Beginning with the Ubume Bird-Chapter 334 - 60 Interlude Misty
Chapter 334: Chapter 60 Interlude: Misty
Chapter 334: Chapter 60 Interlude: Misty
Qiao Xing had not returned all night.
High-speed machine gun barrels angrily pointed at the sky, with shell casings that had a fiery texture raining down from the mountain top.
The reckless natives, fearlessly shouting, stepped on the gas, and scrapped cars drenched in highly flammable gasoline charged down the mountain like enraged bulls. They ultimately exploded into fiery orange balls amidst the enemy’s barrage of bullets.
A few dilapidated armored vehicles were particularly eye-catching. They were covered in black images of the Buddha and decorated with auspicious clouds, colorful banners, and flower petals. The paint was old and flaking, making them look rather unremarkable. Yet, the firepower of these armored vehicles was anything but ordinary, inflicting grievous losses on the enemy’s formations.
This was an armed mob of complex composition, including disciples of the Medicine Buddha, vagrant rioters whose lives hung by a thread, and some forces from exiled armed companies.
The commander of the armed mob was a bald man with a face full of black tattoos, wearing a yellow military uniform, yet with prayer scars on his forehead, and an ‘X’-shaped ugly scar that crawled across his face, giving him a demonic and fierce appearance.
“Charge down the valley, or we’re all going to die.”
He bellowed fiercely, and suddenly, one of the painted armored vehicles turned its cannon, aiming at the protruding red hill to the west. But before it could fire, a deep red flame burst from the ground, engulfing the painted vehicle, scattering shattered pieces of the vehicle in all directions like a tangible sound wave.
Only when the flames had slightly dispersed did everyone realize there was a fist-sized hole piercing right through the middle of the vehicle. The sticky fuel had sprayed everywhere, and from inside the sealed vehicle hull, there came a stench of charred flesh that made onlookers want to vomit.
The commander grabbed the communicator: “Kill that sniper on the western hill!”
A black barrel protruded from behind some rocks, with a wisp of blue smoke still lingering.
Pop
As the bald man roared into the communicator, a brass-cased bullet was fired again, piercing through sandstone and iron netting, carrying an unstoppable kinetic energy as it hit the two-foot-wide lookout port.
“Kill him—”
Blood mist sprayed onto a receiver full of bullet holes. The bald commander flipped over, his shattered jawbone mixed with blood splattering the ground, and his head hanging by merely a film of skin on his neck, proving that no matter how strong a genetically-enhanced soldier’s healing abilities were, there were none who could not die.
At the other end of the hill, the sniper shook his rough firearm, producing a crisp ‘click’ sound, and without a second word, he leapt down with extraordinary force, crushing the peanut shells under his feet into dust.
Behind him, a violent explosion blasted the top of the mountain into the sky, the burst of flames illuminating an old face wrapped in a bandage.
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…
The fierce battle came to an end, and the surviving soldiers moved back and forth searching for usable spoils of war. Several army-green pickup trucks traversed the rugged terrain and stopped in front of the ruins. Soldiers from Black Star vehicles jumped down, their eyes swiftly scanning the surroundings.
“Fifteen thousand dollars. The extra is what you deserve.”
The quartermaster added a note and raised his thumb to the old man, Song Zuo, in front of him: “You are the most outstanding sniper I’ve ever seen, even among us in Black Star.”
This was a sweep by Black Star vehicles against the exiled armed forces in Zone B, and to minimize casualties, Black Star had also enlisted a large number of Wilderness Hunters, including Song Zuo.
Song glanced at the stack of bills handed to him, rummaged through his pack for a moment, and pulled out a brand new black card to hand to the quartermaster.
“Convert it into the licensed account’s balance.”
The quartermaster looked at the photo on the card, confirmed it was the person in front of him, and nodded agreeably.
“Excuse me, are you Mister Song Zuo?”
A voice came from behind Song Zuo; the newcomer was dressed in a black military uniform and had a cold expression.
Song Zuo turned around, and the newcomer first saluted the quartermaster across the table before turning to Song Zuo: “I have a very lucrative job for you.”
…
Song Zuo, leaning against his old nylon bag which held his sniper rifle, appeared somewhat restless.
In front of him was a photo of a tall, thin young man, wearing a dirty and bloodstained overcoat.
