Chapter 436: Facing the Enemy
Chapter 436: Facing the Enemy
At Fortress 73, Advisor Rao had a sleepless night, waiting for news from Chen Chuan and his team. As the morning sun rose, he received their message and muttered, "It seems like everything's fine..."
He heaved a huge sigh of relief, thought for a moment, and then made his way to the radio station. Activating a secret channel, he established a connection to the Intelligence Operations Room.
He sent a telegram, "Requesting the initiation of intelligence deception."
After a while, a simple response came from the other end, "Confirmed?"
Advisor Rao hesitated for a moment, then quickly tapped out a series of reply signals:
"Confirmed!"
Near a stream on the mountainside, a mounted cavalry scout reported the news and quickly departed.
A mounted Imperial Warrior approached the Iron Demon and reported, "Marshal, the squad that has been pursuing us spent the night outside last night. They have a way to withstand the abnormal night attacks. I suggest we eliminate them as soon as possible."
The Iron Demon, seated on his horse, didn't respond immediately. After a while, a voice emerged from behind the mask, "Let's lure them for a day or two more. If they can still keep up, then we'll take action."
The Imperial Warrior said, "But what if they continue to follow us? We can only keep evading them, and we won't be able to accomplish anything. Moreover, if we don't take this opportunity to deal with them, our retreat will always be unstable."
It was the advantage of night marches that allowed them to move freely across this land. The fact that a single squad could cause such disruption to the enemy's rear was a testament to their capabilities.
If the enemy possessed this ability, the threat to them was obvious, not to mention that the enemy seemed to be roaming freely, but in reality, they were deep in enemy territory. If they were truly blocked here, they might be surrounded and eliminated at any time.
At that moment, a cavalry scout in charge of the radio put down his headset, brought over a translated message, and handed it to the Iron Demon, saying, "Marshal, we've received an informant's report. There's another squad, possibly two, heading towards our location. They are estimated to reach us within two to three days."
"Enemy Fortress 104 has been confirmed to be sealed off. There's also news that a combat airship has been requested from the rear."
The Imperial Warrior immediately looked at the Iron Demon and said, "Marshal, we can't delay any longer!"
Dealing with one squad was manageable, but if another squad joined the pursuit, they would be at an absolute disadvantage. The root of all these problems lay with the squad that was following them. If they could eliminate that squad, they would have more options.
The Iron Demon remained silent for a moment.
Previously, when attacking the fortress, he had felt a sense of foreboding, but he hadn't felt it again since, not even when the squad had chased after them. However, it seemed like there was another voice in his mind telling him to avoid this squad as much as possible this time.
But the changing situation had forced him to make a decision.
He said, "Order the team to mount up. We depart in ten minutes."
"Yes, sir!"
Dozens of cavalry soldiers received the order, immediately prepared their equipment, and conducted mutual inspections. Within just a few minutes, they were all mounted and galloping towards the location of Chen Chuan and his team.
In front of the off-road vehicle, Qin Qingque received a telegram, held it up with both hands, and handed it to Chen Chuan, saying, "Captain, Advisor Rao sent this telegram. Please take a look."
Chen Chuan took the telegram and said, "Intelligence deception...?"
His thoughts turned, and he believed that the Iron Demon must have an informant, which was why they dared to move so freely in their territory.
The intelligence deception mentioned that there were two other squads rapidly approaching their location. Upon learning this, the Iron Demon would have only one reaction.
He raised his head and looked up at his two companions, saying, "Get ready. If there are no surprises, the Iron Demon will be coming for us 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 there's a suitable place we passed by earlier."
"Good, let's go to the place you mentioned."
The three of them made their way towards the off-road vehicle. Just then, a long spear suddenly flew through the air, heading straight for them.
Yuan Qiuyuan quickly turned and caught the thrown spear with one hand, his arm steady as the spear shaft trembled. He raised an eyebrow, sensing that the spear thrower was at least two miles away, but the dense forest in the distance obscured the person's location.
Chen Chuan didn't even turn around, calmly walking into the vehicle. Qin Qingque also didn't hesitate and took the driver's seat.
Yuan Qiuyuan twirled the spear in his hand, then snapped it in two, throwing the broken shaft to the ground. He then leaped onto the vehicle through the opening above the roof and secured the machine gun on top.
If an enemy approached at this moment, he would give them a burst of gunfire.
The off-road vehicle started and headed in a certain direction.
Chen Chuan sat in his seat, deep in thought about something.
He had been wondering about the Iron Demon's extraordinary perception of danger. He believed it was likely a manifestation of mental refinement to near-perfection.
