In the foremost jeep, Zhao Zhenghong was carefully checking a specially made pistol with one hand.
This firearm had been modified and was entirely different from the common models available in stores.
Its internal magazine could be loaded with various types of ammunition to handle different situations.
Among the types he had were luminescent bullets, tranquilizer darts, explosive rounds, and armor-piercing shells.
He had packed a bit of everything for this trip.
Though such special ammunition was costly, he wanted to be prepared for any unknown circumstances.
“The strength of the White Python is still considerable. Combined with his former identity as a mailman, he could easily navigate many troubles in the wild. Yet, he still fell. This means we have to be extra cautious,” he said, ejecting the magazine to check if all the bullets were in place.
“According to the latest intelligence, the post office near Baiqiu Village is still operational. This means there are still living people there, and the Evil Shadows haven’t been wiped out completely,” Xu Yang added solemnly from the same vehicle.
“So it’s not just Evil Shadows, but human perils?” Zhao Zhenghong narrowed his eyes slightly, hidden behind his glasses.
“Pretty much. There’s likely a master protecting that person, or maybe they have their eyes on them. But it doesn’t make sense; if it was a master, they wouldn’t leave that person behind. They should have taken them away ahead of time to avoid risks,” Xu Yang speculated.
“We’ll find out once we get closer,” Zhao Zhenghong said, switching to a magazine that primarily contained armor-piercing and explosive rounds.
“If it’s human trouble, we need to be cautious. The White Python has already fallen,” Xu Yang was interrupted mid-sentence.
“How many people do you need to surround and kill the White Python?” Zhao Zhenghong asked.
“Seven to eight at the very least,” Xu Yang frowned as he calculated.
“But we have twenty-four people,” Zhao Zhenghong chuckled. “Also, being a mailman is good; I have dealt with them before, and the White Python, once a mailman himself, isn’t at his peak anymore. He’s nothing special now.”
He sighed. “Actually, I would rather not show myself, but with so much at stake, I can’t help but want to check things out in person.”
“As the captain, you are naturally stronger. As long as we detect something wrong from a distance, we’ll withdraw immediately,” Xu Yang nodded.
The convoy drove on, with four vehicles following the main road toward Baiqiu Village.
Before long, it was noon, and they slowly entered the forest surrounding Baiqiu Village.
In the forest, the road wound long, with dense tree canopies blocking most of the sunlight, leaving only faint patches of light peeking through.
Xu Yang held a red detection device, scanning carefully. “We should be close. Driving is much faster than walking, and we’ll get there in just a few hours,” he stated, surveying his surroundings.
“This place feels off,” Zhao Zhenghong suddenly stood up, completely ignoring that the vehicle was still moving, and stood up to look down at the ground.
On the somewhat abandoned road, there was a clear, black tire mark embedded in the center.
This tire mark was very obvious.
It resembled the puncture-proof tires he had seen before, found only on special military vehicles.
“There’s a situation ahead. Military vehicles!” Zhao Zhenghong quickly announced.
“Hmm?” Xu Yang was taken aback. “Since when do military vehicles come here? Could it be that person is exposed?”
“That’s true; if we can find them, others can too. But…” Zhao Zhenghong examined the marks on the ground carefully. “The puncture-proof attachments on this military vehicle are old-style. They shouldn’t belong to anyone from Baihe City currently.”
He pondered for a moment. “Let’s split up. Xu Yang, you take half the team directly to catch that person. I’ll take the rest and investigate what’s going on with this military vehicle.” He still felt uneasy and wanted to gather details; perhaps the White Python’s disappearance was related to this military vehicle.
“Understood!”
“Be cautious; don’t get entangled with them. If you see someone, act immediately, capture them, and then retreat. Fast!” Zhao Zhenghong emphasized.
“Got it!”
Soon, the jeep split, with two vehicles heading down a side road.
Xu Yang led eleven team members directly toward the mountain cave where Yu Hong’s safehouse was located.
They brought portable explosives, specialized tranquilizer guns, and armor-piercing rounds, ready for an assault.
After all, the last time they had seen that mountain cave, it left a deep impression.
If it was the maker’s dwelling of the luminous stone, blowing it open might yield considerable rewards.
Inside the cave safehouse, Yu Hong poured the thick soup into his mouth.
After finishing it, he let out a sigh of satisfaction and stretched, standing up.
His seventh internal energy had now been condensed.
His training in leg techniques had greatly improved compared to before, reinforcing his legs and increasing his internal energy all while enhancing his overall strength.
He could clearly feel that he was much stronger than before he began practicing the heavy leg techniques.
A direct comparison would be the logging he did outside the safehouse.
With not enough dry twigs available, Yu Hong often sought out near-dead, dry trees to chop down, then dragged them back to the cave to collect firewood faster.
Previously, he would have to divide a felled tree into over ten parts to drag it back.
But just yesterday, he discovered he only needed to split it into five parts to haul it quickly.
Thinking this over, Yu Hong glanced at the pistol still undergoing enhancement.
