Strongest Soldier King Chapter 748 748: Village Invitation

Three days later at noon, everyone was exhausted and drowsy. For three days, we hadn't seen a single person; it was just a vast grassland all around, straining our eyes and making us feel bored and restless. Finally, we reached a small hill and decided to take a break before continuing. Mountain Eagle, who arrived first, suddenly shouted in surprise, "Brothers, look quick!"

We all looked up in astonishnt and saw ahead of us a flat area of hills with a village. A few drought-resistant poplar trees, their leaves all shed, surrounded the village that seed to be made of compacted mud, low and dilapidated. Outside, we could see no people, but there were a few sheep idly nibbling on the grass on the ground.

"A village?" We all brightened up at the discovery but quickly beca despondent as we sat on the hillside. What good would the village do us? This was a foreign country, not our own. We didn't speak the language, we didn't know the customs, and if we went in with our guns, we'd surely be shot at as enemies and get into trouble.

"Everyone spread out and rest right here. Sniper cover," Lan Xue said, seeing that everyone was quite weary and badly in need of a hot al. Unable to bear it, she promptly suggested. "I'll go over and see if I can find so help."

"Is that feasible?" Luo Zheng, aware of the team's condition—continuous marching had left us all severely depleted, even if nobody said it out loud, especially suffering from malnutrition—asked her, worried. "Without a refill, we simply cannot endure. How else are we to complete the mission to rescue the Tiger King?" he asked, uncertainly.

"Let's try. I'm a woman; it might be easier to communicate," Lan Xue said with a wry smile. She took off her gear, set down her weapons, not carrying anything with her to avoid misunderstandings. In this warlord-dominated region, even children could handle guns; guns weren't rare, and not displaying good intentions from the start might spark conflict.

Luo Zheng knew this was a necessary risk. Without rest, everyone would break down, making the mission impossible. He warned her reluctantly, "Be very careful, and keep your pistol on your back, just in case."

"Alright," Lan Xue agreed. She checked her pistol, secured it in her belt at her back, removed her helt, let her hair down, tied it into a ponytail with a rubber band, and removed her outer camouflage suit and combat uniform to reveal the camo tank top beneath—her imposing figure suddenly in full display, making Luo Zheng's heart race uncontrollably, spellbound.

Lan Xue gave Luo Zheng a sidelong glance but smiled happily and said to everyone, "Be careful, I'm going now." Taking her last bit of compressed biscuits, she put them in her pocket and walked toward the village. As she went, she remained vigilant, scanning her surroundings for any dangers while keeping her earpiece in to maintain communication.

We all found places to lie down and conceal ourselves, setting up sniper rifles. It wasn't long before we saw Lan Xue reach the entrance of the village. A group of won erged, guns in hand, warily aiming at Lan Xue. Luo Zheng and the rest of us were startled, aiming back at them, ready for conflict, but then we heard Lan Xue's clear instruction not to fire.

Lan Xue herself was taken aback by the sight of the ard won but noticed their unprofessional way of handling the guns, realizing they weren't well-trained ard personnel. Though they appeared fierce, she couldn't sense any actual intent to kill. After quietly urging us not to shoot, she raised her hands at shoulder height to show goodwill while using an international language to say, "Don't shoot. Does anyone understand ?"

After asking twice, the people were chattering incomprehensibly, and Lan Xue, thinking she might as well retreat, was suddenly approached by a woman erging from the crowd. Wearing a black screen and headscarf and carrying a gun, followed by a few other won, this woman ca up to Lan Xue and asked suspiciously, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"We are rcenaries, here to find sothing to eat. I wonder if that's possible?" Lan Xue responded politely, intentionally using "we" to indicate she wasn't alone and to remind them not to cause trouble.

This person caught Luo Zheng's implied ssage and looked seriously at the space behind Lan Xue, though she could see no one else. The woman asked, puzzled, "You are rcenaries? What are your conditions if we were to employ you?"

"It depends on what for," Lan Xue said helplessly, continuing the topic. Once this identity was confird, we could only continue to play the part. Otherwise, if exposed, it would be impossible to move an inch."

"To rescue people," the woman said solemnly, staring intently at Lan Xue. Perhaps reminded of sothing sad, a hint of pain surfaced in her eyes.

"Your question is very vague. I can't judge the difficulty of the hire," Lan Xue continued helplessly.

The woman didn't reply imdiately but spoke to the people around her. Everyone lowered their guns still warily watching Lan Xue and gradually dispersed. The woman continued, "My na is Lucia, a missionary, a doctor, from the West. I settled in this village with my husband ten years ago. Three months ago, General Wata's n ca, raided the village, and took all n between the ages of fifteen and sixty. We want to hire you to rescue them. What are your conditions?"

"General Wata?" Lan Xue was taken aback, pondering that this person must be so warlord. Since he was here to rescue people, it was inconvenient to get involved in local affairs. Not wanting to deceive her and feeling uneasy, he said, "I need to discuss this with my teammates. I can't give you an answer directly?"

"Are you afraid of the devil Wata?" Lucia asked with dissatisfaction.

"It's not about being afraid or not. The difficulty of the mission itself needs evaluation. If we can't complete it or are not confident in completing it, wouldn't that be akin to seeking death?" Lan Xue asked in return.

"You make sense. What if we hire you to train us? You are rcenaries, you know how to shoot. Teach us so everyone can at least defend themselves. What are your conditions?" Lucia persisted, her gaze firm and filled with hope as she looked at Lan Xue.

"That's easier. We can stay here for three days. You just need to provide a house for us to rest and food for us to eat. How about that?" Lan Xue said with sudden joy, feeling that as long as they didn't get involved in local affairs, things would be manageable.

"Good, it's settled then," Lucia said joyfully upon receiving Lan Xue's reply. She explained the agreent to everyone in the local language, and the people around them imdiately cheered, their excitent evident.

Looking at this scene, Lan Xue felt an unbidden surge of sympathy, pitying these people. To endure such hardship in life was one thing, but for n and children to be abducted, their fate unknown, and to be forced to arm themselves for protection was another kind of pain—who could know it? At that mont, Lan Xue decided to train them well and allow his team to rest and regroup.

"Please call your companions over," Lucia said happily. "I've already asked everyone to prepare food and hot water. The training is in your hands."

"Don't worry. But do you have so many weapons and ammunition?" Lan Xue asked doubtfully.