Chapter 34: The Retreat

Bao Zhengcheng, with a stern expression, injected a stimulant directly into his thigh, then raised the Storm to start charging. Even though this spider demon was two levels higher, Bao Zhengcheng believed that the “Storm” in his hands would make it suffer greatly.

The spider demon let out a deafening roar, its eight long legs moving like a gust of wind as it charged towards Bao Zhengcheng!

At that moment, a thunderous gunshot echoed through the battlefield! The unique and clear sound, well-known to the soldiers, belonged to an Eagle Strike, and the 131st Company only had one such weapon!

The enormous body of the spider demon suddenly tilted, a large spray of blood bursting from its upper body, its left arm and half of its shoulder vanishing! It let out a wretched howl, completely losing its balance, and tumbled off the wall.

Bao Zhengcheng, naturally, would not miss this opportunity. He rushed to the edge of the wall, and the “Storm” began to roar, unleashing over fifty rounds of primordial force bullets onto the spider demon, riddling its body with holes.

This spider demon could no longer rise, but its sharp appendages still struggled fiercely, digging up stones and dirt within reach. Debris flew everywhere, even gouging a large hole at the base of the wall, showing its terrifying tenacity.

Qian Ye appeared beside Bao Zhengcheng at some point, pressing down on the “Storm,” then pulling out a primordial force grenade, gently tossing it onto the spider demon.

“Damn it!” Bao Zhengcheng managed to curse before following Qian Ye over the wall, falling to the ground. Qian Ye’s primordial force was exceptionally condensed, and the power of a grenade charged by him would increase by thirty percent.

A thunderous explosion erupted behind them, the entire section of the wall crumbling like fallen blocks, revealing the spider demon, now lifeless and the size of a small house.

The Level 6 spider demon was the leader of the outpost, and after it was eliminated, the rest became much simpler. An hour later, the dark race stronghold composed of werewolves and spider demons was largely cleared. The 131st Company spent only ten minutes securing the battlefield, gathering proof of their victory and the most valuable spoils, before hastily departing.

Conducting guerrilla warfare in the dark races’ controlled area, while challenging, was quite feasible with precise intelligence and a well-balanced combat team. The key was to avoid patrols before the attack, to prevent turning a surprise assault into a frontal attack or worse, being surrounded. Also, a smooth retreat after the battle was crucial.

The complete elimination of the outpost would surely enrage the regional commander of the dark races, and the company would face a powerful pursuit, as well as the surrounding dark forces. As long as they could escape back to human-controlled territory, the mission would be considered a success.

So, the 131st Company did not linger, fully adhering to the tactic of striking and fleeing. After all, they were here for battle credits, not money. Qi Qi’s munitions alone were worth tens of thousands of gold coins, so the spoils of a single outpost would not matter to her.

Not far south of the outpost lay a mountainous region. Qian Ye led the troops in a two-hour sprint, finally reaching the mountains, then ordered a one-hour rest. He continued forward to scout, checking for any dangers along the planned withdrawal route.

Safely reaching the mountains meant they were halfway home. Qian Ye was a master of using complex terrain to his advantage.

He moved with a half-crouched posture, utilizing various terrains for cover, like a ghost. But the further he went, the more grim his expression became, a sense of indescribable danger growing stronger.

Suddenly, Qian Ye stopped, raising his head to sniff the air.

In the night breeze, a faint, pungent stench wafted.

His hair stood on end; this was the distinctive scent of a spider demon! He accelerated, rushing to the top of the hill, then crouched, inching out to avoid casting a sudden shadow, and cautiously peered over to the other side.

In the valley, a dark race army was advancing silently. Led by several humanoid spider demons, the main force consisted of hundreds of massive sword spiders. This army, like a black tide, almost blending with the night, surged forward.

Qian Ye sucked in a breath! Sword spiders were formal warriors among the spider demons, towering two meters tall, with razor-sharp forelimbs, and possessing the strength of a Level 1 warrior. This force was formidable enough to swallow the 131st Company whole.

Doubts rose in Qian Ye’s mind. Could there be another conflict in the area? Otherwise, why would such a large force of spider demons be marching secretly? This was far larger than a regular patrol.

But that was not the immediate concern. If this spider demon force continued, their scouts would discover the resting 131st Company!

Qian Ye retreated quietly, then raced back, issuing orders as soon as he reached the camp: “End the rest, move out immediately!”

Bao Zhengcheng stood up, asking, “Don’t we need to erase our tracks?”

