chsdbacks Chapter 270 Infiltration.
Chapter 270 Infiltration.
Soewen felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He dared not linger any longer. Ignoring his wounds and the deaths of his comrades, he scrambled to his feet and called to the few men who could still move. They helped each other up like stray dogs, fleeing in a sorry state towards the depths of the mountains on the other side of the pass without looking back. He didn't even have the courage to glance back.
In the blink of an eye, the ambush scene that was just moments ago filled with murderous intent was now just a mess of spent shell casings, a wrecked car, a few corpses, and... a calm and collected Wang Ye, and a solemn-looking Nie Lingfeng and Chen Duo.
"Done, call it a day." Wang Ye clapped his hands, as if he had only done a trivial task. He looked at Nie Lingfeng, yawned, and said, "I've got the details, and it basically matches the previous intelligence. That 'Blood Buddha' is indeed in the mine, and recently, 'important figures' and 'important goods' have arrived, so security is tight. Should we go straight there now, or rest for a bit and plan our next move?"
Nie Lingfeng didn't answer immediately. He walked over to the corpses and examined them carefully. Aside from standard weapons and a small amount of supplies, these people didn't have much to identify them, but their equipment was excellent, and they were well-trained—clearly not ordinary bandits or brigands, but a regular armed force. Soe Win's testimony should be relatively credible.
"Charging straight in would make us too conspicuous and risk getting surrounded," Nie Lingfeng pondered. "Furthermore, we don't know the specific defenses inside the mine, the strength of the 'Blood Buddha,' or any potential 'Council' experts or other unusual arrangements. A direct assault is not the best strategy."
"So what do you mean?" Wang Ye raised an eyebrow.
"Since they think we'll be ambushed and killed, or at least intercepted and scared away," a sharp glint flashed in Nie Lingfeng's eyes, "then we'll play along. We'll pretend to be repelled, or... go around them. We'll infiltrate the mine from an unexpected direction, find out the situation inside, locate the 'Blood Buddha' and those 'goods,' and then decide on our next move."
"Infiltrate?" Wang Ye stroked his chin, seemingly finding the idea intriguing. "It sounds a little...less troublesome than a direct confrontation. However, in this desolate wilderness, finding a route to bypass the outer checkpoints and patrols won't be easy. Besides, with Xiao Chenduo in tow..."
"I can!" Chen Duo suddenly spoke up, her emerald green eyes looking at Nie Lingfeng and Wang Ye, her small face showing a hint of seriousness and urgency. "I can help! My 'fire'... is very obedient now. It can burn away the 'stinky things' blocking the way, and it can also... prevent anyone from finding out!" She seemed eager to prove that she wasn't a burden and wanted to contribute to the upcoming operation. (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧
Looking into Chen Duo's determined eyes, Nie Lingfeng felt a warmth in his heart and nodded, "Yes, Duoduo is very capable now and is an important helper to us." He looked at Wang Ye, "As for the route and infiltration... isn't that what we have, Master Wang? Qimen Dunjia, seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune, observing mountains and auras, finding a relatively safe and secluded path shouldn't be difficult for you, right?"
Upon hearing this, Wang Ye rolled his eyes, giving him a "I knew you were going to push this trouble onto me" look, but he didn't object. He walked to a slightly higher spot, put his hands behind his back, squinted, and quietly "watched" for a while in the general direction of the Hpakant mine. Sunlight filtered through the mountain mist, casting dappled shadows on him. His lazy aura seemed to have subsided somewhat, and a subtle, indescribable sense of mystery, as if he were blending with the spirit of heaven and earth, flowed around him.
After a moment, he looked away and lazily pointed in a direction that diverged from the main road, leading to a denser and more rugged deep forest.
"Over there, the mountains are winding, and the earth's energy is slightly obstructed, making it a blind spot for regular patrols and checkpoints. Following the ridge, although it's a bit difficult, should allow us to reach the side and rear of the mine. However…" He paused, looking at Nie Lingfeng and Chen Duo, "The forest is very dense, and there might be poisonous insects and wild beasts, as well as some… not-so-clean 'earth' energy residue, somewhat similar to the smell of those things from last night. Are you two alright?"
"No problem," Nie Lingfeng replied succinctly. Chen Duo nodded vigorously as well.
"Alright, let's go then. This broken car is completely ruined. From now on, we'll have to rely on our own two feet." Wang Ye stretched and took the lead in walking in the direction he pointed. His steps seemed casual, but they were unusually light and steady.
Nie Lingfeng pulled Chen Duo up and followed closely behind. The three of them left the ambush site filled with the smoke of gunpowder and the aura of death, and once again stepped into the seemingly endless, treacherous green ocean of the northern Myanmar mountains.
As the sun gradually set in the west, it cast long shadows of the three people on the mountain path.
The dense forest ahead became even more secluded, and the mountains even more precipitous.
But their goal has never been so clear—the Hpakant mines, the "Blood Buddha," and the secrets of the "Council" hidden within them.
