Chapter 816: Into the Forest
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“No,” w.a.n.g Yao said.
“What do you mean?” Su Zhixing asked.
“If I said I could dodge the bullets, would you believe me?” w.a.n.g Yao calmly responded.
Su Zhixing was dumbfounded. It took him a long time to react. “Can you dodge bullets?”
“Yes, let us test it,” w.a.n.g Yao replied.
He had not tested it before. Based on feelings he had during his cultivation, combined with his exceptional observation abilities, he believed that he would be able to feel the rapidly approaching bullets and dodge them. He might even be able to catch them with his hands.
“Stop joking around,” Su Zhixing said.
Honestly, he was tempted and wanted to try it. After careful consideration, he could not take the risk.
“Well, don’t you have a bulletproof vest?” w.a.n.g Yao asked. “I could put it on just in case.”
“Even with that, when the bullets. .h.i.t you, it will still hurt a lot,” Su Zhixing said.
“Are you not confident in your shooting skills?” w.a.n.g Yao asked.
“Don’t agitate me any further,” Su Zhixing said with a wave of his hand. “This experiment is too dangerous. I will not agree to do it.”
w.a.n.g Yao tried to persuade him again, but he was rejected once again.
“If Xiaoxue were to know that I had shot you with a gun, she would kill me,” Su Zhixing said.
“If both you and I stayed silent, how would Xiaoxue possibly know?” w.a.n.g Yao asked.
The two were talking when Mu Chengzhou walked over. He was also stunned when he heard about w.a.n.g Yao’s request.
“Well, Dr. w.a.n.g, that experiment is too dangerous.” After thinking for a moment, he said, “How about this, I will agree to you taking part in our operation. Once any abnormality is discovered, you will immediately withdraw.”
“OK, no problem,” w.a.n.g Yao said.
“Boss?” Su Zhixing anxiously asked.
“If you feel that we are not their match, immediately retreat,” Mu Chengzhou said. “I have just received a notice from the higher-ups. A special team has already arrived in southern Yunnan.”
“A special team?” Su Zhixing asked.
“Yes, there might be some people with strange powers on the team,” Mu Chengzhou said. “If our sniper teams meet with any obstacles, they will intervene.”
“That is good,” Su Zhixing said.
“Dr. w.a.n.g, you can’t wear what you have on,” Mu Chengzhou said. “It would be too conspicuous in the jungle. To put it in an ugly way, you will become a live target. You have to change your clothes.”
“No problem,” w.a.n.g Yao said.
He was given a camouflage uniform. Since he was not a soldier, he had not been equipped with any standard combat weapons, but he did not need them. He still asked for a pistol and dagger.
After preparing, they set off and flew to their destination in military helicopters. In southern Yunnan, there were large patches of forests, which were extremely lush and dense. A considerable part of the area was inaccessible, and there were various creatures in the forest, including some species that were dangerous to human beings.
Before leaving, Su Zhixing, who was leading the team, reconfirmed the tasks and precautions. He had originally not been the team leader, but he had been determined to come. He wanted to avenge the comrades who had died and protect his future brother-in-law.
The team had high-tech equipment and satellite positioning. The soldier in charge of communication and positioning said, “We are close. They might be nearby.”
“How far is it?” Su Zhixing asked.
“It is a 9.3-mile journey,” the soldier replied.
“Let’s go,” Su Zhixing said. “Everyone stay alert.”
The forest was not quiet. There were constant chirping sounds from birds and insects.
w.a.n.g Yao was walking in the middle. He was the key protected subject, but he did not notice that he was being protected. He kept looking around, observing the trees, flowers, and plants. Everywhere his eyes pa.s.sed, his mind came up with their names, growth characteristics, and whether they had any medicinal values.
That is Amomum, cinnamon, cardamom…
The soldier who was clearing the way in front suddenly made a gesture. The whole team stopped moving forward.
“What is the matter?” Su Zhixing asked.
The soldier pointed to the front. There was a dead deer with no head. The cut was clean.
“I will go and check it out,” one of the soldiers said. He went forward, checked carefully, and came back. “It just died not long ago. Its head was cut off. The wound is very flat and clean. It was likely caused by a blade.”
“Stand by. Be prepared to engage in battle anytime,” Su Zhixing ordered.
The troops immediately spread out in their battle formation. Two soldiers were especially left to protect w.a.n.g Yao.
Somewhere in the jungle, there was a fully armed team of six.
“Huh?” A man began looking around.
“What is the matter?” his comrade asked.
“We have friends coming,” the man said.
“Are they old friends?” his comrade asked.
“Based on their speed, it should be them,” the man said. “Let’s leave some surprises for them.”
In the jungle, Su Zhixing was leading the team. The sky was turning dark. Some kind of insect was chirping. He suddenly said, “Stop.”
The team stopped. There were several plastic bags in front of them. They seemed to be some kind of packages.
“I will go and check it out,” a soldier said.
“Be careful,” Su Zhixing said.
