by <unknown>
This kill has given me quite a lot of EXP. Code 3… what kind of lousy name is that?
Han Xiao looked at his interface while insulting the enemy’s name.
Hold on. There seems to be an enemy missing from my kill history.
Han Xiao’s eyes flashed and immediately surveyed his surroundings. He suddenly fired at the ground twenty meters away.
Fwoosh.
A shadow jumped out from beneath the sand—Ghostly Fox. She dashed rapidly and stabbed her dagger swiftly toward the nearest person, Antonio.
Her Pugilist training had taught her simple ground tunneling techniques. She had escaped the devastating explosion by tunneling into the sand the instant before the explosion. She had intended to continue hiding until all the enemies were gone, but since she had been spotted by Han Xiao, she had to fight for her life.
Sunlight was reflected off the surface of the dagger, emitting an icy glare. Antonio’s eyes narrowed, and he slammed his massive arms rapidly toward Ghostly Fox. His palms were almost as large as those of bears.
Ghostly Fox ducked as her petite build allowed her to do so easily. She circled to the back of Antonio and stabbed her dagger toward his heart. Suddenly, a dark shadow zoomed in before her eyes, and a bear-like palm followed and grabbed her head. The palm was so large that it almost wrapped around her entire skull.
Antonio threw her more than ten meters away as if he was shot-putting. The sheer amount of force created wave-like tracks around her on the ground. She was badly injured from the throw. However, she gritted her teeth hard and dived toward Antonio again. With Han Xiao watching on the side, she would be sniped down if she attempted to run away. She had no choice but to continue the fight.
Poomb. Poomb. Poomb.
Antonio was about to strike back when Han Xiao fired a few rounds with his double pistols, which turned her into a sieve.
[You killed Ghostly Fox (LV29). You have gained 9,400 EXP.]
Eh. Her level was quite high. Why was she so weak? Han Xiao looked at the battle info and realized the reason: Ghostly Fox’s main job was only Lv.8, and the rest of her levels were in her secondary jobs, which were mostly useless.
“You should have given me the opportunity to exercise my rusty body,” Antonio groused.
“The body is still warm. You can use it for some exercise.” Han Xiao nonchalantly picked his nose.
“You really are a jerk.”
Once the toxic gas dispersed, Han Xiao stepped into the explosion site to retrieve his EMP Disruptor.
Han Xiao had been unaware that Code 3 knew his whereabouts, but he was used to making multiple plans at once. He had planted not just one but four traps that night, each on a different position of the road that he was circling. Unless the enemy did not pursue him, they would have fallen into at least one of the traps.
As long as you dare chase me, I will eventually kill you.
After collecting his EMP Disruptor, Han Xiao started scavenging loot from the bodies. He found a substantial number of firearms and ammunition, which could be sold for a handsome amount of money. However, his greatest loot was the modified battle vehicle—Thorns. He would be able to use it after he fixed its internal electronic components.
Next, it is time to borrow some help.
…
“Ghostly Fox lost contact‽”
They had three assassins ambushing and better intelligence, yet they fell into the enemy’s trap!
Luo was heavy-hearted. She had just lost two teams and the modified battle vehicle, Thorns. Now, the base was void of any defense, which was another huge loss.
She contacted her secret sponsor again and explained the situation.
“You guys retreat first,” the person said slowly over the phone.
“… Understood.”
After hanging up the phone, Luo immediately organized her troops to load all the valuable assets onto vehicles in preparation of discarding the base and retreating temporarily. It was not the first time Rose Militant had faced a crisis of this magnitude. All they needed to do was seek shelter somewhere else for a few days before their secret sponsor sent down more personnel. They would gain a firm foothold again by then.
However, only half of the assets were loaded up when a blaring alarm was heard all over the base.
“Enemy attack!”
