With a single order, the team retreated silently, quickly disappearing into the forest, each executing their own task. Luo Zheng and Lan Xue quietly observed the front. The missile base of Yue Country was still as quiet as ever. The only activity was at the southern position that had been bombed, currently undergoing urgent repairs. Laborers at the cave entrance were still leveling the ground and expanding the plaza without a clear purpose.
Half an hour later, the enemy still showed no unusual movents. Those on patrol continued their patrols, and those on watch remained on watch, revealing nothing of significance. Luo Zheng decided to leave Lan Xue to continue the surveillance alone while he went to gather herbs. The scholar and others had hunted animals and returned, needing herbs to accelerate rotting into a virus. Luo Zheng had done this often and had beco quite proficient.
By midday, Luo Zheng gathered a large bundle of herbs and threw them to the side, sitting down, sweat dripping from his forehead. Lan Xue took out her beloved handkerchief, gently wiping away the sweat from Luo Zheng's forehead with a caring expression, like a wife worried about her husband, as she asked with concern, "Exhausted, aren't you?"
"Still okay," Luo Zheng replied casually. After taking a few gulps of water, his breathing steadied, and he continued to ask, "What's the situation now?"
"No unusual situations spotted," Lan Xue replied, handing over the binoculars.
"Strange," Luo Zheng muttered, raising the binoculars to observe. The situation inside the distant base remained as usual, making Luo Zheng wary. He couldn't help but ask through the earpiece, "Lan Xing, have you found anything?"
"No," Lan Xing's voice echoed in the earpiece.
"Anything unusual is suspicious. There must be sothing odd here. Expand the satellite reconnaissance range," Luo Zheng instructed.
"Understood, it has already been doubled," Lan Xing responded.
"Double it again. I can't believe it," Luo Zheng said angrily.
Lan Xing agreed, and suddenly, Hong ihua's voice ca through the earpiece: "The national security side sent shared intelligence, saying intelligence personnel have observed signs of troop movents in Yue Country, purpose unclear. It's the Imperial Guard, a unit with a long history, ranked first in combat power in Yue. Every soldier is above the level of reconnaissance troops."
"Oh? Keep tracking this unit," Luo Zheng was startled, sharply sensing sothing but not certain, and imdiately instructed.
"Could it be Yue Country preparing a reserve force worried about border skirmishes? Currently, troop build-up on the border continues on both sides, maintaining restraint, with a ten-kiloter safety zone between them. But no one can guarantee no accidents. It's normal for countries to prepare reserve forces," Hong ihua reminded.
"Better safe than sorry. If it's a reserve force, it will certainly head to the border. Keep a close watch on it," Luo Zheng insisted, feeling that the unit's movent was sowhat peculiar, but lacking clues, he could only watch closely.
After ending the call, Luo Zheng glanced at Lan Xue, who nodded in support of Luo Zheng's judgnt. The two continued their watch, monitoring every move of the base ahead, munching on so dry rations to stave off hunger. Until dusk, the base remained as still, the calm before the storm raising intense vigilance in Luo Zheng.
"Report, no targets have been found," Ghost Hand's voice suddenly echoed in the earpiece.
"Huh?" Luo Zheng was startled; suddenly, a foreboding thought surged up. He imdiately said, "Hide carefully, expand the outpost distance, keep alert. The enemy's actions are very unusual, there must be a plot. Until it is exposed, be cautious, and stay in close communication."
"Understood," Ghost Hand replied.
The dirt road, serving as the base's transport line, has heavy transport duties every day. How could no vehicle have passed? That, in itself, is a suspicious point. What kind of plot could it be? Luo Zheng analyzed with suspicion. Beside him, Lan Xue lowered her head in thought, her sharp gaze fixed on the base ahead.
Suddenly, Lan Xing's voice echoed in the earpiece: "The situation is a bit abnormal. Yue Country's guards didn't go towards the border but split into three groups, heading south, north, and west. Our intelligence personnel confird this, but cannot verify the purpose. They traveled stealthily in civilian vehicles."
"Huh? So the enemy deliberately hid their tracks. With relations tense between the two countries and the border on the brink of skirmishing, they didn't go to the eastern border, instead heading south, north, and west. For what?" Lan Xue wondered aloud.
Luo Zheng suddenly had a flash of insight, opening up many suspicions. His face turned icy, eyes sparkling with power, and he emitted a terrifying killing intent. Lan Xue keenly sensed Luo Zheng's change. Turning to face him, she saw the fearso expression on Luo Zheng's face. Surprised, she asked, "What's wrong?"
"They're coming for us. How many troops does the Imperial Guard have?" Luo Zheng coldly asked.
"For us?" Lan Xue looked at Luo Zheng in surprise. Seeing he wasn't joking, her heart tightened as she followed this line of thinking, suddenly understanding the reasoning, her face changing color.
"Around thirty thousand," Lan Xing quickly replied.
"Thirty thousand? Split into three, each direction is ten thousand. As soon as we act, they can find out. If they join forces with the base's ten thousand for attack, we can't escape. Quite the trick. This isn't sothing an ordinary person can pull off. It seems Yue Country has resolved to take us down," Luo Zheng said coldly, a smirk forming at the corner of his mouth, a keen battle spirit suddenly erging.
"Do you have a plan?" Lan Xue curiously asked.
"Wait a mont," Luo Zheng signaled Lan Xue to hold on and swiftly spoke through the earpiece, "Brothers, did you all hear the earlier conversation?"
"Yes," Ghost Hand and the others quickly replied. They were all using the sa communication channel and could naturally hear everything.
"Cancel the action plan, remain on standby," Luo Zheng said coldly. "Since the enemy wants to play, we'll accompany them to the end. Thirty thousand sounds like a lot, but there are forests everywhere here, perfect for unit concealnt. We'll split into parts and strike from all sides, let's see how they handle that."
"Understood," Ghost Hand and the others readily agreed. They were already accustod to Luo Zheng's command.
Soon, the scholar returned with his team, bringing a mountain of ga. Luo Zheng looked at the prey, let out a cold snort, and imdiately had people dig a big pit to bury all the ga along with the herbs that accelerate rotting, then sprinkle so water from a helt on it and cover it with loose soil.
After all this was done, night had fallen. The scholar found Luo Zheng and asked, "What's the next step?"
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