Chapter 756: Countermeasures
Chapter 756: Countermeasures
There were many items inside Skinner's tent, and the boxes weren't limited to just one. Chen Chuan was able to locate them quickly because they were deliberately labeled with stickers indicating the source and collection date of the "collection."
Aside from Manager Wen's remains, there were three other boxes. Two of them had the names of foreigners on them, and the other seemed to be a person from the Western Continent.
Chen Chuan vaguely recognized the names of the two foreigners; they seemed to be somewhat renowned fighters, likely sought out and killed by Skinner to become part of his collection.
Despite Chen Chuan's effortless capture of Skinner, this individual was a renowned fighter on a global scale, belonging to the top tier of those who mastered Psychic Power. He was a formidable opponent wherever he went, not someone that local, slightly famous fighters could contend with.
Chen Chuan took the box containing Manager Wen's remains and walked out. He then found a barrel of residual algae oil and poured it into the tent, setting it ablaze.
As the raging fire consumed the entire area, Chen Chuan called out to Chao Ming, who was hovering above, and then left the camp with the box in hand. In less than ten minutes, he returned to the location of the Silk Worm.
Xu Chan and the others had been waiting for him since his departure, and upon seeing his safe return, they immediately felt relieved.
After Chen Chuan returned to the camp located above, they looked at the box in his hand and couldn't help but ask, "Chen Chuan, is that...?"
Chen Chuan replied, "Manager Wen's remains are inside."
Everyone's expressions turned solemn, and each of them removed their hats and paid their respects to the box with a bow.
After a moment, they put their hands down.
Chen Chuan first found a suitable place to securely store the box, then went outside again and called Xu Chan and the three captains together. He said, "I just received news from the camp. The old imperial army is already outside, and they're trying to find us to seize the Radiant Relic in our possession."
Although Xue Lao Shi had informed him of this, explaining it would be complicated. Theoretically, Xue Lao Shi's disclosure of this information was against protocol, so he couldn't reveal the source. This time, however, he could use the Linaksis Federation's information source as an excuse.
Facing Xu Chan and the captains, Chen Chuan said, "The Insect Sand has already thinned out today, and I estimate that in one day, at most two days, it will completely disperse. At that time, the old imperial army will advance quickly, using elite squads to launch a surprise attack and probe our situation.
If their assault fails, after learning our specific circumstances, they will employ various methods to deal with us. The most likely scenario is that they will gather more elite personnel to engage us in a direct confrontation. However, they might also use artillery for blanket bombing or attack us with airships, aiming to exhaust our stamina."
Xu Chan contemplated this and said solemnly, "Using artillery and airships is the most common method the army employs against us. Even if they can't kill us, they can keep us busy. Once our stamina is nearly depleted, they'll send in powerful personnel to finish us off."
Captain Hai added, "It's true that airships are difficult to evade, but artillery doesn't move quickly, especially the large-caliber ones. They're slow to fire and maneuver. We can use our agility to avoid them in advance.
However, the old imperial army's advantage over us is their ability to operate in the Fusion Zone at night. They're likely to launch their attack at night, making it easy for them to find us wherever we go with the Radiant Relic. This means we might have to keep moving without rest. But this doesn't solve the problem; as long as the old imperial army doesn't give up, we'll have to face wave after wave of their offensives."
The group's expressions turned grave. With the radiance of the Radiant Relic, they couldn't hide themselves, and the relic was something they had to take back, leaving no room for abandonment.
At this point, Chen Chuan said, "There is a way to counter them. Since they can use the radiance to find us, we can use the same radiance to divert them.
Currently, there are over ten thousand troops in the front line, facing off against our army. They won't be able to mobilize a large number of troops to surround us from all directions; it's basically impossible. They can only use airships and a certain elite squad to delay us, creating an opportunity for their army to advance.
At this stage, it's unlikely that they'll be able to gather together in one place; they'll have to spread out, giving us an opportunity."
Chen Chuan looked at Xu Chan and the three captains, "My plan is this: before they come to us, we'll retreat first. This will prompt them to dispatch an elite squad to pursue and delay us.
We can set up an ambush along the way and launch a preemptive attack on them, preferably eliminating these elite personnel. This will temporarily remove a portion of the threat and greatly relieve the pressure on our retreat."
