“Move aside!” Li Ya Lin shouted as she leapt forward with the foldable machete in her hand. She channeled the flames of yellow energy and hacked hard into the worm’s exoskeleton. A crack was heard, and a distinct cut appeared on the worm’s body.
It was useful!
Pugilists could channel their internal energy to deal astonishing damage. In this case, the punches and kicks had immense power and worked effectively.
After a quick glance, Di Su Su also went forward. With the foldable machete in her hand, channeling the flames of green energy, she hacked hard and fast, like streaks of lightning. A small piece of exoskeleton fell off the worm, and a faint glow of green could be seen.
The worm showed no signs of apprehension. It had its thick flesh and armor for protection and was, therefore, especially calm. It subsequently shrank its body to give the carriage a harder squeeze.
The monsters on Aquamarine were ferocious, and many had stacked abilities that made them especially hardy. The worm was evidently a wild BOSS level creature, and without the firepower of the modern military, it would be difficult to slaughter the monster. The worm was a creature that required at least fifty players of the same level to defeat. However, there were some instances where the monster was defeated by solo players.
In two gulps, another two agents were swallowed by the worm. The flesh of humans tasted much better than that of the sandworms underground. The Dark Earthly Worm ground its teeth as if it had enjoyed the meal.
The agents were shivering, and the brutality of the predator caused many to almost collapse to the ground. At that instant, it seemed like humans had lost their intelligence and had been reduced to prey waiting for their fateful moments to arrive.
“Use fire, the worm is afraid of fire!” Di Su Su yelled.
The worm had poor eyesight and was especially sensitive to heat and sparkles of ember, which had a similar effect on the worm to flashbangs on humans.
The agents realized that if the situation remained stagnant for much longer, the train would be destroyed. The only solution was to use flames to push the worm back. Zhang Wei immediately took out the magazine housing the High-Explosive ammunition.
Bang!
Instantly, the impregnable exoskeleton of the worm started burning. The worm lost its composure and started wriggling violently. The flames and the temperature made it especially uncomfortable. It became as agitated as a restless baboon.
Xiao Han stood there steadily like a nail in a plank. The increasing magnitude of the jolts made him worry about the carriage flipping. Almost all of Division 13’s agents had purchased the High-Explosive rounds, so he was confident that they could handle the situation effectively without him getting involved.
The fire started growing on the worm, and in less than a moment’s time, the worm could no longer withstand the glaring ember. It gave a shriek and loosened its grip on the carriage. Following that, it tunneled into the ground. In a matter of seconds, it was deep in the ground, leaving only piles of dirt.
The agents that managed to escape the wrath of the monster were still feeling shocked and fearful. They collapsed onto the ground.
“We are saved!”
“We are not dead yet, not dead yet…”
“Mama, I miss you!”
Although the worm only appeared for a few minutes, the damage it had caused was immense. There were holes everywhere on the carriage. It was in a shambles. If the worm had not been chased away, the train along with its passengers would have… well, maybe not all of the passengers would have perished, but the train was definitely going to have been delayed.
Luckily, there was the High-Explosive ammunition. The folk all looked toward Xiao Han. One could sense the appreciation in their eyes.
Zhang Wei patted on Xiao Han’s shoulder. No words could describe his gratitude.
“If you want to thank me, just say it. I can’t really read minds.”
“…”
Everyone was speechless.
Xiao Han’s words completely destroyed the atmosphere.
The agents rested for a moment and started clearing up the mess.
The attack by the Dark Earthly Worm was ultimately a one-time incident, and the fact that only one of such accidents had occurred proved that the military rail line was safest.
The scenery outside the train’s windows was mainly mountains, dense forests, and loess plains, which gradually became boring.
Along the way, Xiao Han stationed himself in the large black carriage, practicing his energy training technique and machine manufacturing skill.
Three days later, the train arrived at the Hesla Border station.
Chapter 72 - The Camp-Destroyer Mission
Translator: Chocolion Editor: Millman97
Hesla and Stardragon belonged to the same continent. The more liberal culture on Hesla was perhaps due to the hot and humid climate. Even outside of the beaches, bikini girls and topless guys could be seen walking on the streets.
The train pulled in to the military train station. Looking through the window, a man in shades wearing a loose-fitting flowery shirt could be seen standing on the platform. He was probably the next point of contact.
Han Xiao alighted from the train together with the rest as Qi Bai Jia led the way. Qi Bai Jia walked up to the man and introduced himself. “I am Qi Bai Jia from the Stardragon’s Division 13.”
The man laughed and removed his shades. He had unshaven stubble and looked unkempt, as if he was a fishmonger from the market.
“I am Ye Fan from the Hesla Intelligence Department.”
Han Xiao was in disbelief.
Ye Fan‽
Which Ye Fan was he?
What exactly happened!
The man looked nothing like the dashing and cool Ye Fan that Han Xiao pictured in his mind.
Ye Fan saw the hole-studded train carriage and immediately asked, “You guys encountered a monster?”
“It was just a small worm, no real threat.”
