyuan took out his extendable staff and moved to the side, where he used a cloth to wipe it clean. Then, holding the staff, he closed his eyes slightly, seemingly practicing a breathing technique.
Although he appeared calm on the outside, his mind was tense. On the other hand, Qin Qingque was different; she was in a relaxed state, as if she had already become accustomed to this situation.
After half an hour, shadows of horses appeared in the distance, gradually increasing in number. However, they stopped about eight or nine miles away.
Upon seeing this, Chen Chuan got out of the vehicle, straightened his uniform slightly, put on his face mask, adjusted his wide-brimmed hat, and slowly walked forward with the Xue Jun Saber in hand.
Yuan Qiuyuan came to his left, standing with his feet apart and his staff horizontally, steady as a rock.
Qin Qingque took a red-feathered lance and stood to Chen Chuan's right. She planted the lance into the ground and removed the spear gun from her back, aiming it forward.
The mounted squad seemed to be observing them. After a while, the squad split into two, with two teams moving away to the sides, while the middle team remained in place.
Three knights emerged from the cavalry, spaced about ten meters apart in a triangular formation, slowly riding towards them. When they reached a distance of about five hundred meters, the three knights dismounted and approached them on foot.
They chose not to fight on horseback because once the Third Limit Combat Solver moved, the horses' speed became a joke. In an open area, it was easy to avoid them, especially on soft ground.
However, they didn't rely on this. The squad they had previously surrounded had tried to behead the Third Limit Combat Solver first, then deal with the rest.
Of course, the enemy often had the same intention. But so far, they had never lost.
The two Imperial Samurai accompanying the Iron Demon had great confidence in him. Their commander's spirit and body had been meticulously honed to perfection, and after undergoing that transformation, he could no longer be regarded as an ordinary person. His potential far exceeded the definition of a single person.
If the enemy didn't understand or realize this, they would face the same fate as those who had pursued them before.
Chen Chuan fixed his gaze on the person in the middle, whose appearance was nearly identical to the photo. He wore heavy armor and a stab-proof robe, likely the Iron Demon.
This person was estimated to be over 1.9 meters tall, with blood-red eyes behind the mask, and a strong aura of blood surrounding him. The two people behind him were both over two meters tall, holding lances and carrying five throwing spears each. As they approached, their movements were synchronized, indicating a high level of tacit understanding.
At this moment, Qin Qingque raised her gun and fired at the person on the Iron Demon's right. The target immediately raised his hand to shield his face when he saw her movement, and after the gunshot, his body shook slightly, but his stride didn't stop.
Qin Qingque didn't stop. She aimed and fired at another person among the three, who made the same defensive move.
Bang, bang, bang! Gunfire continuously echoed across the wilderness, and bullets kept hitting the three. After emptying her magazine, she quickly reloaded and continued firing.
But the three ignored the bullets hitting their bodies, maintaining their original rhythm and silently advancing.
As the gunfire continued, the three gradually approached within two hundred meters. Suddenly, the person behind the Iron Demon took off his lance and threw it towards Chen Chuan's position!
The spear's landing point was precisely Chen Chuan's location!
...
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(End of Chapter)
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