“This matter, within the ranks of the War Chariot, is classified as top secret and pertains to a core military operation. In principle, it wouldn’t be disclosed to Hunters wandering the wilderness. However, due to some special reasons, we need more manpower. If you are willing to accept this contract, I will pay you a reward at double the standard rate for an A-class external contract from the Black Star War Chariot.”
Song Zuo stared at Qiao Xing sitting opposite him for a long time before shifting his gaze to the photo. Eventually, he shook his head, pushing the photo back towards Qiao Xing with his withered hand wrapped in bandages.
“I’m afraid I must refuse this contract.”
“The reason?”
“I’ve fought side by side with the target in the photo during a contract. The level of ability he demonstrated far surpassed mine, yet even so, that definitely wasn’t the full extent of his strength. To this day, I remain unclear about his actual limits. I lack the ability to kill him. To put it bluntly, I don’t want to sign up for a death sentence.”
Qiao Xing crossed his arms and nodded seriously, “Indeed, I have heard from many people that he is a tough nut to crack. Still, I hope you will accept this contract.”
Before Song Zuo could speak, Qiao Xing continued, “Firstly, this is a joint operation, we will send a large number of elite soldiers and strike-class weapons to assist you. You won’t be facing him alone, and your understanding of this person surpasses ours in depth—his abilities, tactical habits, and equipment level are things only you would know. Furthermore, on the battlefield, even the most trivial factor can influence the outcome, and your presence, even causing a slight psychological impact on him, is highly valuable.”
“…”
Song Zuo showed an awkward smile, “You really are straightforward, Colonel.”
“I have no need to deceive you or to be reserved.”
Qiao Xing took a deep breath, “We know your physical condition is already quite bad. Honestly, having seen your genetic diagnosis and combined with your battlefield performance, I was greatly shocked. People from the Life Science Department often say that the wilderness is filled with various life miracles, and seeing you, I realize it’s not just an empty phrase. But how long can such a remarkable life miracle last? A month? Three months? At most six months. What you need is not the admiration of doctors and nurses for a life miracle, but a gene repair surgery worth one million six hundred thousand yuan.”
After a pause, he added, “Once the contract is completed, the Black Star War Chariot will pay this expense and give you a position as a military instructor in a secure zone, where you can peacefully live out the second half of your life.”
“Secure zone…”
Song Zuo’s face remained calm.
“In both Area A and Area G, the Black Star War Chariot has established secure zones with complete city functions. I can arrange for you to get in there on the grounds of military honors.”
Hearing Qiao Xing’s conditions, Song Zuo didn’t hesitate much, “Colonel Qiao, I have a personal question for you. If I remember correctly, the last time we met, this man was the lifesaver of your wife and child.”
Colonel Qiao spoke immediately, “I personally regret the content of this tactical operation, but the interests of the Black Star War Chariot override all else, and I have no choice.”
“…”
For a long while, Song Zuo’s fingers traced over his thin arms, scarred with needle marks.
“Alright, I’ll accept this contract.”
Finally, Qiao Xing showed a smile, “Then, let’s have a pleasant cooperation.”
“Colonel Qiao, I have one more question.”
“…Go ahead.”
Though slightly impatient, Qiao Xing’s tone remained calm.
“Will the Black Star War Chariot establish a secure zone in Area B as well?”
“Within the entire territory under the Black Star War Chariot’s jurisdiction, we aim to establish cities where one needs only to work diligently to avoid starvation. This was a directive proposed by Commissioner Lin Sanyuan before his demise, unanimously passed by the Combat Operations Committee, and is a strategy that all colleagues at the Black Star War Chariot must follow.”
Qiao Xing answered without hesitation—it was the Black Star War Chariot’s founding principle. As a general skilled in political maneuvers, reciting these was almost instinctive for him. However, he didn’t truly care much about the content, as he believed only tangible benefits could sway these greedy Wilderness Hunters.
If talking about heated ideals was useful, the Black Star War Chariot wouldn’t need to develop weapons, missiles, and Genetic Potions.
The younger members of the Black Star War Chariot often scoffed at heart from within at these so-called principles proposed by elder generations like Lin Sanyuan.
“I have no more questions.”
Song Zuo unzipped his jacket and focused on a face that was calm as calm can be from his scope.
