"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!" The Mountain Eagle Team sprang into action. The sniper incendiary bombs roared out of their barrels, carrying the endless fury of the soldiers as they charged forward, like an enraged Death God with jaws wide open, tearing through the pitch-black night, piercing the air resistance, and in an instant bringing down their targets. Flas scattered, igniting everything around them, creating an especially eerie scene in the night sky.
Perhaps due to previous attacks, the enemy was already immune. The camp didn't panic; everyone dispersed to put out the fires. Upon discovering that the targets were the warhorses, they quickly led them away. The horses neighed agitatedly, driven to frenzy by the burns. Those hit couldn't withstand the flas, ran about uncontrollably, and soon fell to the ground, letting out cries of agony.
Wave after wave of incendiary bombs continued to rain down, hitting more warhorses. The enemy retreated en masse, having lost over a dozen horses and with more than twenty people injured. The troops finally withdrew to a safe area. Mountain Eagle and the others realized they couldn't continue shooting accurately and had to stop, connecting with Luo Zheng via their earpieces.
Luo Zheng noticed the enemy did not retaliate, choosing only to retreat and avoid conflict. Their behavior was very strange, prompting him to ponder. He instructed Mountain Eagle and the others to regroup quickly. Nearby, Lan Xue and Hong ihua were whispering about the enemy's actions, occasionally glancing at Luo Zheng. After a while, Lan Xue stepped forward and quietly said, "The enemy seems to be protecting sothing. I suspect it's the State Preceptor."
"You an they're desperately protecting the State Preceptor, and may withdraw after daybreak?" Luo Zheng asked in surprise.
"That's entirely possible. Of course, we can't rule out that reinforcents might arrive after dawn. The enemy doesn't know our actual strength. In the previous battle, we used the terrain and land mines, plus a surprise attack, to take out about two hundred of them, with over two hundred more injured. The enemy can't possibly ignore such heavy losses. Trying to lure them out again is unlikely to work," Lan Xue replied.
Luo Zheng was naturally aware of the situation. After a brief mont of contemplation, he said, "We are more than 3,500 ters from the enemy, which is unsuitable for further sniping. We could detour to attack them from behind, but there are venomous snakes and land mines there. Moving at night is difficult, and if we miss tonight, we lose the initiative. Do you have any ideas?"
"We can have the headquarters disrupt surveillance, find a way to kill the snakes, and disarm the land mines, though it will take ti, but it's better than doing nothing. I suggest we maneuver to the enemy's rear," Lan Xue suggested in a low voice.
"No, it's too dangerous. If just one land mine explodes, our position will be exposed. This risk is too great. How about over there?" Luo Zheng pointed to the direction of the valley's entrance and continued, "The garrison at the entrance has already withdrawn. We could go down the cliff."
"You want to launch an attack against the enemy?" Lan Xue asked in surprise. Using terrain and ambush tactics to engage the enemy is one thing, but a direct assault on their camp is another. Her gaze at Luo Zheng was full of curiosity; in her mory, Luo Zheng was not one to take unnecessary risks.
"No, I want to search the temple. I need to see what's inside. If it's an empty temple, we'll burn it down and retreat through the valley's entrance. If there's sothing valuable inside, the enemy will definitely co to its aid. Think about it, this is the State Preceptor's stronghold, passed down through generations; there can't be nothing in there," Luo Zheng explained seriously, his expression firming up.
"You want to force the enemy to co up?" Lan Xue asked curiously. Seeing Luo Zheng nod, she continued, "Even if the enemy does co up, if we have enough ti, our people can retreat. But what if they don't make it in ti? What if the enemy traps us in the temple? How will we fight then?"
"It doesn't matter. Those who go down can defend the position. The rubble from the explosions provides cover, and others can throw button bombs from the mountaintop. The enemy won't be able to withstand us. Of course, the best strategy is to retreat. If the State Preceptor's stronghold burns, the State Preceptor will undoubtedly go mad. It's the culmination of several generations of their sect's efforts, and they'll order their troops to chase us, giving us our chance," Luo Zheng said confidently.
"Makes sense." Lan Xue agreed imdiately, understanding the plan. After thinking for a mont, she said, "Let Snow Leopard go."
"Yes, I'll go." Snow Leopard, who had been on standby nearby, exclaid joyfully upon hearing this, "I'm the expert in setting fires; I'll make sure nothing remains."
"You command from up top, and I'll go down with Snow Leopard's n," Luo Zheng said firmly, his face serious.
Lan Xue thought it over, knowing Luo Zheng wouldn't change his decision. She nodded in agreent and reminded everyone to be careful. Snow Leopard excitedly directed his subordinates to bring out the ropes. When the ropes proved insufficient, Mountain Eagle's team arrived just in ti, providing additional ropes.
In no ti, five ropes were secured and lowered down the cliff. Everyone grabbed the ropes and quickly rappelled down. Luo Zheng led the way, facing the cliff, skillfully jumping backward while holding the rope. As he descended, he released the rope tied around his waist, letting himself drop. When his body hit the cliff, he pushed off forcefully with his feet, bouncing off and continuing his descent.
Soon, Luo Zheng reached the bottom of the cliff, finding himself among debris from the explosions. The temple lay ahead, solemn and imposing. Lights were on inside, but not a soul was in sight. Luo Zheng did not rush forward; instead, he took cover, raising his gun defensively.
Shortly, Snow Leopard and the others also arrived. They quickly spread out. Snow Leopard signaled one of his n, who nodded and charged toward the temple with his gun. The others aid their weapons at the temple. Luo Zheng looked back toward the enemy's position and, seeing no pursuit, breathed a sigh of relief.
"Brother, this trip is a good deal. I'll go in first," Snow Leopard said excitedly, whispering on the side.
"Be careful," Luo Zheng advised.
Snow Leopard acknowledged and led another person in, alternating their advance. The others maintained a periter defense. Snow Leopard soon reached the first-floor central room, kicked the door open, and quickly dodged to the side. Finding no movent inside, he peeked in to ensure it was safe, then rolled inside the inner room, followed by his comrade for cover.
Outside, Luo Zheng and his team, hearing no gunfire from where Snow Leopard had gone in, patiently waited. Soon, they heard Snow Leopard's excited shout, "Brother, there's no one! Co and see!"
"What's the situation?" Luo Zheng called out in surprise, getting up and rushing inside, followed closely by the others.
In no ti, Luo Zheng reached the room where Snow Leopard had entered, discovering it was a passageway and not a room. The passage was brightly lit, with inner rooms visible, seeming quite spacious. Snow Leopard was inside, looking around curiously. Luo Zheng paused, then rushed forward, asking, "What's the situation?"
"Co and see for yourself. It's truly a stronghold, full of treasures, a real pity," Snow Leopard exclaid excitedly, though his tone carried a hint of regret, unclear about what he regretted.
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