Xu Chan and the others nodded unconsciously. This method was feasible, and regardless of the location, elite personnel were a scarce resource, difficult to replenish. Without these elite fighters harassing them, as long as they avoided a direct clash with the massive army, they could ensure their safety, at least for a short period.
Captain Lv spoke up, "But what about the threat from the airship? After the Insect Sand Swarm passed through, there are hardly any decent trees left in the wilderness. There's almost no cover from the sky, and they can spot us easily. They can keep sending stronger forces our way as long as we haven't returned to our base."
Chen Chuan said, "That's why we need to draw the battlefield to a place more favorable to us." He took out a map he had prepared beforehand and pointed to it.
"This area is crisscrossed with valleys and streams, making it ideal for us to hide. Moreover, the Insect Sand Swarm didn't come from this direction. I sent Chao Ming to scout a few days ago, and there's likely a large forest behind us that we can utilize."
The group gathered around the map for a closer look, and Captain Lv's eyes lit up. "Isn't this the direction leading to our forward camp?"
He was delighted. "Yes, let's head that way. We might even get support from the camp, and if we can make it back in time, we can return by airship."
Captain Hai, however, was less optimistic. "Captain Lv, you're describing the best-case scenario. We know this route, and so does the Old Imperial House. They won't leave it unguarded. The nights in the Fusion Zone and the wilderness are their home turf. It's hard to say if our camp will still be there."
Chen Chuan said, "So this time, we can only rely on ourselves. Don't think too much about the rest; consider it as if there's nothing there. As for the specific plan of action, this is what I have in mind..."
He first shared his general idea, consulted with Xu Chan and others, then added some details and fixed some flaws. Finally, he drafted a plan of action.
After confirming the plan, he said, "So, this is what we'll do for now. Let's each make our preparations. Regardless of whether the Insect Swarm has completely retreated or not, we must depart by tomorrow morning at the latest."
"Yes!"
The group responded with a respectful salute and then returned to their tents to prepare for the next day's operation.
Chen Chuan went back to his tent, picked up the Snow Queen Saber, drew it out, and began polishing the blade with a maintenance cloth.
He was well aware that the upcoming enemy wasn't just any army or elite squad. Teacher Xue had made it clear: if those forces failed, the fighter would personally intervene to seize the relic.
Although there were fighters on the Datong side keeping watch, the battlefield situation could change in an instant, so he had to be able to protect himself.
The best solution, without a doubt, was to strive to reach the fighter's realm.
His physical strength had already peaked, and his mental cultivation had reached its final stage. Based on his previous progress, by the end of tonight, he should achieve perfection. At that point, he could attempt to ascend to a higher realm.
However, the promotion he sought, surpassing limits and reaching a realm that existed only in theory, required a second fusion between his second self and his main body before that.
Currently, his second self was almost on par with his main body. Once his mental progress reached perfection again, he would have to wait for his second self to catch up.
At that moment, he raised the polished saber, its blade glinting in the cold light, and hoped that the upcoming opponents would be powerful enough to give him a chance to complete the final resonance.
With this thought, he swung the saber, instantly slicing open a rift. He then laid the saber across his knees and began his cultivation for the day.
The night passed peacefully, and the camp didn't encounter any further external disturbances.
The next day, after 6 AM, as soon as the sky brightened, the group emerged from their tents. They observed the surroundings and noticed that the insects outside had indeed become much sparser. It seemed like they would disperse completely within a day or so.
At that moment, they suddenly heard the faint sound of a propeller and realized what it meant. Following the sound, they saw an airship in the distance.
The people on the airship seemed to have spotted them as well, but they didn't approach. After a while, they saw numerous birds flying out of the airship's cabin, heading towards them and circling above their heads.
Many of the team members couldn't hold back and started shooting at the birds above, but due to the distance, the small size, and the birds' speed, none were shot down.
Captain Hu gazed at the sky and said, "Reconnaissance birds, they're keeping a close eye on us."
Xu Chan glanced at them and then paid no further attention. He remained calm. "It doesn't matter. According to the plan, we'll retreat to the Valley Streamland soon. As long as we can hide in the forest in time, these birds won't be a problem."
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(End of Chapter)
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