The moon was dim and the stars sparse, a gentle breeze caressed the air; the tropical primal forest was a dense pressure of darkness, seemingly an endless realm of night. On a slope within the dense forest, a bonfire blazed fiercely, devouring the gloom and illuminating the surroundings. In the deep, dark woods, it was peculiarly conspicuous. By the fire, a robust young man sat quietly, his gaze firmly fixed on the phantom depths of the forest, deep in thought—this was Luo Zheng.
After killing the last Assassin, Luo Zheng did not delay. Estimating the direction, he hastened his march until, unconsciously, it turned dark, forcing him to stop for rest in this forest. Gradually, Luo Zheng slled a fragrance and, delighted, grabbed a Japanese sword next to him, scraping away the ashes and soil under the fire, fishing out a soot-covered mass.
Luo Zheng moved the mass aside and gently hamred it a few tis with the scabbard. The mass broke apart, revealing fresh at inside and emitting a fragrant scent. Luo Zheng's mouth watered, unable to wait for it to cool, he grabbed the mass and slapped it a few tis. The outer layer of soil fell away to reveal a clay-wrapped wild chicken, its feathers sticking to the clay. As he slapped it and the soil fell off, the feathers fell off too.
Without salt, oil, or seasonings, Luo Zheng was still content. In this mysterious and terrifying primal forest, being able to quietly consu a al was not bad. Luo Zheng devoured a plump wild chicken weighing over four pounds, and by the light of the bonfire, chopped off a few grapevines to drink the water within, let out a satisfied burp, and sat down contentedly to continue resting.
Eating had revitalized him considerably. The fatigue lifted, Luo Zheng inspected the two Japanese swords, drew one, the blade glistening with a cold light under the firelight. The swords were good, but the technique was lacking. After the encounter with an Assassin nad Yan Shisan, Luo Zheng found that the combat technique for short-blade military knives was sowhat unsuitable for the Japanese swords, failing to unleash their potential. He resolved that upon returning, he definitely would seek a swordsman expert to learn properly.
Luo Zheng set down the Japanese sword, picked up an m4 rifle, disassembled its parts one by one to check for moisture and debris, such as sand. There were two magazines left, which Luo Zheng inspected thoroughly to ensure that the bullets were fine, then reassembled them. After all this, it was already late into the night.
Sleeping was out of the question. Being alone was too dangerous. His body rubbed with wild garlic juice, he didn't need to worry about mosquitoes and locusts. Luo Zheng sat quietly by the bonfire, ditated, and practiced the familial "Breathing Skill" to relax. He quickly entered a transcendental state; in this state, not only could he sharply sense danger approaching, but he could also ensure rest.
Ti passed by second by second. In the forest, several Wild Wolves caught the human scent and approached, but seeing the thriving bonfire, none dared to stir. After observing for a while, they left. Luo Zheng could keenly sense these Wild Wolves, but since they bore no malice, Luo Zheng did not want to provoke them, to avoid unnecessary complications.
The next day at dawn, Luo Zheng ended his session, feeling completely revitalized and imnsely pleased. Physical condition was indeed a prerequisite for survival in the primal forest. He packed up and, not bothering to bury the ashes, hurriedly continued on his way. Along the road, he found several wild fruit trees with birds pecking at them, proving they were non-toxic, so he picked so for breakfast, eating as he hurried along and dared not delay.
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At almost the sa ti, Lan Xue was convening Ghost Hand and others for a discussion. Her icy face was fraught with persistent worries as Ghost Hand, Snow Leopard, and Mountain Eagle also had grim expressions, their eyes cold and brows furrowed, a clear sign of heavy thoughts. They ford a tight group, whispering amongst themselves. Not far away, a travel group sat around a bonfire eating breakfast. Though called breakfast, it was rely ga at hunted along the way lacking any condints, hard to swallow, especially for the pampered experts from the Military Research Institute, but for the sake of survival, everyone grimly chewed their food.
"Captain, the pursuers are biting at our heels and we're about to run out of ammo and provisions. This isn't working. How about I cover the rear and try to find so ammunition while you guys retreat first?" Ghost Hand whispered, the situation dire as a large group of pursuing enemies trailed them. The danger to life was imminent, but Ghost Hand dared not raise his voice for fear of causing panic among the tourists, which would only bring more trouble.
"No way, you can't handle it alone. These bastards are extrely cunning and adept at jungle warfare. They know the terrain better than us. Staying behind alone is pointless unless there are two of you, so you can watch each other's backs," Mountain Eagle bluntly rejected the idea.
There were only four of them. Splitting up two to cover the rear while two escorted the tourists seed rational, but in reality, it wasn't. There were risks involved in dividing their forces. What if those covering the rear were surrounded or blocked? Who would save whom then? They were all experienced in combat and understood this well, but running out of ammunition still posed a serious problem.
"If only he were here," Lan Xue sighed to herself, not knowing when she had started to rely on Luo Zheng. This reliance wasn't about capability, but habit. Lan Xue had pushed Luo Zheng to the forefront to foster his developnt, and gradually, this reliance had turned into a habit.
"Captain, how about we split up? You take the tourists and retreat while the three of us run in different directions, confusing the enemy about our actual position. Then we'll regroup further ahead, to perhaps draw their attention," Snow Leopard suggested.
"No, the enemy is good at tracking. The tourist group is large and the traces they leave are quite distinct, we can't fool them. This would only put the tourists in greater jeopardy. In my opinion, it's safer for two of us to stay behind to slow their pursuit, while the others retreat," Ghost Hand continued.
Everyone looked towards Lan Xue. Her icy face showed no sign of panic. She glanced coldly at the nearby tourist group and a bitter feeling surged inside her. Many in the tourist group were elderly and struggled to move through the forest, slowing them down further with so even falling ill. This significantly held up their retreat. Realizing this, Lan Xue decisively made her decision, saying softly, "Ghost Hand and I will stay behind. Mountain Eagle, Snow Leopard, you two escort them and retreat first."
"Captain?" Everyone almost simultaneously exclaid in a hushed tone.
"No more discussion, this is an order," Lan Xue said firmly, leaving no room for negotiation. She grabbed her gun to check it—only three sniper bullets left, and her Type 95 assault rifle also had only half a magazine remaining. Even Luo Zheng's ammunition had been completely shared among them.
Throughout their journey, fighting while retreating against over a thousand pursuers had exhausted their ammunition. If not for their superior strength, they would have been surrounded and annihilated long ago. Lan Xue was about to give the order to move when suddenly she heard the faint sound of a barking dog. Lan Xue's expression changed dramatically. She looked at the group and said, "They've caught up. Do as I said, move out."
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