Although the last explosion had been in the tunnel, the surrounding rock was sturdy enough to not collapse. Kestin’s plan to kill Xia Lei obviously should not also cut off his only exit.
The tunnel was currently filled with rock chips formed from the high-temperature explosion. He walked barefooted as the stone chips cut his soles but he felt nothing.
Who was Kestin?
What was Zhu Xuanyue doing?
Why did Zhu Xuanyue let him go after realising he ate the last AE capsule?
All three questions bugged him immensely.
If Zhu Xuanyue was really contacting members of her own species on the other ‘corn kernel’, and if she succeeded, that spelt huge trouble for this world. Yet he could do nothing to stop her. The reality was that even if he had a B2 Bomber, he still would not be able to destroy the pyramid that was hundreds of metres deep underground with a nuclear bomb. Definitely not kill Kestin or Zhu Xuanyue either. With these on his mind, how could he still have the mood for celebration for his escape?
Walking out of Cave 13, he leapt onto a forklift and drove towards Alliance Mines. After entering through the back entrance, he stopped the vehicle and put on clothes taken from a dead soldier. Then, he walked towards the warehouse, intending to contact the Chinese Zodiac Battle Team and Giovanna but realised his satellite phone was already sinking to the bottom of the eerie pool along with the rest of his clothes.
Without the satellite phone, he had no way to contact them or receive updates of the fight. He was most worried about Shentu Tianyin. She could not even use a gun properly, how could she survive a fight against their odds?
Just as he was starting to worry about Shentu Tianyin, the communication device from the dead body crackled to life, “The people on the mountain have retreated towards the tracks. Surround and kill them!”
Other replies came and it became chaotic.
Xia Lei was slightly relieved to hear this. The enemies on the mountain were obviously the Chinese Zodiac Battle Team and if they were retreating towards the tracks, it meant they were going to meet Giovanna and the rest. Perhaps the battle was not in their favour but it was not too bad yet.
Xia Lei ran towards the warehouse, appearing in front of the Chinese workers once again and declared in a straightforward manner, “The Boko Haram armed members and American Special Forces soldiers have headed towards the tracks. The public roads aren’t guarded anymore. Run now, drive away all the vehicles that are still functioning.”
Wu Keyong replied, “Aren’t you coming with us?”
“No, I won’t,” said Xia Lei. “I need to help my people.”
One of the hostages said, “How would that work? Who will protect us if you leave?”
Xia Lei’s tone was cold. “No one here owes you anything, do not expect us to help you all the way. I can only do so much so the rest is still up to you.”
When he finished, he strode off, accelerating after he left the warehouse and broke into a full sprint towards the factory gates.
There were four Special Forces guards at the gates but they were killed in two seconds.
He stepped over their bodies and disappeared into the darkness of the forest…
On the tracks, a few Boko Haram armed members were charging towards the Relief Society’s frontlines. The forest was not a terrain suited for battle because every tree was a natural shield. The Boko Haram armed members hid behind trees so even when the Relief Society soldiers had the Gust and XL2500 rifles, which were the best weapons, all their bullets were wasted on tree trunks.
The remaining Special Forces soldiers attacked the Relief Society from the flank but were met by the Chinese Zodiac BAttle Team members. With six against tens of armed, healthy and experienced elite soldiers, even the battle team members were struggling.
The tables would turn in about half an hour if this situation continued, towards the worst-case scenario-- the Chinese Zodiac Battle Team members killed after their bullets run out, the Relief Society members losing the battle and scattering while some captured and killed by the Boko Haram members.
Bang bang bang…
E’er Demutu fired from behind a tree with his rifle but at the same time, a few bullets hit the tree he hid behind. He could no longer peek from behind as wooden chips flew around his head.
“Why isn’t Boss back yet?” He looked panicked.
“He’s probably fighting more enemies than us in the factory area.” Qian Jun’s head peeked out from behind a boulder, aimed, then killed a Special Forces soldier with a headshot.
Among the grass, Anjum Khan was also firing his XL2500 assault rifle. A hidden sniper on the slope collapsed a hundred metres away.
“GET DOWN!” yelled Yelena suddenly.
Everyone fell to the ground.
Boom!
