“Check the time,” Qing Ye said to Luo Wanya, “1:30:12 AM.”
Luo Wanya echoed, “1:30:12 AM.”
Qing Ye nodded, “Following Boss’s route, the operation time is three hours, neither sooner nor later. I’ll leave this to you.”
Luo Wanya nodded solemnly, “You can rest assured.”
“Wait here, your brother Yunluo will meet up with you.”
Shendai Kongyu silently watched this scene. She now understood that her escape from City 20 was merely the opening act of tonight’s grand play. Much more interesting things would happen in that city.
This is the Shadow Squad, after all. While the Garrison Troops are being held back by Shendai Yunluo, what can a squad of elite Shadow troops accomplish?
If the Shendai Family Head were there, he would likely meet with an accident.
“Are you going to behead the Shendai Family Head?” Shendai Kongyu asked.
“No, no, no,” Qing Ye explained with a laugh, “We’re not that arrogant. We only got intelligence saying the Shendai Family Head took the Northern Air Force fleet to inspect the troops. Otherwise, Boss wouldn’t send us on such a risky mission. We’re not a suicide squad! How did Boss put it? ‘When the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy camps, we harass; when the enemy is tired, we attack; when the enemy retreats, we pursue.’ Right now, we’re in the stage of taking advantage and running. It’s not time for a deathmatch yet.”With that, he turned and walked into the Key Gate.
Inside City 20:
The Shadow Squad emerged from the Key Gate in Lower District 3, where vehicles were waiting.
However, it was rather unusual. Other special forces’ vehicles were uniformly black off-road vehicles, exuding an aura of power.
But the vehicles the Guardians’ Union prepared for the Shadow Squad were a mix of trucks, three-wheeled vehicles, food trucks—everything but off-road vehicles.
Furthermore, these dilapidated vehicles were plastered with various advertisements:
“Authentic Egg-stuffed Pancakes,” “Rice Noodle Rolls,” “Tofu Pudding, Spicy Soup, Fried Bread Sticks, Millet Congee,”
and
“Plumbing Services,” “Locksmith Services,” “In-Call Services”
These vehicles were stolen from a vehicle scrap yard by Guardians’ Union members. Federation law mandates that operational vehicles must be scrapped after 10 years, but many are still usable at that point.
It’s fortunate that every member of the Shadow Squad is a multi-talented individual, able to operate these vehicles.
Many Outer Worlders believe that Inner World vehicles are all concept cars and luxury cars, as depicted in games.
But cyberpunk games don’t tell players that 98% of people in this world live in dire conditions.
There’s the Pareto principle, where 20% of people hold 80% of the wealth.
But here, it’s 2% holding 98% of the wealth.
Qing Ye sat in the bed of a three-wheeled truck, sighing, “When Shadow Boss made us learn all this, I complained. I said other squads learn to fly helicopters, fighter jets, multi-purpose infantry vehicles. Why do we have to learn to drive three-wheeled trucks? Now I see, Boss was incredibly far-sighted.” Meanwhile, after the Guardians’ Union’s large-scale retreat from Lower District 3, Shendai gradually relaxed some controls. But the Shendai group didn’t expect that the Guardians’ Union, having left only a few hundred people behind, had managed to develop several thousand more in just over ten days.
This was the result of the Guardians’ Union’s screening process; otherwise, the numbers would have been even higher.
It proves that when you have a grassroots base, things are much easier.
In Lower District 3, people watched silently from dark windows. Countless residents observed as Qing Ye and the others, driving their motley collection of vehicles, headed towards Upper District 3 as if going to a fair.
In a certain building, an informant witnessed this and tried to call his superiors, but he discovered that the signal had been blocked, and the signal jammer was nowhere to be found.
In a hurry, these informants could only flee, hoping to find a place with a signal to issue a warning.
But as soon as they ran out of the building, they were immediately targeted and killed by people hidden in the shadows.
Those who ran to report were informants and spies, making it easy to distinguish them.
Tonight, everything Qing Chen planned was a combination of punches—to create chaos while the Shendai Family Head was meeting with the Kingdom and Future Organization.
To scare Shendai, to prevent Shendai from moving south!
Qing Chen was planning a trip to the other side of the Forbidden Sea to kill that kg and retrieve all the True Sight Eyes. He couldn't return home to find nothing left.