Following his requests, the pistol now held improved aiming capabilities, cleverly installed in the sleeve of his bulletproof suit.
He had tried to increase the ammunition count, but regrettably, the black ink warned of insufficient completeness, allowing only modifications within its original framework.
So instead, he added a silencer to avoid attracting attention with loud noises.
Lastly, he focused on enhancing the bullet's impact and explosive force, even adding luminous stone to ensure the pistol was effective against larger monsters like the Big Skin and against the Evil Shadows.
However, with so many functions added, the enhancement countdown had increased to over two days. “With just a little over two hours left, it seems the cost-performance ratio for enhancing this pistol isn’t high. Next time, I’ll choose to enhance something more useful. This is only good for emergency one-time use.”
As he fiddled with the gun still undergoing enhancement, he realized that as long as it wasn’t damaged or disassembled too much, there wouldn’t be any issues during the enhancement phase.
While he toyed with the pistol, a distant sound of bells rang from outside the door.
His expression shifted as he grabbed the gun and went to the door to peek outside through the barrier.
Outside, the sun shone brightly, and the area was quiet.
The forest trees were comparatively sparse, with dried leaves fluttering lightly in the wind.
On the right, there were traces of the fire pit he used to roast wood.
Aside from that, there were no other disturbances.
“Was it the wind? Or did a branch fall and accidentally hit the bell?” Yu Hong watched for a moment without noticing anything.
After some thought, he decided to return and don the newly cleaned reinforced white bear suit.
This new armor provided him with a strong sense of security, with excellent protective capabilities.
Once dressed, he sat inside the cave, waiting for the pistol enhancement to finish.
Meanwhile, about one hundred meters away from the cave, in a sloping woodland, Xu Yang led a team of people watching as returning scouts approached them swiftly.
“How did it go?”
“There were no issues. There are signs of life around the cave, indicating our target is still there,” one scout quickly replied.
After all, even if their skills weren't the best, as members of the joint military, they were still professionals.
“Good to hear. A Hong, have two people accompany you towards the R7 area and stick close to the cave, blast the door open,” Xu Yang instructed. “We must complete the task as soon as possible. Capture the target and retreat.”
“What if we use explosives and accidentally injure the target?” one team member frowned in question.
“Just maintain the right distance. This is a special situation; we need to catch the target first. Monkey, calculate the location for the blast.” Xu Yang looked at one of the team members.
“Understood.” Monkey nodded solemnly.
“Very well, now check your gear and calculate the time,” Xu Yang said quickly.
The team swiftly self-checked and confirmed they were ready before Xu Yang raised his finger.
Counting down three fingers.
3.
2.
1.
Go!
Suddenly, a sharp sound interrupted their action signal.
Xu Yang’s heart skipped a beat, and his gaze instantly zeroed in on the direction of the sound.
He quietly raised his gun and aimed.
Above on the slope, the sound of heavy footsteps crunching through branches continued from deeper in the woods.
The sound was heavy and purposeful, carrying an inexplicable rhythm.
Before long, a figure over two meters tall and muscular strode slowly into view from within the trees.
The figure was all in black, resembling a small mountain, as large as two or three of them combined.
He was clad in a heavy bulletproof suit, his helmet reinforced and designed with many sharp spikes.
But that wasn’t the main concern.
The most alarming part was—
This person’s hands.
Those hands were covered in dark red, congealed blood, and the bulky alloy gloves still had remnants of a viscous substance that resembled brain matter between the finger gaps.
A gentle breeze carried a potent scent of blood from the newcomer, alongside an overwhelming sense of terror and oppression.
“Successful interception,” came a deep voice from beneath the figure’s helmet. “Lucky day today.”
Upon seeing this sudden appearance, the group fell into a state of heightened vigilance.
But soon, someone among them recognized the identity of the newcomer.
Especially Xu Yang.
His initial confusion and tension shifted into realization as more and more characteristics matched those he had in mind.
His expression gradually contorted.
“You are… The Butcher!!” Xu Yang’s face twisted with panic, his voice trembling. “The Butcher Xu Fan!!”
Sweat poured down his body as though he were caught in a downpour.
Although surrounded by more than ten teammates, at that moment, he felt utterly isolated, an icy fear climbing rapidly up his spine, rendering him immobile.
The Butcher Xu Fan.
His danger level was easily two tiers higher than the White Python, a top-tier black market mercenary known for his mercilessness, with a kill count exceeding a thousand!
For such monsters, killing was easier than eating and drinking.
They were ruthless machines of slaughter, and without others of similar caliber or an army to surround them, they were simply unstoppable.
How could such a monster appear in this place!?? It was impossible!!!
Xu Yang’s mind was in chaos, his heartbeat escalating to its limits, his entire nervous system on high alert against the presence before him.
He desperately wanted to convince himself that this was merely someone impersonating an identity, but the palpable pressure and fear told him that this was not a disguise.
That guy…
That guy… was real!!
(End of this chapter)