Strongest Soldier King

As the sky gradually dimmed, after feasting on the wild chicken prepared by Luo Zheng, Lan Xue contentedly rested against a large tree and handed over the surveillance task to Luo Zheng. Luo Zheng naturally did not mind, as taking care of his lover was a man's responsibility and duty. A dark cloud covered the moonlight, the profound night sky twinkled with cold stars, the enchanting starlight was both yearned for and revered, and the valley's wolf's den remained as calm as ever.

"Something doesn't seem right?" Lan Xue, having rested enough, stood up and peered through the sniper scope at the valley's wolf's den, her expression grew somber. Her cold gaze, as profound as the stars in the night sky, tightly locked onto the location of the wolf's den. The den was pitch black, not a single light to be seen, and no one coming out, exuding an eerie atmosphere everywhere.

"Has anyone else discovered anything?" Lan Xue inquired softly through her headset.

Everyone sent back messages reporting no anomalies. Luo Zheng also felt a trace of unease and kept his eyes fixed on the valley, constantly searching through his sniper scope for any abnormality. Unfortunately, it was pitch-black, and he couldn't see anything. The luminous sight on the sniper rifle could only see up to two hundred meters, beyond which it became blurry. From Luo Zheng's position, the Dragon's Nest in the valley was six to seven hundred meters away, and in the dark night, he could only vaguely make out its silhouette.

"Why don't they have any abnormal reaction? Didn't your biochemical attack work? Is it because the water loses its effect after being boiled?" Lan Xue asked in a low voice. The people in the valley came out to get water during the day, and there should have been some reaction, the strange circumstance made Lan Xue more alert.

"No, I'm certain of it, but perhaps the time was too short for it to take full effect. Let's wait and see tomorrow," Luo Zheng said somewhat helplessly, looking up at the sky, and sniffing the moist air, he felt the cool breeze and his face changed as he continued, "It looks like it's going to rain."

"Indeed, if this continues, it will take a toll on everyone's health," Lan Xue said with a serious expression, glancing up at the sky and frowning, "How about this, let's gather everyone together. It's safer that way. The enemy doesn't know we've joined forces, and in the pitch-dark, it's impossible to slip away through the forests on all three sides. The minefield works against us but also constrains them. What do you think?"

"I think that's a good idea," Luo Zheng agreed after a moment's consideration.

Lan Xue transmitted the orders through the military-grade headset and then spoke quietly after looking around, "The terrain here is steep and the view relatively open, allowing us to clearly see the valley's exit. Let's set up camp here tonight and build a rain shelter, as it looks like it's going to rain. We need to be prepared."

"Let me do it. Such heavy work is more suitable for a man. You keep watch," Luo Zheng offered, and without waiting for Lan Xue's response, he pulled out his military knife, looked around, and chose a place where the trees were dense. He began chopping off branches.

It wasn't long before others also arrived, and everyone began to work together. Using trees as posts, they laid branches horizontally and tied them to the trees. They then placed smaller branches on top, covering them with a layer of broad leaves that served as a water barrier. They put a layer of bush branches on top and then weighted them down with a few thicker branches to prevent the structure from being blown away by the wind.

In about an hour, a fairly sturdy rain shelter was constructed. They lit three bonfires and arranged the leftover branches next to them for drying, to be used later that night. The slope was steep, the forest dense, and the men from the Wolf King's Den could not possibly see them, so there was no worry of being discovered.

Around ten in the evening, while everyone was resting, a clap of thunder echoed across the sky, and soon after, a downpour began. The rain in the tropical rainforest could come and go abruptly; everyone was already accustomed to it. Aside from the necessary sentries, everyone else took shelter under the rain shelter. The rain, having passed through the dense canopy, fell on the shelter and slid off the broad leaves onto the ground around without seeping through, bringing a collective sigh of relief.

"Awooo—!" Suddenly, a mournful wolf howl pierced through the black night, even drowning out the sound of the rain. It spread throughout the surrounding valleys and into the deeper woods, causing hearts to palpitate in the pitch-black rainy night, as if the somber Death God was issuing some kind of summons.

All eyes met in surprise as Luo Zheng quickly asked through his military headset, "Liu Xun, was that sound from the Wolf Nest? Is there any abnormality?" Liu Xun, watching from the mountain peak, was responsible for monitoring the Wolf Nest.

"Yes, but nothing unusual was detected," Liu Xun promptly replied. His voice transmitted to everyone else through the military headset. With looks of alarm, everyone exchanged glances and stood up, their faces grave as they looked towards Lan Xue and Luo Zheng.

Luo Zheng felt that something was eerie and whispered, "It couldn't be the Wolf King, could it?"

"Are you suggesting that the Wolf King is calling the White Wolf King to bring the Wild Wolf pack for help?" Lan Xue's expression darkened as she pressed for an answer. Seeing Luo Zheng nod, her frown deepened. After a moment, she said, "What do you think the Wolf King is planning?"

"I estimate it's the effect of the water contamination kick-starting. The Wolf King, furious and embarrassed, is getting the Wild Wolf pack to help out. This torrential night is very suitable for a Wild Wolf attack," Luo Zheng analyzed gravely. Everyone listened and nodded in agreement. Luo Zheng continued, "It looks like we must prepare early to be safe."

"You're right," agreed Lan Xue. "Mountain Eagle, tough it out for a bit, five hundred meters alert. Signal immediately if you spot the Wild Wolf pack and then evacuate. Direct line from here—Snow Leopard, Ghost Hand, and the rest of you, take out all the grenades and lay them along both sides of the line. Don't cluster them too densely; spread them out."

"Understood," everyone responded. Members of the Ghost Team could tell from the way Lan Xue and Luo Zheng related to each other and seeing Luo Zheng not objecting, they naturally didn't mind following Lan Xue's orders, promptly springing into action.

At that moment, another wolf howl resounded, tearing through the rain-soaked night like an anxious summons. Luo Zheng's expression changed drastically. He glanced at Lan Xue, who was also frowning in thought, her face icy, emitting an unwavering resolve to fight within the chill of the night. With a serious expression, Luo Zheng said, "It seems it really is the Wolf King summoning. We're in for trouble tonight."

"No worries, worst comes to worst, we fight," Lan Xue said coldly, her gaze growing even firmer and more powerful.

Luo Zheng laughed and said, "That's also true. We're not scared of humans, so Wild Wolves are nothing to fear. It's just whether we have enough ammunition or not. Should we take stock and redistribute? I'm almost out."

"Good idea. However, I suggest we get up in the trees to take cover and hold out until morning. It's pitch-black and hard to aim. The grenades we laid out should have some deterrent effect. Once it's light and visibility improves, we won't waste our bullets," Lan Xue proposed seriously.

"Alright, this time the Wild Wolves probably won't be few in number. In this pitch-black rainy night, the enemy won't dare to come out either, so taking cover wouldn't hurt," Luo Zheng casually agreed, feeling a sense of unease welling up inside him. Upon closer reflection, he couldn't put his finger on what exactly was amiss. His expression hardened as he glanced towards the direction of the valley, pulled back the rifle bolt, and his gaze solidified with a fierce, cold intent to kill.