Strongest Soldier King

An hour later, behind the mountains of the Bloodsucker's stronghold.

Luo Zheng led the team around, hiding in a dense forest. Everyone was alertly watching ahead, guns held level, kneeling on the ground. Their cold eyes emanated a heavy aura of killing intent, each remaining silent, like fierce beasts waiting to pounce. A faint murderous air hung over the treetops.

Soon, a person dashed through the woods ahead, holding a gun, with a grim expression, running like a cheetah. He quickly approached Luo Zheng, stopped with a sliding kick, and crouched low, saying in a deep voice, "A patrol was spotted ahead. It should be the destination. No sign of a dark fortress or machine gun positions yet." It was Mountain Eagle.

"The machine gun positions and the dark fortress are likely behind. How many people in the patrol area ahead?" Luo Zheng asked softly, puzzled.

"Ten-person teams, not thirty. They might have split into three, each covering different areas since the range here is too large, making it difficult to search when together. However, the other two teams haven't been seen. Should we increase the intensity and scope of the search?" Mountain Eagle spoke in a low voice, with a worried look on his stern face.

"What are you worried about?" Luo Zheng, sensing a change in Mountain Eagle, couldn't help but ask.

"Not worried, just considering a possibility. If we take out these two squads of about sixty people, handling the remaining hundred might be easier. But gunfire here will surely bring Bloodsucker reinforcements, making the fight tough." Mountain Eagle candidly shared his thoughts.

"We can't rush in. First, we need to locate their heavy machine gun positions and dark fortresses. It will make future assaults easier. Let's go, I'll go with you." Luo Zheng said in a low voice, casting a sharp glance at the dense forest ahead, then signaled for Lan Xue, who was watching cautiously not far behind, to come over. He lowered his voice and continued, "Organize personnel for support; I'm going over to check."

"Be careful." Lan Xue agreed.

Luo Zheng acknowledged, then quickly moved forward with Mountain Eagle, hunched over, holding his gun. They moved through the woods like sprinting cheetahs, covering over two hundred meters quickly. Mountain Eagle made a gesture, and the two of them quickly took cover behind different trees, leaning against them, Luo Zheng looking towards Mountain Eagle.

Mountain Eagle nodded, mimicking an owl's call. Soon, responses came from the forest ahead. Mountain Eagle signaled to advance, leading the way, with Luo Zheng following closely. Before long, two figures emerged from the forest ahead, stern expressions, guns pointed down, bodies lowered. They were Zhou Gang and Wu Yuan.

After assembling, everyone dispersed slightly, back to back, each guarding a direction, guns aimed ahead for a careful search. Mountain Eagle asked in a low voice, "Any new discoveries?"

"The patrol passed ten minutes ago, could come back at any time. No new discoveries." Zhou Gang replied in a low voice.

"The patrol route is about a hundred meters ahead. Should we pass through? Crossing might lead us to the dark fortress." Mountain Eagle whispered.

"Go through, two-man teams, avoid the patrol, find the machine gun positions and dark fortresses, strike if possible, then run. Our people will support from behind, no need to worry about exposure, create panic among Bloodsucker, disperse their forces. This terrain is wide, the stronger we hit, the more forces they'll deploy later. We might have a chance to attack from the front. Wu Yuan, you follow me, move out." Luo Zheng said in a low voice.

"Yes." Everyone responded quietly, turning away solemnly.

Luo Zheng took the lead, gesturing for Wu Yuan to cover from behind. Wu Yuan understood, falling back a bit. Advancing about two hundred meters, the route became slightly steeper. No wonder the patrol had their route here. Behind the route was a slope, likely with built dark fortresses. Ahead was a flatter forest, offering more open views.

They crossed the patrol line, progressing to a slope. The trees weren't as tall, with more shrubs on the ground. Luo Zheng advanced cautiously, crouching behind a shrub, listening intently, then scanning the surroundings. Seeing no one, he launched himself forward like an arrow from a bowstring, swiftly hiding behind a large tree.

Wu Yuan followed closely, hiding about fifty meters behind Luo Zheng in a shrub, calmly watching. Seeing Luo Zheng's safety signal, he continued to advance thirty meters, preparing to provide covering fire. Luo Zheng nodded and dashed forward again.

After advancing about fifty meters under cover, Luo Zheng suddenly noticed an abnormal mound of earth twenty meters ahead, quickly taking cover, observing carefully. Normally, a mound shouldn't form at that spot; immediately grasping something, he signaled to Wu Yuan and quietly circled to the side.

Soon, Luo Zheng discovered a cave there, with a tree at the entrance, a natural shield. Under the tree was a shrub, which looked artificial. Moss grew over the surrounding soil, making the sudden presence of the shrub suspicious.

Seeing this, Luo Zheng sneered, signaling Wu Yuan to follow. Once Wu Yuan caught up, Luo Zheng pointed to the cave entrance, made an attacking gesture, then signaled to himself, indicating Wu Yuan should provide cover. Wu Yuan nodded, as Luo Zheng quietly circled sideways, stealthy as a ghost in the woods.

Getting closer, Luo Zheng lay prone, crawling forward like a python, gun aimed forward, the black metal resembling a snake's flickering tongue, carrying a chilling aura of death. During the crawl, Luo Zheng noticed something off in another direction, curiously turning his head to see someone at a higher elevation. Startled, Luo Zheng quickly flattened himself against the ground, motionless.

The digital camouflage suit provided excellent concealment in this forest, hardly noticeable unless one looked carefully. Who would expect people lurking near a dark fortress? Luo Zheng observed as two people emerged from underground in a shift change, while another two crawled in. The ones emerging dusted off and headed toward the mountaintop.

"Whew!" Luo Zheng exhaled, signaling to the equally tense Wu Yuan to come over. He himself crawled towards the discovered dark fortress, Wu Yuan nodding in understanding, deftly creeping up from the side, making no sound.

Minutes later, both reached around ten meters from the dark fortress and concealed themselves. Luo Zheng took out a grenade, looked at Wu Yuan, and held up three fingers. Wu Yuan nodded in understanding. Luo Zheng began to retract his fingers one by one, eyes coldly watching the fortress entry. Upon counting to three, his body suddenly launched forward.