The sentry was shouting as loud as she could. Luo was astounded. She quickly climbed up the sentry post and looked far ahead, and that was when he saw a wave of sand inching closer. It was a motorcade of the Coutons approaching menacingly.
“Damn it. They are here too soon!”
Rose Militant had suffered great losses, so they were bound to fall prey to other powerful factions at this opportune time, and the Coutons were the prime candidate. The primary purpose of discarding the base was to avoid the hostility from other factions. However, the Coutons came too quickly. Someone must had had tipped them off.
Luo was enraged. Those Coutonian mercenaries were attacking the base from the frontline. If they were to brashly attempt to escape with their vehicles, it would surely become a battle in pursuit, which would make it all the more dangerous for them.
They were in a dilemma!
“Commander, what should we do now?”
“Let’s strike back. Strike them hard!” Luo said unyieldingly.
The militants dropped the supplies in their hand and quickly got back into their defense positions. They began bombarding the Coutonian motorcade with machine guns and grenade launchers. However, the mercenaries were undeterred and struck back.
One could only see rounds flying back and forth between the two sides, forming a curtain of death.
Countless cartridges fell into the yellow sand, and the grenades left numerous darkened sand craters on the ground, making the place resemble the surface of the Moon. Rose Militant had excellent defenses in the base; they shouldered the attack even with insufficient manpower.
Behind the four walls of the base, Luo was seen commanding the militants tirelessly. Su Li walked over and whispered into her ears, “Due to insufficient manpower, one-quarter of our defense system is unmanned. Furthermore, as we are walled inside the base, we will face serious danger if other factions decide to butt in.”
As soon as she finished her sentence, a roaring engine sound was heard from a distance. Luo and Su Li’s hearts both jolted. They recognized that distinct engine hum.
On the other side of the battlefield, Han Xiao was driving the ferocious Thorns. The car jumped down from the sand-hill like a fearsome tiger, drawing a parabolic path on the sky. The repaired exterior reflected a glaring beam of sunlight, and the vehicle’s tires sped furiously.
The vehicle smashed onto the ground, splashing heaps of sand to the side before it charged furious toward the base. It was unstoppable.
Don’t the Thorns only belong to Rose Militant?
Couton’s eyes narrowed, and he quickly ordered his subordinates to pull back their positions. He thought that the Thorns operator was from the enemy side, and he was well aware of the firepower of the vehicle. Thus, he wanted to prepare his defense before the enemy was able to destroy them from their flanks.
He did not know that Rose Militant was even more anxious than him. They were even clearer about the real firing capability of Thorns.
“Quickly stop him. We cannot let Thorns near the base!” Su Li screamed.
Luo was wailing in her heart. Thorns used to be their trump card, and now, it had been taken and was being used against them. What a despicable act!
It was like having your girl snatched by another guy, and he still dared to bring your girl… ex-girlfriend… to show off in front of you. How could anyone endure such humiliation?
Luo could never tolerate such an act. She hated the killer so much that she wished that she could grind him into sand!
Chapter 98. Secret Passageway |
All the machine guns and grenade launchers in the base were immediately adjusted to face the fast-approaching Thorns.
Upon seeing their reaction, Couton knew that Thorns was an ally right away. He then shouted, “All vehicles on the flank, make a path for the unexpected guest!”
The Coutonian motorcade changed its formation, emptying a path on its flank that led directly to the front gate of the base, which allowed Thorns to conveniently charge forward.
Han Xiao was alone in Thorns. After they killed Ghostly Fox’s team, they had gone back and repaired Thorns at the Fabian base. This time, he came alone. Other factions in the Somar Desert would not allow such a great opportunity to pass. The main fighting force of Rose Militant had been wiped out. Han Xiao passed this piece of information to them. It gave him the ability to fish in the troubled waters.
The grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, and small-scale missile launchers had to be controlled manually using the aiming system beside the speedometer. An automated firepower control system was not installed in the vehicle.