“There’s no time! Anyone who can’t keep up, use the stimulant!”

Three minutes later, the 131st Company formed a long line, rapidly moving under Qian Ye’s lead. Two ridges away was the spider demon force. Reaching a pre-scouted location, the unit gathered, lying low, waiting for the perilous passage, then quickly marched, making a full-speed escape.

Bao Zhengcheng ran to Qian Ye, asking in shock, “Where did this sword spider battalion come from?”

“It might be an intelligence leak, or a last-minute adjustment. Either way, you continue leading, I’ll scout ahead!”

With that, Qian Ye climbed a nearby ridge, vanishing into the night. Bao Zhengcheng’s expression turned grim, his years of combat experience telling him something was amiss. Thankfully, Qian Ye was more familiar with mountain warfare than the most seasoned scout, and his stamina could support such intense nighttime reconnaissance, otherwise, they would have collided with the spider demon force.

As he thought this, Qian Ye re-emerged, shouting, “Everyone to the left!”

The entire unit took a sharp turn, leaping over a low hill, and sprinted along the opposite valley. Bao Zhengcheng found an opportunity to ask, “What’s up ahead?”

Qian Ye’s face was indistinct in the night, but a soft voice carried on the wind, “Werewolves, four whole tribes.”

Bao Zhengcheng’s face fell. Werewolves were the kings of the mountains, and being caught by a superior force in this terrain meant the 131st Company, including the two Level 4 warriors, might not survive.

Qian Ye led the unit over another ridge, then continued down the valley. By now, some soldiers were already exhausted, and the veteran sergeants supported those who couldn’t keep up, gritting their teeth to keep the pace.

Two hours later, the edge of the mountains was in sight, but after several major course changes, they were far from the planned exit.

“What now?” Bao Zhengcheng sensed something was very wrong. In this short half-night, they had encountered two spider demon forces and two werewolf squads!

Qian Ye pointed in the distance, saying, “There’s a border defense support point in that direction. If we move fast, we might have a chance.”

Bao Zhengcheng sighed with relief, “I know that place, but to escape, we must… leave the wounded and those who can’t run.”

He finally used the word “escape.” Although Qian Ye had kept the 131st Company safe from direct confrontations, there was no time to erase their tracks. Given the dense dark forces in the area, being discovered was highly likely, and a pursuit force was probably already on their trail.

“I’ll give the order!” Qian Ye walked toward the resting unit.

Bao Zhengcheng extended a hand, stopping him, and said firmly, “No, I’ll give the order!”

Bao Zhengcheng faced the soldiers, his gaze sweeping over their weary faces, and said slowly, “We have forty kilometers to go to reach the nearest base. Who will stay behind to hold the line?”

The soldiers were silent, no one speaking. They were experienced veterans, sensing the dire situation. Then, the wounded stepped forward, followed by the exhausted, joining the wounded.

Bao Zhengcheng’s mouth twitched, his eyes red as he looked at the dozen or so volunteers. He turned abruptly, shouting, “Leave all the grenades for these brothers! Move out!”

Without looking back, he led the charge, and the remaining able-bodied soldiers glanced at their comrades one last time before following.

Qian Ye stayed, looking at the volunteers, and said, “I will stay with you for this final stretch!”

A sniper in the assault team changed the dynamics entirely.

Soon, a series of explosions echoed through the mountains, smoke rising to fill the canyon. The flashes of the primordial force grenades nearly lit up the dark sky!

On the open ground, the 131st Company ran, heads down. Each explosion meant a comrade was charging the enemy, clutching a primordial force grenade.

Finally, Bao Zhengcheng led the 131st Company to the town of Earth Castle. Only fifty-four men remained, less than half the original number.

Most of the casualties came from the rear guard.

The town had about a thousand inhabitants and five hundred expeditionary troops. Near the front lines, Earth Castle was well-fortified, with buildings made of thick stone and narrow alleys, designed for urban warfare. The giant spiders and high-level werewolves in transformed states would find it difficult to maneuver in these two-meter-wide lanes.

Bao Zhengcheng climbed the watchtower, looking towards the mountains, his heart sinking. The movement of so many dark race forces at night was highly unusual. Yet, the latest intelligence showed this area as a void!

Reflecting on it, the last two dark race battalions were only twenty minutes apart, suggesting a mass mobilization. Did the military command of Xichang know this?

A shadow of worry settled over the middle-aged soldier’s heart.

It wasn’t until dawn the next day that a figure appeared on the horizon, heading towards Earth Castle.