Strongest Soldier King

Differing opinions were not a big deal. Everyone looked to the scholar, who, as the highest leader of the squad, had the final say. The scholar thought it over and found merits in everyone's arguments. The key was to see how it directly helped with the mission, and then he said, "Everyone's opinions boil down to one difference, which is danger. Going back might be safe, moving forward might be risky, but all this is just a guess. Going back wastes time, going forward saves time. Given that, we should choose the option that is more beneficial for us. Therefore, I decide we move forward."

Luo Zheng was taken aback and saw the scholar looking at him. He thought for a moment, then nodded silently, keeping his own opinion to himself. Their philosophies differed as did their choices. The scholar aimed to lead everyone to complete the mission as quickly as possible and return, while Luo Zheng's focus was on preserving himself, as surviving was key. However, the unpredictability of life made it hard to judge right from wrong, and Luo Zheng chose to follow the scholar's lead.

The team moved forward. This bout of combat had resulted in a good haul of weaponry and ammunition; a gun was a soldier's courage. With a gun in hand, they felt significantly more secure. The farmer led the way, with Luo Zheng still covering the rear. The team adopted a rapid marching pace. By noon, they had emerged from the wilderness, and a small path appeared which led them eastward for about half an hour until they reached a village constructed of mud walls and thatched roofs. It was simple, with smoke curling upwards and villagers coming and going, exuding a peacefully lively atmosphere.

It was quite a feat to encounter such a village amidst the desolate mountains and wilds. After a brief discussion, they decided to try and get some food from the village. As for the risks, what was destined to occur couldn't be avoided. For safety's sake, the farmer would go into the village first and signal to the others if it was safe. The farmer agreed and hurried off.

The rest of the group waited on the roadside about 500 meters away from the village. This distance was enough to avoid being noticed yet close enough to rush in to support the farmer if necessary. They spread out slightly, guns at the ready and safeties off, vigilantly watching their surroundings just in case.

After a while, the farmer reappeared at the entrance of the village and signaled to everyone that it was safe. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and walked towards the village. Luo Zheng lagged behind, feeling a vague unease. He couldn't pinpoint what was wrong but remained alert as he looked towards the village, which was quiet except for some villagers chatting casually with the farmer, appearing very harmonious.

As they approached the entrance of the village, Luo Zheng quickened his pace to catch up to the scholar and whispered, "I'll stay here just in case. Be careful in there."

"That's fine, just be careful yourself. We'll gather the information and come right back out." The scholar didn't object, but merely stated it lightly. In his eyes, Luo Zheng was making too much of the situation. After all, if the farmer's reconnaissance had shown no issues, why be so tense? It was right to stay alert on the battlefield, but it wasn't necessary to always be on edge. Being relaxed in a confirmed safe environment was more conducive to demonstrating combat effectiveness.

Of course, the scholar wouldn't directly point out that having Luo Zheng stay back provided extra support, so he naturally didn't object. Leading the others towards the village entrance, Luo Zheng, filled with questions, cast another glance at the village. Children were frolicking around the farmer, which looked entirely safe. Nevertheless, Luo Zheng quickly darted into the nearby bushes and concealed himself behind a dirt knoll, carefully watching the village.

By now, the scholar and the others had reached the village entrance and joined the farmer. After exchanging a few words, they walked into the village. Their figures soon obscured by the buildings, Luo Zheng's unease grew, prompting him to lock his brows in concern. He surveyed his surroundings closely but spotted nothing suspicious. The path they had come from was silent, with no one in sight, though occasional barking could be heard from the village.

"Da da da!" Suddenly, intense gunfire erupted from the direction of the village.

"Not good." Luo Zheng was alarmed and looked in the direction of the noise. The gunfire indeed came from the village. Soon, Luo Zheng saw his comrades retreating from the village. Four of them split into two groups, one providing cover fire fiercely at their pursuers while the other group retreated, alternating to cover each other. Luo Zheng's expression hardened as he took grenades and two magazines from his body, laid them in front of him for quick access, and decisively chambered a round.

Soon, the scholars and others had withdrawn more than two hundred meters from the village entrance. Luo Zheng saw a large group of militants dressed as civilians ferociously pursuing them, firing intensely, fearless in their onslaught. Judging by their numbers, there were probably over a hundred. His expression changed slightly as he aimed at the enemy and decisively pulled the trigger, shouting, "Retreat fast, I'll cover you!"

"Da da da!" The dense bullets managed to suppress the advancing militants. The scholars and the others quickly fell back. Seeing the militants' fierce pursuit, they scattered upon exiting the village, relying on the terrain to counterattack. Intense gunfire soon swept over them, forcing Luo Zheng to duck his head and move to a new firing position.

"Whoosh—boom!" A huge explosion sounded.

"Is that an RPG?" Luo Zheng was shocked, not expecting these people to have a rocket launcher. Glancing back at his former hideout, a huge crater had formed on the ground, shrouded in gunsmoke. He felt an immense relief that he had run fast enough, otherwise, he would have been done for. Anger boiling inside him, he scanned the area and spotted a soldier with a launcher on his shoulder trying to aim at the retreating scholars and others.

"Not good." Luo Zheng didn't hesitate to open fire on the soldier. A barrage of bullets killed him. As the soldier fell, his muscles contracted, and he still managed to pull the trigger. The rocket launcher roared as it was launched; fortunately, it was wildly off target, flying erratically elsewhere, which otherwise would have meant trouble.

After taking out that soldier, Luo Zheng had no time to celebrate. He saw three militants, each carrying an RPG, rushing out from the village. After spreading out, they each crouched down to look for targets. Breaking into a cold sweat, Luo Zheng glanced at his still-in-range retreating comrades, clenched his teeth, and stood up quickly, ignoring the risk of getting hit. He aimed at the three soldiers and opened fire rapidly.

"Da da da!" Countless bullets, accompanied by Luo Zheng's worry and anxiety, streaked through the void, drawing trails of fire. Almost simultaneously, countless bullets also whizzed toward him, scattering the surrounding soil wildly and leaving the area in chaos. A bullet even whistled past Luo Zheng's ear, the sharp sound nearly deafening him.

Luo Zheng, concerned about the rocket launchers firing, disregarded everything else. He stood as if sculpted from stone, his stern gaze locked on the three soldiers ahead. His gun roared non-stop. In the battlefield, the more afraid of dying one is, the more likely it is to happen. To buy time for his comrades to retreat, Luo Zheng went all out, firing until his magazine was empty and only the clicking sound of a dry fire was heard. When Luo Zheng picked up a nearby magazine to reload, he realized it had been struck by a bullet, leaving a dent in it.