Qi Bai Jia gave a dry cough. Despite of the danger caused by the worm, there was no way he would admit that the situation had been greatly perilous. He needed to maintain the reputation of the Stardragon agents and wanted the folks on Hesla to believe that they were strong.
“It must have been really fortunate for you guys to arrive safely.” Ye Fan laughed. He did not further probe into Qi Bai Jia’s words.
Ye Fan put his shades back on and said, “Let us quickly head to the command center and report in. Our administrative procedures here are less complicated than those in Maple, at least 90% less.”
Some agents chuckled to themselves. Maple was known for its inflexible system. Apparently when the Shanuks from Theseus and Maple collaborated to wipe out the Vagrant Warlords, the short-tempered Shanuks were so frustrated with the elaborate reporting procedures of Maple that they almost fought with the officials at the Maple Intelligence Unit’s Caroma headquarters.
The administrative pre-requisite for this joint operation required the commanders to submit their operation plans before the actual execution of the mission.
For this operation, the Hesla military was delegated to be the offensive force. The agents were in charge of reconnaissance missions to uncover the enemy’s defense blueprints at the Dark Crow Valley Base.
Along the way, one could see the brand-new bulletproof jeeps and small tanks parked in garages. There were also honeycomb missile-launchers and groups of soldiers transporting ammunition.
Zhang Wei, Di Su Su, and Ma Qing Yang became really quiet, a stark contrast from their usual chatty behavior. It was their nationalistic sentiments affecting them. Han Xiao realized that he should not do anything overboard at that point in time.
The commanding officer was a muscular Caucasian man by the name of Colonel Carl. Colonel Carl was studying the operation plan hanging on the wall. Upon hearing the door creak, Colonel Carl, who thought that it was his assistant officer entering the room, blurted out, “Do not disturb me when I am thinking!”
Ye Fan coughed and said, “Colonel, the agents from Stardragon are here to submit their report.”
Colonel Carl turned his head to face Ye Fan. The tension on his face relieved immediately. He squinted his eyes and stared coldly at the Stardragon agents with distrust. He took out a document from his drawer.
“Take them down to rest, we will set off together in an hour,” he ordered.
Carl seemed unfriendly to the agents of Division 13. Ye Fan took the agents to a room and asked them to stay put at the location since they would be moving out shortly.
After Ye Fan left, the agents were left alone. Lin Yao finally dared to speak and asked softly, “Why do I get the feeling that the Hesla soldiers, especially the commanding officer, seem to not like us?”
Ma Qing Yang gave a sarcastic grin and said, “In the past, there were wars between Stardragon and Hesla. Therefore, the people of Hesla are unfriendly toward us. It is really frustrating that we have to face such situations even when we are on a collaborative mission with them. Colonel Carl definitely doesn’t look like an easy figure to appease.”
The different cliques within Division 13 was not unique to Stardragon. In fact, many countries faced such situations. Maple and Ordina were more conservative. Raylen and Theseus were more assertive. Stardragon and Hesla were more neutral.
Lin Yao remarked in disbelief, “Why did the department send us to Hesla then? What if they make us the sacrificial objects for the mission?”
“Nobody knows what the higher-ups have in mind. I guess we have to count on ourselves to stay safe.”
Ma Qing Yang, being a seasoned member of the department, was no longer surprised or shocked by such arrangements.
Qi Bai Jia explained, “Don’t worry, every command given to you guys has to gain my approval.”
The agents fell silent after a series of discussions to get into the mode for the mission.
“I am going out to take a puff.”
Han Xiao stood up and walked out of the room. He lighted his cigarette and took a deep puff, which went all the way down to his lungs, then out of his nostrils in two trails of smoke. He felt a sense of relief.
He ignored the unfriendly stares from the Hesla soldiers and diverted his attention to the mission plan on the screen of the tablet.
_____________________
You have activated [Operation Dark Crow Valley Base].
Mission Brief: This is a small-scale military operation. As a member of Division 13 and participant of the operation, look out for what you can do!
Hint: The mission is a part of the Camp-destroyer series and you can claim these rewards upon completion of the mission.
Reconnaissance 1: Team mission. Monitor the situation in Crow’s Forest Town. 3,000 EXP rewarded.
Reconnaissance 2: Team mission. Monitor the situation in Dark Crow Valley Camp. 8,000 EXP rewarded.
Logistics member: Solo mission. Complete 20 tool repairs for your teammates. 8,000 EXP rewarded.
Assassin: Solo mission. Kill 8 sentries. 18,000 EXP rewarded.
Direct conflict: Solo mission. Kill 50 Germinal Organization soldiers. 35,000 EXP rewarded.
Assassination 1: Kill Dormund. Rewards based on contribution.
Assassination 2: Kill Ji Jie. Reward based on contribution.
Assassination 3: Kill Pan Kuang. Rewards based on contribution.
Destroy the Dark Crow Valley Camp: Rewards based on the level of completion of mission and individual contribution.
At the end of the mission, rewards will be issued based on individual stats and performance.
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Initially, Han Xiao thought that it was going to be a normal mission, but instead, the operation was part of the Camp-destroyer series, which allowed for a varied and outstanding performance.