A grenade exploded in the forest, shrapnel flying in all directions.
“Fuck!” cursed Sa’im. “A shrapnel got in my butt!”
During the quiet period after the grenade, the soldiers took the opportunity to press ten metres forward.
On the other side.
Bang bang bang…
Giovanna stood behind a tree by the tracks as she fired her gun, killing two Boko Haram members on the tracks. However, more people rushed unto the tracks from the forest.
Whoosh!
Giovanna felt the heat of a bullet whizzing past her cheek.
Pfft! The bullet hid the chest of a Relief Society soldier. He collapsed to the ground.
There were already tens of bodies on the ground.
These people had sacrificed their lives to follow her into battle. She didn't even know their names.
“KILL!” roared Giovanna, firing her gun like a maniac. All the armed members charging at them crouched immediately so none of her bullets hit a target.
Click-click-click---
She had run out of bullets. Her heart sank, quickly losing confidence in the battle.
“When is Master coming back?” Theresa, whose face was bloody, tossed a clip at Giovanna. “We’re going to die if this goes on any longer!”
“Where’s that woman?” asked Giovanna.
“You mean Shentu?” said Theresa with a grin. “Probably shivering behind there. Don’t worry, Rosa and Stella are looking after her. She’ll be fine.”
Giovanna hesitated for a moment. “Tell them to take her away if they can’t handle it. Master said to take good care of her no matter what!”
Boom!
A rocket bomb flew past her.
Boom!
A few Relief Society soldiers were struck by the impact, their limbs violently torn off.
“GO! KILL THEM ALL!” roared the commander.
The armed members all roared as they charged forward, firing a shower of bullets at the frontlines of the Relief Society.
The Relief Society soldiers did not dare peek out of their hiding spots but could not fire blindly either because ammunition was running low.
It was a critical situation. Unable to bear her anxieties anymore, she fished out her satellite phone and dialled Rosa’s number amidst the rain of bullets. “Rosa, we can’t hold them off much longer. You and Stella better take that woman away now!”
“No way, how could we run off while leaving you all here?” said Rosa. “Just wait, I’m coming to help!”
“You…” Giovanna wanted to stop her but Rosa had already hung up.
The battle was currently going extremely badly and progressing too quickly.
Right at the last desperate moment, bullets came flying from the direction of Alliance Mining. Every bullet ended one person’s life, every shot was a headshot!
In three seconds, thirty people were killed. The faster ones had a chance to turn their heads but the rest died without knowing what happened. However, none were able to escape this surprise attack.
The pressure on the Relief Society was lifted instantly.
Giovanna paused for two seconds before yelling emotionally, “It’s Master! It’s him, it must be him!”
“These people are all so dead!” Stella was excited too, even her hands shook as she fired her gun.
The person who fired the shots was, of course, Xia Lei. He was the only one in this world with this ability to kill thirty people in three seconds!
Xia Lei’s brilliant marksmanship was related to his evolved brain operating in super mode to calculate the data required to fire the gun accurately, i.e. how high to aim his gun, when to pull the trigger etc. These data were all as accurate as data in computer software, while his body obeyed these instructions accurately to produce such results.
Some of the Boko Haram members turned to look for the enemy but they did not see anyone. It was as if a ghost had fired at them and then disappeared soundlessly.
Just as some of the members were prepared to leave, the light went out of their eyes. Then, they lifted the guns in their hands and fired at their partners.
The armed members all quickly collapsed in pools of blood. Other members quickly noticed and killed the members who behaved peculiarly.
More than ten bodies lay on the tracks.
On a tree, Xia Lei looked at the bodies without expression. He leapt onto another tree.
About twenty seconds later, the same thing happened. Even more armed members fired at their partners. In the blink of an eye, their formation broke down as they all fired at each other. Some Boko Haram members even fired at the American soldiers. Then the American soldiers also fired back…
It was chaos.
Meanwhile, at the frontlines of the Relief Society.
Giovanna was stunned, watching the chaotic battlefield for a long time before blurting, “What just happened?”
“Is it rabies?” Stella shrugged.
Giovanna did not believe that it was rabies but it was clear the battle was going to end very soon. “It’s a miracle.”
Then again, Xia Lei was already a miracle to her.