The soldier carefully approached the packages. He stopped about six feet away and observed them before withdrawing.
“They could not have gone far,” the soldier said. “The number of people is around four or five.”
“Since it is such an obvious trace, could it be intentional?” Su Zhixing calmly asked. “Prepare the drone.”
Vroom.
The drone was sent up into the sky. It only gave out a very slight sound while flying up. The ground images captured from the low alt.i.tude were fed back to the mini display of the soldier controlling it below. The images were very clear.
“It is safe around here,” he said. “There are signs of people pa.s.sing by.”
“Go!”
As the troops continued to advance, they soon found traces of weeds that had been crushed as someone pa.s.sed by. There were also footprints on the ground.
After careful observation, a soldier said, “There should be five of them.”
“Keep pursuing them,” Su Zhixing said.
After a while, the jungle became denser. In such terrain, the use of a remote-controlled drone was more difficult, so it was put away.
“Pay attention.” Su Zhixing made a gesture to remind everyone.
The more they ventured into such terrain, the more chances that there were ambushes and traps.
Whoos.h.!.+ Whoos.h.!.+ Whoos.h.!.+
w.a.n.g Yao suddenly stopped and turned to look behind him.
“What is the matter?” Su Zhixing asked.
“Nothing,” w.a.n.g Yao said. “I just heard something.”
He glanced through the vast jungle.
“Keep on going,” Su Zhixing said. “The plants here have traces of being cut down and slashed. The traces are fresh.”
A gentle breeze blew past.
Thump! Whoos.h.!.+ Whoos.h.!.+ Whoos.h.!.+
Several arrows came flying toward them from nowhere. With a bang, the arrows were forced to change direction in mid-air. They flew to into a tree trunk.
“Phew!”
The soldiers heaved a sigh of relief. That kind of hidden weapon was silent and the most difficult to defend against. They moved their gaze toward w.a.n.g Yao. He was the one who had made a fist in the air. With a bang, all the arrows flying in the air had suddenly changed their direction and buried themselves into the trees beside them.
“What kind of kung fu is that?” Meng Wushuang asked.
“Pokong Punch,” w.a.n.g Yao replied.
“Is anyone hurt?” Su Zhixing asked in a low voice.
“No.”
“Keep going and watch your step,” Su Zhixing said.
Ten minutes after they left, a man as nimble as an ape dressed in camouflage attire, came to the place they soldiers had just been.
“No bloodstains? Didn’t they trigger the trap?” He went to where the trap had been set up. “No, the hidden weapons have been activated. What had happened?”
He walked around and saw the arrows were buried in the trees. “How could they be here?” The angle between their location and the direction the hidden weapon was positioned was almost a full 90 degrees. “That’s strange!”
In the jungle, the team led by Su Zhixing was moving forward. With a click, the soldier in front suddenly stopped.
“What is the matter?” Su Zhixing asked.
“I have stepped on a mine!” the soldier called out.
“Spread out.” Su Zhixing immediately made a gesture.
The soldiers slowly dispersed. There was a clatter, followed by a whoosh in the air. Hidden weapons were flying toward them. With a thud, all the weapons flew and landed on the gra.s.s beside them.
w.a.n.g Yao went in front of the soldier who had stepped on the mine and asked, “Is it another trap?”
“Tsk, what are you doing up front?” Su Zhixing asked. “It is too dangerous. Stay further back!”
“I am just going to take a look,” w.a.n.g Yao said. “You go on.”
“You… Fine… Stay there obediently!” Su Zhixing carefully fixed and removed the mine the soldier was standing on. “Legs up, slowly.”
The soldier carefully raised his legs and retreated. There was a sudden clang sound. The mine had been triggered. A loud explosion resounded through the forest.
In the forest, a team of five men stopped and went in the direction of the sound.
“I wonder now how many died?” a man asked.
“Let’s go,” another man said. “We have to hurry up. The enemy is not just them.”
The moment the mine had been triggered, w.a.n.g Yao hit it. The mine flew out and exploded. No soldier was injured. They were only shocked and had ringing in their ears. If it had exploded near them, the three soldiers nearby would have been killed.
“Thank you,” Su Zhixing said.
“You’re welcome,” w.a.n.g Yao said.
“They’ve improved,” Su Zhixing said.
“Huh, what do you mean?” w.a.n.g Yao asked.
“Last time we dealt with it this way and there was no problem,” Su Zhixing said. “I’m glad we agreed to bring you along.”
If it wasn’t for his w.a.n.g Yao, the team would’ve probably been cut by more than half.
“Are they professionals?” w.a.n.g Yao asked.
“Quite professional,” Su Zhixing replied. “We lost comrades the first two times.”
“Can’t these mines be detected?” w.a.n.g Yao asked.
“It’s not easy to detect them,” Su Zhixing said. “This is the latest product. There are no metal components in them, so they can’t be detected by a metal detector.”
“That’s very high-tech,” w.a.n.g Yao said.
“Technology is combat power,” Su Zhixing said.