He had so much to prepare before leaving.
The Garrison Troops attempted to intercept them, but they were gunned down by snipers on the vehicles as soon as they saw the figures.
The Shadow Squad members shouted and yelled in the vehicles, lacking the composure expected of elite soldiers.
The Garrison Troops’ internal communications loudly reported, “Enemy attack. The enemy is rapidly approaching.” The Garrison Troops surrounding Shendai Yunluo diverted personnel to intercept them. But when they arrived at the predicted ambush location, they found dozens of vehicles parked on the roadside, empty.
The Shadow Squad had vanished.
A gap in the Garrison Troops’ defenses opened up due to the transfer of personnel, immediately creating an opening for Shendai Yunluo.
As if knowing this point in time would have a weak defense, Shendai Yunluo precisely tore open a gap, pulling Shendai Yunxiu and the others along.
This was all planned. Everyone timed it perfectly. By the time the Garrison Troops wanted to close the gap again, it was too late. They could only re-encircle Shendai Yunluo.
Meanwhile, the power station in City 2 exploded, plunging the entire city into darkness.
Qing Chen returned the favor in the same manner Shendai had caused chaos in City 10.
The Shadow Squad dashed through the city’s shadows, their tracks untraceable.
Their target was clear, their route unmistakable.
Upon reaching their destination, everyone suddenly stopped and began casually setting up their individual mortars on the street.
“Fix parameters: angle 15, height 331, torque 21. Fire!”
A group of Qing Family’s Shadow special forces brazenly conducted a mortar barrage in Shendai’s most prosperous city, targeting a specific area.
Qing Ye exclaimed, “This fighting style is too wild. Even Shadow Boss didn’t dare to do this.”
Qing Qu was a bit uncertain, “Wait, we haven’t seen the Shadow Squad from the Spiritual Realm Dojo yet. Using Boss’s parameters to adjust the mortars, can we hit the target?”
There are two types of mortars on the battlefield: self-aiming mortars, which can directly mark a target on a map, automatically calculating the trajectory for attack. But these are relatively heavy due to the necessary accessories and self-aiming track motor.
The other type is the single-soldier mortar carried by the Shadow Squad. Their main features are strong firepower and ease of portability, but they lack self-aiming capabilities. To hit the target, it relies on the artillerymen’s experience and calculation skills.
A skilled artilleryman enjoys better treatment and food in the army.
Generally, to hit a target, a reconnaissance round is conducted first to determine the distance and angle. After a calculation round, if there is a deviation after firing, the position must be adjusted again.
But Qing Chen gave them a foolproof, mindless instruction manual: at the 13th manhole cover on Qixing Town Daoyuan Street, someone has marked a dashed line for you. Align the mortar base with the dashed line, adjust the angle parameters, and fire.
Even a fool knows how to fire!
Since following the new Boss, battles don’t require much thinking, it’s quite pleasant!
Mortars roared, tearing apart the night sky of City 20.
The area around the Spiritual Realm Dojo within a radius of three kilometers was under strict guard. However, the parameters Qing Chen gave were the maximum seven-kilometer range of the single-soldier mortars.
Last time, Qing Chen used a sniper rifle to attack the Spiritual Realm Dojo. Who would have thought he’d use mortars as sniper rifles this time?
Mortar, single-shot, ultra-long-range. Sniper rifle, single-shot, ultra-long-range.
Is there a difference? No difference!
Using mortars as sniper rifles, is there a problem? No problem.
With a muffled thud, shells soared into the sky, drawing faint white lines in the night.
The shells slowly decelerated in the night sky, then descended in a graceful parabola.
Shendai Yunyi was swaying a folding fan, listening to the reports from the Garrison Troops. He said with a smile, “It’s still uncertain whether Shendai Yunxiu has made a choice, but it doesn’t matter. We can help him make that choice. However, if you think the Family Head intends to reuse him, you’re greatly mistaken. This is merely to let them fight among themselves. Once Shendai Yunluo and Shendai Kongyu are gone, Shendai Yunxiu will be alone. That body is good; it can be used as the Family Head’s next vessel. We must guard the Dojo, preventing anyone from...”
