Strongest Soldier King

Luo Zheng spoke confidently, "I suspect there's a significant figure among these people. Of course, this is just a guess without any reason or evidence, but if my guess is correct, we might be able to obtain the information we want, such as maps or news, and so on. There would be no need to move around aimlessly. These past few days, we've been wandering around without clear direction. Rather than continuing like this, it might be better to take a risk. As for the farmer brother's injury, marching will aggravate it. I'll go find some herbs nearby, about two kilometers from the village. The surroundings are good for hiding. As long as we send out sentries, at this distance, we'll have enough time to respond to any situation."

"There's some truth to that. If we're discovered, we can always run away then. Staying gives us a chance to strike. I think it's feasible. Captain, what do you think?" The Gardener agreed, looking worriedly at the Scholar, concerned that the Scholar might disapprove, potentially destabilizing the team internally.

"Don't look at me like that. Do you think I'm that petty?" The Scholar glared at the Gardener, who sheepishly smiled without explaining, though he felt relieved. After surveying the team, the Scholar said, "We all come from different military regions and weren't acquainted with each other before. It was because of the competition that we came together. It's normal to have doubts, but as long as they don't affect the mission, it's okay. Over the last few days, our team has become more united, and we understand each other better. This is a good thing. Brother Luo Zheng did well in expressing his doubts and concerns, making the current situation clearer to everyone. After all, we are all here for the mission."

"Indeed, the more I think about it, Brother Luo Zheng's suggestion does make some sense. Earlier, the situation was critical and we were only focused on survival, not calm enough. Right, Brother Luo Zheng, you were able to remain calm under such circumstances and have excellent gun skills. Are you a sniper?" Monk joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Luo Zheng gave an ambiguous smile and looked back, saying, "The enemy hasn't pursued us; there's definitely a problem here. If we don't clear up the situation, even if we hide, we won't last long here since this is, after all, the East Yi Movement's territory. Rather than hiding, it's better to be proactive. It's a rare opportunity, after all."

"A rare opportunity?" The Scholar was puzzled but quickly caught on, laughing as he said, "That makes sense. The enemy won't expect us to strike back. With over a hundred enemies, we are not without our chances. Additionally, we've penetrated a village that has likely been encircled in advance. The enemy may have noticed us already. Even if we hide, we can't hide for long unless we sneak back to our country, which is tantamount to giving up the competition. Personally, I agree with Brother Luo Zheng's suggestion. What about you? This concerns everyone's life and death. Let's hear your thoughts."

"Agreed." The Gardener was the first to raise his hand, followed by the Farmer and Monk.

"Thank you all. Since staying was my idea, I'll do the reconnaissance. Who will gather herbs to help treat our brother Farmer?" Luo Zheng said gratefully. As for treating injuries with herbs, Special Forces are trained similarly and know which to use, so there was no need to worry.

"I'll take care of the herbs," declared the Gardener decisively.

"I'm the team leader, I'll do the reconnaissance. Luo Zheng, stay back in charge of the lookout. Monk, you stay to take care of brother Farmer," the Scholar said. Once a decision was made, the Scholar would implement it without hesitation, leaving no room for doubt, showing his adeptness at both offense and defense.

"You're the team leader, you need to stay and command. I'll go," Luo Zheng said decisively, turning and striding away.

"Uh?" The Scholar didn't expect Luo Zheng to be so firm and couldn't say much more. He looked at the Gardener, who nodded understandingly and quickly went to look for herbs. The Scholar glanced at the injured Farmer, exchanged looks with Monk, and turned to set up a nearby watch, only to hear Farmer say, "Captain, Luo Zheng might have more tricks up his sleeve, but no matter how skilled he is, it's not safe. I'm only slightly injured and don't need much care. Should someone go to support?"

"I'll go. Among us, I probably have the strongest close combat abilities. Since it's about infiltration, I can make use of my strengths," Monk said resolutely to the Scholar.

The Scholar thought for a moment, then nodded, "Be careful, and also, brother Farmer, find a well-concealed spot to hide. I'll go halfway to meet them. Take care yourself."

"Alright, go ahead," Farmer agreed, checking his weapon and nodding at Monk. He walked to a depression and jumped down to lie in ambush. With bushes on either side, it was not easy to spot unless one was very close, showing his remarkable perception.

┅┅.

Unaware of the Scholar's follow-up arrangements, Luo Zheng cautiously approached the village. Hiding behind a bush, he quickly identified a viable infiltration route. This route was virtually a blind spot of the village's tallest building; as long as he was fast and careful, he wouldn't be noticed. After confirming no danger in the vicinity, Luo Zheng proceeded along the predetermined route with bent knees, moving like a sprinting wild wolf.

Soon, Luo Zheng reached a big tree about a hundred meters from the village and concealed himself well. The surrounding low bushes, with the village spread in a north-south direction, meant his position on the western side, or the side, was optimal. There were no windows on the west side, and even if someone hid inside to watch, they would not easily draw attention.

Before confirming safety, Luo Zheng stayed still. His experience from hunting since childhood taught him that patience and calm were crucial for survival. After observing for about three minutes without spotting anything suspicious, Luo Zheng planned his infiltration route again — through a patch of relatively dense bushes, across a ditch, to a pile of rubbish. Luo Zheng crouched low, sprinted across to the bushes, closely inspected the area to ensure it was safe, then dashed across again, tumbling down into the slightly sunken ditch.

The ditch wasn't large or very deep; one person lying down would fill it. Luo Zheng lay quietly in the ditch, relaxing every cell and sensing the air, smelling nothing dangerous. He quietly rolled, almost sliding along the ground, then swiftly made it to the trash pile.

The trash pile was where villagers disposed of household waste, emanating a foul smell under the sun, attracting countless buzzing flies. Luo Zheng stayed motionless, vigilantly watching all around, making sure to leave no stone unturned. Once certain of safety, he lunged decisively and crashed into the riverside bushes. Slowly peeking out and observing for a while, seeing no movement, Luo Zheng still didn't move, continuing to wait.