There were many types of missions, and for those belonging to the Camp-destroyer series, as long as one completed most of the objectives, the rewards would be generous. There were also additional rewards based on one’s individual performance.
As Han Xiao was smoking, a lady with short red hair approached him and asked, “Are you from Stardragon?”
Staring at her in the eye, Han Xiao nodded. “I suppose so.”
Immediately, the lady drew a knife from her waist and stabbed toward the neck of Han Xiao!
Chapter 73 - Acing the Test
Translator: chickenpau Editor: Millman97
Han Xiao stared at the red-haired woman without flinching.
The knife was only three centimeters from his main artery when it stopped and turned away, displaying the woman’s strong skill wielding her weapon. The woman gave a fierce look. “Why aren’t you dodging?”
“Why should I dodge?”
“So, you think I do not dare stab you?”
“You can try.”
Han Xiao’s face did not change one bit. Somewhere beneath his clothes, the magnetic-controlled extendable suit had already inched near his collar. He could protect his neck at a moment’s notice, and therefore, he was fearless.
Furthermore, since she was able to move freely in the military campsite, she had to be a Hesla agent. She would not really harm him like this. This would most likely be a test of his ability or to instill fear in him. However, how dare they picked him as the target! Han Xiao was slightly irritated. His eyes turned ice-cold.
The red-haired woman suddenly felt a shiver down her back and did not realize where it came from. She collected her mind, and harrumphed. “Winna, agent from Hesla Intelligence Department.”
She had just finished talking when she felt something pushing onto her stomach. She looked down; a large caliber pistol was pointing right at her stomach.
Only then did Han Xiao laugh and say, “Han Xiao.”
That was fast! I didn’t even see how he drew his gun!
Her pupil constricted. She put away her knife. Han Xiao withdrew his gun, too.
“I will remember that.”
Winna turned around and left.
Han Xiao narrowed his eyes. “Hesla personnel sure are hostile toward us. They’d better not drag me down.”
….
After Winna walked some distance away, she gave a sigh of relief. She realized cold sweat was dripping down her hairline and became serious.
That Stardragon agent gave her… an extremely dangerous vibe.
Winna returned to the lounge to look for the rest of the Hesla agents. Ye Fan smiled and asked, “Discover anything?”
Winna took a sip of water to sooth her parched throat and replied in a serious tone, “That Han Xiao is likely very dangerous.”
“Han Xiao?”
Ye Fan thought of something based on the physical description of him.
That guy had been very low profile ever since they alighted the train. He only gave a weird look when someone called his name.
“A strange person,” Ye Fan concluded.
…
Han Xiao finished smoking and stepped on the cigarette butt. He walked back into the lounge.
Qi Bai Jia looked over and asked abruptly, “Nothing happened, right?”
“Something happened. I saw a female pig falling into a ditch.”
Qi Bai Jia felt slightly awkward. “Can you be more serious?”
“In that case, there was nothing,” replied Han Xiao nonchalantly. Since it was only a test meant to scare him, he did not want everyone to hear about it. Firstly, it was to protect the mission. And secondly, he didn’t think he wanted to be strayed by emotions.
In his mind, they were three types of enemies. The first type pissed him off or violated his interests. The second type wanted him dead or endangered his life. The last type was his nemesis. There was also the type that not only had mutual hatred but also conflicting interests. One example would be the Germinal Organization. This was the enemy that was top priority for Han Xiao. The first kind was too mild for him to care about.
Qi
Bai Jia gave Han Xiao a complicated look. He was sitting by the window and had seen the whole incident unfold. He had gone on a lot of field missions before, and he knew that the other country’s agents would surely test their ability and show off their own prowess. This was a covert rule. All the agents were proud and arrogant. They would not get respect and power without showing off their ability. If anyone were to complain to their superior, they would actually be laughed at.
Qi Bai Jia greatly approved of what Han Xiao had done. He did not let Stardragon’s reputation down, and he was glad that Han Xiao had kept his mouth shut. This guy’s ability is good, and he understands the bigger picture.
…
“They didn’t fight?”
Carl nodded his head in satisfaction after he heard his deputy’s report.
“Good. Seems like those Stardragon people know their place on our territory.”
….
Soon, it was time for them to depart. Everyone gathered at the border exit. Ye Fan, together with Winna, brought a dozen agents, armed and ready to go.
The first stop of the mission was a position far away from the Crow Valley Town. There was an abandoned secret hideout of Hesla’s. They would be using it as their temporary base.
Division 13 transported the land rovers using the train. They were just regular all-terrain cars. Only Han Xiao’s Big Black was unique. He drove his team off amid loud revving of the engine.
This time, he drove steadily and comfortably. Li Ya Lin was almost moved to tears. The other three teammates, cramped in the other seats, were puzzled. They didn’t understand Li Ya Lin’s big reaction to all this.
It was half a day’s ride. Hesla’s motorcade was leading, and Division 13 followed.
Suddenly, Hesla’s motorcade sped up, gradually increasing the distance between the two parties. Di Su Su and Ma Qing Yang accelerated when they realized it.
Only Han Xiao, driving Big Black, followed slowly at the back.
The Legendary Mechanic c1-1385 Page 39