Strongest Soldier King

Before dawn, as the first ray of sunlight tore through the dark curtain and spilled onto the earth, the quiet wasteland came to life. The breeze was gentle, the air was crisp, and the morning glow was spectacular. Luo Zheng, who had rested in the woods for the night, looked up at the sky and then surveyed the distant wilderness. The vast expanse of wilderness revealed no signs of human habitation, only barren, undulating ridges with only a few trees growing in some valleys—but none were tall. This peaceful and tranquil mountain landscape inexplicably filled Luo Zheng with unease.

"Let's move. We'll find something to eat along the way. Farmer, you scout ahead. Gardener, you're familiar with plants—see if you can find anything edible. Monk and I are responsible for hunting animals for food. Luo Zheng, you cover our rear. Let's keep a distance of ten meters from each other. Does anyone have any problems?" the Scholar said calmly, taking on the responsibility as the captain to plan the next step of action and tactical targets.

"No," everyone replied in a low voice. The arrangement was sensible and everyone began to move accordingly.

After all others had departed, Luo Zheng followed, keeping a safe distance and vigilantly observing his surroundings. Considering whether to find a hiding spot or looking out for any followers, it was also necessary to conceal any traces of their passage to prevent being discovered and pursued by the enemy.

After walking for about an hour, Luo Zheng saw Monk suddenly move with incredible speed, like a car racing at high speed. With a swift pounce, he caught a fleeing rabbit, which appeared quite plump. Luo Zheng was not interested in the rabbit but in Monk's speed. It was the first time Luo Zheng had seen Monk take action, and he realized he had underestimated Monk's strength. He couldn't help but smile—having a comrade with superior abilities was certainly a good thing, it meant an additional assurance of survival.

A little while later, they came upon a small river and stopped to rest in a concealed, downwind spot. They gathered some dry wood and started a fire by friction. They began to roast the rabbit over the fire. Before the rabbit was fully cooked, a burst of intense gunfire echoed faintly in the distance, startling everyone and prompting exchanged glances.

"Farmer, come with me to check it out. Everyone else, stay put and be on standby," Scholar said calmly.

"I'll go too," Luo Zheng suggested.

"Fine," Scholar considered for a moment and agreed.

The three of them quickly left and headed toward the source of the gunfire. After climbing a slope, they cautiously peered out to see a village ahead with about two dozen households. A handful of armed militants were herding the villagers out of their homes, opening fire immediately at any sign of discontent. The distance was too great to see clearly.

After a while, all the villagers were rounded up. The armed militants began to lecture them, and people emerged from the villagers' homes carrying items. The villagers became agitated, but the militants fired at the ground near their feet, and the villagers quieted down. The armed militants left with their loot.

"Looks like a robbery," Farmer whispered.

Luo Zheng agreed, and as he was about to ask for Scholar's thoughts, he heard Scholar say, "Those bastards, there's only about a dozen of them. Let's sneak up on them and take them out to get some weapons and equipment."

"That's possible, but I suggest we let them get a bit further away before we make a move. These armed militants are robbing openly; they're probably not just ordinary bandits. There's a chance they're from the East Turkestan Movement. If they find out their men are dead, they will definitely investigate. If we act here, it'll endanger the villagers," Luo Zheng calmly reminded.

Scholar glanced at Luo Zheng, thought for a moment, and did not object. He then turned to Farmer and said, "Follow them. We'll be there shortly. Be careful not to expose yourself."

"Understood." Farmer nodded, gave Luo Zheng a curious look without further words, and rapidly made his way off to the side with a stooped posture, quickly disappearing into the distance.

"Let's go back," Scholar told Luo Zheng as they withdrew from their cover and headed back the way they came. Luo Zheng took one last look at the village and quickly followed.

After regrouping, Scholar briefly recounted what they had discovered. The rabbit meat was ready, and Gardener quickly divided it into five portions. Without any formality, everyone took their share and started eating as they walked toward the direction of the village. Scholar was deep in thought on the move and after a while he suddenly said, "When we came, the platoon leader reminded us that the competition committee had informed people from the East Turkestan Movement through other channels. It seems likely that those armed militants might be out to find us, taking the opportunity to rob. We can't let those guys go."

"I agree. Didn't the platoon leader say so? Our mission is 'to kill and seize cards, and return swiftly.' Those we are to kill are these guys; if we encounter them, we can't just avoid them, or what kind of competition would it be? I remember the platoon leader saying, 'the number of kills determines the score.'" Gardener agreed.

"Then what are we waiting for, let this monk send them to Buddha," Monk said nonchalantly.

Scholar glanced at the silent Luo Zheng, then decided, "We'll bypass the village and quickly regroup with Farmer."

Everyone agreed and picked up their pace. They regrouped with Farmer on a hillside. Farmer pointed down the slope, and they carefully peered below to see nearly a hundred armed militants gathered in an open area, preparing food. They were scattered all around, seemingly without order, but a closer look revealed that the militants were defending four different positions, with even numbers at each point. This tactical setup was ideal for defending against enemies attacking from any direction with equal firepower.

Luo Zheng noticed several leader-like figures in a meeting, wearing white headscarves, sporting large beards, and holding AK47 assault rifles. A blanket lay in their midst with some food on top, and nearby, a few pack horses were snorting and pawing at the ground. He was shocked by the number of people and wondered what they were discussing. Had they been discovered?

"Such a large number, it's a good thing we didn't act earlier. If we had, we'd be in deep trouble," Monk remarked, his face serious as he observed the armed group. "They are clearly prepared. With such an open view, any exposure would lead to relentless pursuit. Bypassing isn't the right choice—our objective is them. I suggest we disperse and hide, waiting for an opportunity to attack them when they're alone."

"I agree. The priority now is to get some weapons quickly," Farmer concurred.

"Finding someone alone may be difficult. Since they are prepared, they might also know our combat capabilities, which is why so many of them have gathered. They are likely to separate only when they steal food, as we saw earlier, but that opportunity has passed. To have another chance, we would have to wait until noon. Shall we wait here until then? Even if we do, who can guarantee that we'll find an opportunity?" Luo Zheng suddenly interjected.

"Are you suggesting we just forget about the mission and run straight back?" Monk asked in surprise.