Chapter 163: Announcement

West Africa, a volatile border region of a certain country.

The night was thick as ink, punctuated only by sporadic gunfire and the flickering flames of warlord strongholds in the distance, marking this scarred land.

The temporary forward base established by the "Black Wolf" mercenaries was located inside an abandoned rubber plantation. Searchlight beams swept back and forth; mercenaries armed with automatic rifles and clad in mismatched uniforms smoked cigarettes, their expressions wary yet tinged with habitual cruelty. They had just crushed a minor uprising by local villagers; the air still carried a faint stench of blood and gunpowder.

Inside the command tent at the base's center, the "Black Wolf" commander—a former French Foreign Legion officer with a grotesque scar across his face, codenamed "Butcher"—roared into a satellite phone: "... I don't care what those environmentalist bastards protest! The mine vein must be fully controlled by next week! Anyone who stands in the way—kill them on sight!... I'll handle the Boss; you just make sure the equipment and follow-up personnel arrive on time!"

After hanging up, the "Butcher" greedily gulped down a mouthful of strong liquor. The mission's payout was generous, but the forces involved were too numerous, and that damn radioactive element made him uneasy. Still, thinking of the astronomical sum soon to hit his bank account, the unease quickly faded.

"A bunch of natives with wooden sticks and broken guns—what trouble could they cause?" He sneered and stepped out of the tent.

The instant he looked up at the pitch-black sky, a sudden transformation occurred!

Without warning, a sentry tower at the base's edge, along with its guard, was instantly pierced from above by a fleeting pale blue beam and vanished silently into charred ruins!

The shrill alarm had barely begun when it cut off abruptly!

Several ghostly black shadows, moving faster than human vision could capture, sliced into the base like shadows of death.

"Boulder" charged forward like a humanoid tank, smashing straight through defensive barricades of sandbags and steel plates; his armor's arm-mounted high-speed rotating chainsaw tore apart startled mercenaries and their weapons alike. The rear-mounted micro-rate-of-fire cannon on his heavy-support armor spat lethal flames, precisely targeting any attempt to organize counterfire.

"Shadow Dancer" and "Peregrine" moved like dancers in the dark, using their armor's enhanced mobility and optical camouflage to dart swiftly between buildings, their high-frequency blades slicing silently through enemy throats or eliminating targets with pinpoint micro-submachine gun fire. Their movements left only afterimages; mercenaries often felt only a whisper of wind before losing consciousness.

"Physician" was no real doctor, but an expert in viruses and electronic warfare. She unleashed custom nanite swarms to disrupt enemy communications and equipment, while infiltrating the base's rudimentary network to cripple surveillance and automated defense systems.

"Amber" occupied the high ground, her tactical goggles scanning the battlefield, calmly reporting dynamics and residual threat coordinates: "Three o'clock, behind the pickup truck—RPG. Nine o'clock, flank of the command tent—heavy machine gunner. 'Butcher' is directly in front of the tent, trying to rally resistance."

"Night Owl" had swapped his sniper rifle for custom electromagnetic accelerator rounds. He held his breath, locking onto the scar-faced commander bellowing desperately in an attempt to stabilize his crumbling forces.

"Target locked." "Night Owl's" cold voice echoed through the squad channel.

Gao Yuan's steady voice came through: "Execute."

Shh—!

A faint, almost imperceptible rush of air sounded.

The "Butcher," waving his pistol and screaming, fell silent. A tiny hole appeared in his forehead; the ferocity and shock in his eyes froze instantly. His body swayed, then crashed heavily to the ground.

With their commander instantly eliminated, the already stunned and heavily wounded "Black Wolf" mercenaries completely collapsed!

"Devils! They're devils! Run!"

The surviving mercenaries abandoned their gear, scrambling toward the darkness beyond the plantation.

But the "Candle Dragon" squad gave them no chance.

"Siren" unleashed subsonic vibrations, causing fleeing mercenaries to stagger like drunks. "Smith" manipulated the armor's engineering arms to easily overturn vehicles, blocking all escape routes.