Infiltrate, scout, and then... kill with one blow.
Meanwhile, several kilometers away, deep within the heavily guarded and heavily fortified abandoned mines of Hpakant, in a dark and cold underground hall reinforced with thick rock and steel.
A tall, middle-aged monk, draped in a scarlet robe, with skull prayer beads around his neck, and a fierce, hellish face, yet bearing an eerie, compassionate smile, sat cross-legged on a lotus platform carved from black jade. He was none other than the infamous warlord, "Blood Buddha" U Thein Sein, who struck fear into the hearts of all of northern Kachin State.
Before him stood several figures, their auras chilling, dressed in black, and clearly not locals. One of them was reporting in a low voice, speaking in a strange, synthesized English accent:
"...The seventh batch of 'Holy Blood Samples' has been safely delivered, and the energy resonance of the 'Key' fragments is stable...News has just come from the outside that Sowin's team encountered a powerful enemy and was almost completely wiped out. The enemy is suspected to be the target, and their strength...far exceeds expectations. They are currently flanking the mine..."
"Blood Buddha" Wu Dengsheng slowly opened his eyes. What kind of eyes were those! One eyeball was a turbid dark gold, like molten gold; the other eyeball was pure, pitch black without a trace of white, as deep as a bottomless abyss! Both eyes turned at the same time, landing on the reporter, bringing a terrifying pressure that froze one's soul.
"Understood." The Blood Buddha's voice was hoarse and deep, with a metallic, abrasive quality. The eerie, merciful smile on his lips seemed to widen slightly. "The prey... has finally walked into the hunting grounds on its own. Pass down the order: keep the inside tight but the outside loose. Let them in... then, close the door."
"I will use their blood, their souls, to... water the altar of my Buddha, and welcome the... descent of the Lord."
The temperature in the underground hall seemed to drop suddenly. The men in black trembled slightly and replied in unison, "Yes!"
The crimson candlelight flickered eerily before the bizarre, twisted statue behind the "Blood Buddha," casting a massive shadow on the cold rock wall, like a monstrous demon baring its fangs and claws, ready to devour its prey.
The shadow of the mine has already spread.
The game between hunter and prey is about to enter its most brutal and bloody chapter...
The "path" Wang Ye referred to was less a path and more a patchwork of thorns and vines, worn and broken by wild animals. The three left their ambush point on the main road and plunged deeper into the denser, more pristine forests of northern Myanmar. This was no longer a planted rubber plantation, but a genuine, undeveloped subtropical primary secondary forest. Towering ancient trees blocked out the sun, thick vines hung and coiled like giant pythons, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves, exuding a strong humus smell. It was soft and yielding underfoot, sinking up to the ankles, each step carrying the pungent scent of earth and fungal spores. The air was humid and hot, like a sauna, a mixture of strange floral and grassy fragrances, and a faint, unpleasant odor belonging to wild animals. Various colorful and strangely shaped insects fluttered through the forest, emitting a irritating buzzing.
Traversing this dense forest, where there was almost no place to set foot, was several times more difficult than walking on bumpy dirt roads. Wang Ye walked at the front, still appearing lazy, his steps seemingly casual, yet always managing to find relatively solid footholds, avoiding tree roots hidden under fallen leaves, rocks, and potential traps (such as hunter's snares or naturally formed pits). He would stop every now and then, squinting as if sensing something, then slightly adjusting his direction. Nie Lingfeng knew that he was using the "seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune" method from Qimen Dunjia, combined with his sense of the earth's energy and the mountain's terrain, to choose a relatively "safe" and "smooth" path. This ability, when marching in the wild, was like having a navigation system with added danger warnings—invaluable.
Nie Lingfeng protected Chen Duo as they walked in the middle. Although Chen Duo had recovered her strength quite well, she was still petite, and walking through the complex and difficult dense forest was quite strenuous. Nie Lingfeng had to frequently help her, or even lift her up with his own strength, to help her cross some particularly difficult ditches and gullies. Chen Duo tried her best to keep up, her small face covered with fine beads of sweat, but her bright green eyes remained clear as she curiously surveyed the completely unfamiliar and wild environment around her. Occasionally, she would catch a glimpse of a large, unusually brightly colored butterfly or a strangely shaped giant fungus, and she would take a second look, but would quickly return her attention to the "path" beneath her feet.
"Brother Wang Ye," Chen Duo finally couldn't help but whisper to Wang Ye, who was walking ahead, after walking for about an hour, "How much longer do we have to walk? It seems like there's no road here."
"A road is formed when many people walk on it," Wang Ye replied lazily without turning his head. "Aren't we 'opening' a road right now? As for how long... we'll see. If all goes well, we can get around to the back of the mine before dark. If not... we might have to spend the night in the woods, keeping company with mosquitoes, leeches, and all sorts of 'little cuties.'" He deliberately used a sinister tone when saying the word "little cuties."