It could also be a special ability of the demonic spirit, but due to the lack of information, Chen Chuan couldn't be sure about the Iron Demon.
This situation seemed incredibly challenging, as if their opponent could always evade danger effortlessly.
However, he believed that even a mental warning should have a target. The enemy's retreat the previous night might indicate an issue within themselves.
Therefore, after leaving the fortress, he merged with his second self, redirecting all external intrusions and various odd domain skills.
Regardless of its effectiveness, they decided to give it a try.
After driving for over two hours, they reached a vast open area by a river. The river was swift and turbulent, providing a clear view in all directions.
On one side, there was a wide expanse of soft mud, which was no issue for the fighters but presented a challenge for the heavy horses.
This location effectively prevented the rapid charge of cavalry, and with the wide river at their backs, it also prevented the enemy from flanking them.
In general, a cavalry charge held little meaning for them. Those horses couldn't match their swift movements, and it would only expose more weaknesses to them. Moreover, the machine gun on their vehicle wasn't just for show.
However, these rhinoceros horses had undergone implant modifications and were ridden by fighters, potentially possessing unique abilities. Thus, they opted for a more conservative tactical approach.
The trio stopped the vehicle and, using tools, quickly set up a simple formation outside. They then began their pre-battle adjustments.
Yuan Qiuyuan took out his customizable walking stick and moved to the side, where he used a cloth to carefully clean it. He then held the staff, closing his eyes slightly as if practicing a breathing technique.
Externally, he didn't show any signs of tension, but mentally, he was on edge. On the other hand, Qin Qingque, standing on the other side, seemed different. She was in a state of relaxation, as if accustomed to such situations.
After half an hour, faint shadows of horses appeared in the distance, gradually increasing in number. But they stopped about eight li away.
Upon seeing this, Chen Chuan stepped down from the vehicle, straightened his uniform, put on his face mask, adjusted his cap, and slowly walked forward with the Snow Empress Blade.
Yuan Qiuyuan positioned himself to Chen Chuan's left, feet apart, holding the staff horizontally, standing firmly in place.
Qin Qingque took a Crimson Plume Lance and stood to Chen Chuan's right. She then planted the lance into the ground, took down the piercing crossbow gun from her back, and aimed it forward.
The cavalry seemed to be observing them. After a while, they split into two groups, each moving far to the sides, leaving only one group in the middle.
Three knights emerged from the cavalry, about ten meters apart, forming a triangular formation as they slowly rode forward. When they reached a distance of about five hundred meters, the three dismounted and approached them on foot.
They didn't choose to fight on horseback because once a Tier Three Combatant started moving, the speed of the horses would be a joke. In an open area, it would be easy to avoid them, especially on soft ground.
They didn't rely on the horses anyway. The previous squad they had surrounded had tried to behead the Tier Three Combatant first before dealing with the rest.
Of course, the enemy usually had the same intention. But so far, they hadn't lost to anyone.
The two Imperial Warriors flanking the Iron Demon had immense confidence in him. The Marshal's spirit and physical body had been honed to perfection, and after the transformation, he couldn't be treated as an ordinary man. His potential far exceeded the definition of a single person.
If the enemy didn't understand this, they were destined for the same fate as those who had pursued them before.
Chen Chuan fixed his gaze on the person in the middle, who looked almost identical to his photograph. He wore heavy battle armor and a stab-resistant cloak, likely the Iron Demon.
This person was estimated to be over 1.9 meters tall, with a crimson mask and an aura of thick bloodlust.
The two behind him were both over two meters tall, holding long spears and with five throwing spears on their backs. As they walked, their breathing and body rhythms were perfectly synchronized, indicating a high level of mutual understanding.
At this moment, Qin Qingque raised her gun and fired at the person on the Iron Demon's right. The opponent immediately raised his hand to shield his face when he saw her move, and with a gunshot, his body slightly shook, but his steps didn't stop.
She didn't pause and fired at another one of the trio, who made the same defensive move.
Bang, bang, bang! Gunshots continued to ring out in the wilderness, as bullets relentlessly hit the three men. After emptying her magazine, she quickly reloaded and kept firing.
But the three men ignored the bullets hitting them, maintaining their original rhythm and silently walking forward.
Amid the continuous gunfire, the three men gradually closed in to within two hundred meters. Suddenly, the man behind the Iron Demon took down his long spear and forcefully threw it towards them.
The throwing spear was aimed precisely at Chen Chuan's position!
...
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(End of Chapter)
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