The battle—or rather, the massacre—ended in just seven minutes.

The entire "Black Wolf" forward base: forty-three elite mercenaries, annihilated. The "Candle Dragon" squad: zero casualties. Only "Boulder's" armor bore minor damage—a small patch of bio-coating stripped off by a nearby rocket explosion—slowly self-repairing at visible speed.

The squad members stood amid the wreckage, the air thick with the smell of burning, staring at the hellish scene before them, breathing slightly faster. Not from fatigue, but from the adrenaline surge of first wielding such power for efficient killing—and from a clear awareness of their own strength.

This was the power of "Candle Dragon."

"Clear the battlefield. Collect intelligence and samples. Evacuate in ten minutes." Gao Yuan's voice pulled them back to reality.

The squad members immediately moved, efficient and professional.

…

Several hours later, dawn began to break.

A shocking piece of news spread like a virus through multiple authoritative international news agencies and social media platforms!

"Mysterious armed force strikes with thunderous force—'Black Wolf' mercenaries, infamous in West Africa, wiped out overnight!" "Site left with hyper-advanced tech traces—suspected debut of new individual combat system!" "'Black Wolf's' targeted special mine vein now sealed; behind-the-scenes employer remains silent." "Who is upholding international justice?"

The reports included edited battlefield photos and video clips provided by anonymous sources. Though blurry, they still faintly revealed the swift, ghostlike dark figures, the devastating unknown weapons, and the mobility far surpassing modern individual gear!

Global military analysts, intelligence agencies of every nation, and underworld factions all exploded in chaos!

Analysis, speculation, panic, greed… emotions spread like wildfire.

Everyone realized: a previously unknown force, possessing overwhelming military technology, had made its debut on the world stage. It belonged to no known nation or organization; its methods were ruthless and decisive, its targets clear—eliminating threats like "Black Wolf," which had no moral limits whatsoever!

Where did this force come from? What was its purpose? Who would it strike next?

Countless questions hung over the minds of those in the know, bringing deep unease and dread.

At this moment, Qin Feng sat in his study at Yunding Mansion, watching global reports on the "Black Wolf's" annihilation and the frenzied online discussions about the "mysterious unit," a faint smile on his face.

The "Candle Dragon's" debut mission was a perfect success. The intended deterrent effect had been achieved.

He picked up the internal communicator and spoke calmly:

"Notify the team. Begin preparations."

"Yes, Leader."

That afternoon, as global public opinion boiled over the "mysterious unit," an encrypted website registered in the Cayman Islands, named "Guardian Covenant," quietly circulated through darknet channels and specific circles.

The website's interface was sleek and tech-heavy, its background a deep starfield. Only a few lines appeared, stated in a calm, unquestionable tone:

【We exist.】【We observe.】【We eliminate.】【Target: All 'anomalies' threatening human civilization's survival.】【Scope: Global.】【Method: Absolute force.】【Effective immediately.】

No signature. No contact. Only a processed, clearly sourced video clip of the "Black Wolf" base's destruction as proof.

This declaration exploded like a silent thunderclap in the hearts of those with real access to the world's dark underbelly!

This was not a secret military unit of any nation—it was an independent, terrifyingly technologically advanced international actor! It called itself "Guardian" and had drawn a line—any threat it deemed "anomalous" would face its "absolute force" of elimination!

The annihilation of "Black Wolf" was the first bloody example!

The undercurrents instantly surged more violently.

Many began reevaluating their plans and actions, terrified of entering the mysterious "Guardian's" sight.

Qin Feng closed the webpage, leaned back in his chair, and lightly tapped his fingers on the desk.

The announcement of the "Guardian Covenant" meant the power in his hands had officially stepped from the shadows into the light, forcefully beginning to participate in and shape the world's order.

This was both deterrence and a declaration of war.

A declaration of war against threats lurking in shadows, stirring with malice.

He knew: from this moment on, he would no longer be merely a Shenhou with vast wealth—he was now a hidden sovereign wielding power capable of reshaping the global order.

The storm had already risen because of him.