There were many incoming rounds. Han Xiao managed to escape some, and the armored exterior absorbed the impact of the rest. He then aimed one of the cannons at the wall of the base and fired. As the vehicle vibrated violently, a few small-scale missiles and grenade explosives blasted promptly on the wall, triggering a glaring flame.
The canon exploded into thousand pieces, lingering in the air.
Inside the base, Luo was livid. She had a hunch that they would not be able to guard the base. She called in Su Li and gave her an orderly softly. “We will give up the base and evacuate using the secret passageway. Bring five people with us.”
Su Li nodded her head, agreeing with the plan.
The mercenaries left guarding the base would be the sacrificial lambs while they quietly evacuated the base using the passageway. As long as they survived, they could get as many mercenaries as they wanted from their secret sponsor.
The Rose Militant mercenaries who were defending against the incoming attack did not know that they had been abandoned. They were still operating the canons assiduously to defend again the Coutonians and Thorns. The blasting sounds of canons filled their ears; smoke and flames engulfed their sight. They could not hear a word from one another. Everyone was fighting as if they were the only reef there against the ocean wave, fighting a lone battle.
Hoooomm…
After more than ten rocket rounds were fired at the scarred metal gate, it finally gave in and blew up. The gate was open!
“Charge!” Couton was overjoyed.
The motorcade entered in a single file. Following which, the Coutonians, equipped with automatic rifles, swept through the entire base. The mercenaries from Rose Militant could not set up an effective counterattack the moment the enemies charged into the base. They were shot into sieves when they tried to escape from the canon emplacements.
Han Xiao drove Thorns in. He took out his two Berserk Eagles and acted independently. The Coutonians gave him a glance him but did not hold him back.
Han Xiao’s movement was as swift as could be, his black windbreaker flying like a cape. He was like a dark specter scouring the battlefield. Soon, he finished searching the entire base. In the process, he encountered two mercenaries from Rose Militant, who he pre-emptively shot in the head. One of them was rather beautiful—she would have turned many heads if she wore a bikini and walked on the beach. Han Xiao secretly regretted his decision to shoot her in the head.
After a round of searching, Han Xiao did not spot the leader of Rose Militant. His brows knitted as he knew the whole situation was not so simple.
There must be a secret passageway.
Wars were daily affairs in the Somar Desert. It would not be surprising if the Rose Militant kept a secret passageway for their evacuation.
Han Xiao soon discovered their tracks. Luo and her gang had left in a hurry; thus, they had left some footprints behind. He followed the trail of the footsteps and entered a hidden cellar beneath the ground. The cellar was dark and filled with a moist, humid smell.
A secret underground river?
Han Xiao ignited a fire pack before he threw it down. The depth was about five meters. He ensured that it was safe before he jumped down.
Beneath the base was a rocky mountain, and the cellar was actually a path dug within it. Like the passageway in a regularly mine, the walls of the path were held up by wooden frames. It was completely dark at the front of the path as there was not a single source of light. There were clear footprints in the soil.
Han Xiao raised his hand to feel the rocky walls, and he felt a patch of moisture. He suspected that there might be a secret underground river nearby.
The situation of the path ahead was uncertain. Han Xiao pondered for a moment. He then took out his spider detector and laid it on the floor. The mechanical spider stood at attention like a soldier awaiting orders as Han Xiao started controlling it with his tablet.
I will call you Spider No.1.
After coming up with an amazing name as usual, Han Xiao quickly controlled Spider No.1 to move further into the path. The vision of its camera was shown on the tablet—Spider No.1 was equipped with a night-vision camera.
After moving for a while, Spider No.1 suddenly ran into a rocky wall; it had reached the end of the path.
As the path was clear of danger, Han Xiao took out his torchlight and walked briskly to the end of the passageway. Unsurprisingly, he spotted a secret door on the ceiling. Heaps of sand fell as he opened the door.