Before he finished,
With a loud boom, the house where Shendai Yunyi was located exploded. The wooden Spiritual Realm Dojo was blown to pieces. The wooden walls were shattered, and the white paper-pasted doors were reduced to pulp.
Shendai Yunyi was no longer calm amidst the ruins. He roared angrily, “Where did the shells come from? Why is our base under attack? Carry me out, my leg is broken!”
The surviving subordinates rushed to his aid. Shendai Yunyi was a direct blood relative of the Family Head. If he died, everyone in the Family Head’s service would be implicated, including their families.
This system of collective punishment ensured the safety of commanders.
The subordinates protected Shendai Yunyi and rushed out, but the shelling seemed to be everywhere, as if they were on the front line.
A shell landed near them, and a dozen people were thrown away by the blast and shrapnel. More than 200 people were still guarding the Spiritual Realm Dojo. It was fortunate if even one survived.
The sounds of shelling continued, seven kilometers away on the long street, the Shadow Squad continued firing.
After all, how much does a mortar cost? They could each carry five without hindering their movement. Wouldn’t it be a waste if they didn’t use up all the shells before leaving?
When only one shell remained, Qing Ye took out a small piece of paper, “Everyone, adjust the mortars to 66 degrees, raise the elevation by 11 degrees. Wait! It’s not time yet! Everyone check the parameters, don’t make any mistakes!”
Qing Qu looked and said, “There are two buildings in front of the muzzle, so close together, and where are these shells going?”
Qing Ye said, “I don’t know. Boss didn’t say, and we dare not ask. Boss only instructed to get the parameters right, otherwise, civilians will be injured.”
“Alright,” Qing Qu smacked his lips, “Boss has the final say.”
Qing Ye suddenly said,
“Countdown, 3, 2, 1! Fire!”
Bang bang bang!
Shell after shell soared through the air, passing through the several-meter gap between two buildings,
and shot straight up into the sky.
Qing Ye said, “Discard the mortars, everyone follow me and advance at full speed towards the 3 o’clock direction. We must reach the target position within 20 minutes!”
Meanwhile, Shendai Yunluo glanced at the time while breaking through.
Time was running out!
He suddenly exploded with power. Hyakumegami, at the cost of overspending his ability, used Jūpō Sekai to clear the path.
A white dragon surrounded him with its body. The Yin-Yang Master and Shikigami all went into a reckless rampage mode.
After passing through a certain terrain, Shendai Yunluo finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Qing Chen promised him that once he reached this point, the pursuit would be cut off.
However, Qing Chen didn’t say how the pursuit would be cut off.
Shendai Yunluo looked around, “Huh, where’s the promised backup? Qing Chen, you’re breaking your promise!”
Before he could figure it out, he heard the sharp sound of something breaking the air.
Boom! The street was blown open by mortars from afar. Shendai Yunluo looked back, and the pursuers behind him were blown to smithereens.
At the same time.
In the sewage canal, the outlaw Xiao San looked at the steel mesh in front of him. This mesh consisted of more than ten layers, specifically designed to prevent the Guardians’ Union from infiltrating.
The steel mesh was connected to an alarm. As soon as any wire broke, it would immediately alert the nearby Garrison Troops.
Xiao San didn’t rashly destroy it, as it was also part of Boss’s plan.
He checked his watch; the time was now.
The next second, a sound like thunder rolling in the clouds rumbled faintly.
It was the sound of mortars exploding, finally crossing tens of kilometers to reach here.
Xiao San knew it was time.
The Garrison Troops in the wilderness began to be deployed to the city, and Xiao San in the sewer opened his backpack and attached two remote-controlled bombs to the steel mesh.
He backed away. With a boom, sewage and mud splashed, and smoke filled the air.
When the smoke cleared, the steel mesh had been completely destroyed.
“Let’s go, brothers,” Xiao San waved his hand, and the Cockroach Tide followed him inside.
By the time the Garrison Troops noticed the intrusion, the cockroaches had all retreated into City 2’s garbage disposal system, and Xiao San, as an ordinary person, would hide in that city, awaiting the Leader’s next call.
From beginning to end, the multi-pronged infiltration and action teams in City 2 had no contact or meetings. They relied solely on Qing Chen’s planned timeline to achieve this precise coordination.