Han Xiao stuck his head out of the opening, and he looked out of the cellar—it was a slanted cave. Sunlight was shining in through the opening of the cave along the slope, and the ground was covered in tire tracks.
Han Xiao swiftly moved out of the cave, and his view suddenly brightened. The place was a complex of weathered rocks. The silhouette of the base could be seen from a distance. A vehicles’ tracks had been left in the desert, heading away from the base.
The remaining members of Rose Militant escaped using the vehicle. I’d better chase them quickly.
Han Xiao retrieved Spider No.1 and went back to the base hastily. He prepared to chase them using Thorns.
The Coutonians had eradicated Rose Militant’s presence within the base. They were now unloading all the supplies to take them away. They slowed down their movement and focused all their attention on Han Xiao as he walked out. They were looking at him warily. Han Xiao’s heart sank.
Couton brought a bunch of mercenaries and surrounded Thorns. Han Xiao touched his gun in secret before he walked over to them and said, “Move away.”
“Who are you?” Couton looked Han Xiao up and down, thinking about something.
“Not important. Please get away from my car.”
“Your car?”
Couton glanced at Thorns before a wicked smile appeared on his face. He gave his men a signal, and they quietly surrounded Han Xiao, ready to draw out their guns anytime.
“Are you sure this is your car?” Couton stared at Han Xiao and chuckled.
He was clearly threatening Han Xiao.
If Han Xiao’s answer was not to his liking, he would have his whole gang of men beat him up.
Phew.
Han Xiao attacked without saying a word. He swiftly dashed three meters forward, and his Berserk Eagles were already pointing at Couton’s forehead, like an unsheathed sword. His movement was as fast as that of a fox, and his gun moved rapidly like lightning.
“That was too fast!” The surrounding mercenaries were shocked. They then hurriedly raised their guns and aimed at Han Xiao. Han Xiao’s sudden specter-like movement made them extremely nervous. Furthermore, their boss’s head was right against Han Xiao’s pistol, so they did not dare fire at him. They were in a deadlock.
Although there was a gun to his forehead, Couton was surprisingly calm and unafraid—he had always been living his life on edge.
“If you want to threaten me to disarm my men, you can save yourself the effort.” He smiled coldly.
“You know who I am. Your master would not want his people to fight
against each other,” Han Xiao replied calmly. He seemed oblivious to all the guns pointing directly at him.
Couton’s expression turned gloomy. He frowned and pondered for nearly one minute, the tension on the ground increasing all the while, before he suddenly waved his arms to ask his men to drop their guns down. He gave a half-hearted smile and said, “It seems like it is really your car.”
Han Xiao held his Berserk Eagle up and remained unmoved.
Couton moved sideways to open a path for Han Xiao.
Only then did Han Xiao start moving. He brushed past Couton before going up to the Thorns and saying in a hostile manner, “Good try.”
He then stepped on the accelerator and drove away.
The smile on Couton’s face disappeared as he watched the car vanish in the distance. He turned around and realized that his men were all watching him.
“What are you guys looking at‽ Hurry up and carry the items away,” he shouted snappily.
Although he was eyeing Thorns, he did not want to bear the possibility of infuriating his master. Couton reckoned that Han Xiao was an assassin hired by his master, so he was on his side. Thus, after Han Xiao pointed this fact out, he could no longer provoke him. If he messed up his master’s plan, he would suffer dire consequences.
Furthermore, Han Xiao was an assassin that he did not know enough background information about. So, after some consideration, he decided to control his greed and made peace with Han Xiao.
Chapter 99. Felonia |
The vehicle tracks left behind on the vast desert by Luo and her gang were like creases on a piece of white paper—they were as conspicuous as could be. Han Xiao followed the tracks without stopping.
His position was continuously shown on the radar coordinates in order for him remain on course in the boundless desert. He was now heading toward the outer edge of the Somar Desert. It was indicated on the weather calendar data that a sandstorm had just occurred in this place.