Chapter 1151: Suspected Wanderers

In thirty-eight minutes, Zhu Zhenming led his thirteen-person squad over mountains and through valleys from Mountain Zone Six, reaching the ambush point inside Mountain Zone Nineteen.

Because humans run far slower than evolved wolves, Xia Qing didn't let anyone help carry her; she ran the whole way on her own two legs—and she didn't fall behind once!

When Zhu Zhenming stopped, Xia Qing leaned against the stone wall, barely resisting the urge to throw her head back and howl a couple of times to vent her excitement.

You four-legged fellows see that? This old lady isn't slow at all!

But now wasn't the time for howling. Xia Qing observed the surroundings through her night-vision goggles while quickly adjusting her state, steadying her rapid breathing and heartbeat.

After half a minute of catching his breath, Zhu Zhenming asked over the walkie-talkie, "Sister Qing, have you been here before?"

Xia Qing replied, "No, first time."

Carrying out a sniping mission in a completely unfamiliar environment at night is very difficult. Fortunately, there was a crescent moon in the sky, the visibility was decent—good news for visual evolvers.

"Tangzhou contact HQ, confirm target position. Eclipse Moon, head to Sniper Point Two on the eastern peak to snipe. Sun Sigang, head to the southern peak to find a sniper point. Xie Yun, take two people forward 500 meters to scout the target…"

After assigning tasks to the other squad members, Zhu Zhenming ducked into a tent just erected with Xia Qing, took a laptop from his pack, and pulled up the 3D virtual map of the area so Xia Qing could learn the terrain. "This is Hui-39 Mountain, Peak Four. We're right here. Due south is Hui-5's Mountain 68, southwest is Hui-1's Mountain 29. In other words, the position we're in is the border zone of three bases… If that squad invades our base, this area is the only way through…"

After finishing his briefing and letting Xia Qing study the map to memorize the terrain on her own, Zhu Zhenming pointed to Eclipse Moon's sniper point on the eastern peak. "Eclipse Moon and I are here, Sun Si is over here. Sister Qing, pick a spot you like in this area. When the fight starts, Eclipse Moon is the primary sniper, Sun Si is second, and you're our trump card today. Don't reveal your position until you spot the enemy sniping from beyond 2000 meters. Lock onto the target before you act."

"Understood." Xia Qing's opponent today was the top-tier sniper that might exist in the opposing squad.

Although Xia Qing was very calm, she had only been practicing shooting for a year at most, and dueling a top-tier sniper was her first time. Zhu Zhenming had no confidence in her chances and reminded her, "It's fine if Sister Qing can't suppress their top sniper. If things look bad, retreat immediately."

Even if this mission ends without results, Hui-3's newly promoted top sniper must not be hurt.

"Understood." After separating from Zhu Zhenming, Xia Qing quickly reached her assigned area, which was not the best sniper position nearby. This arrangement was correct—the best sniper spot naturally went to the primary sniper. She was the trump card and should be hidden somewhere the enemy wouldn't expect.

Xia Qing quickly selected four positions that could serve as sniper points and began setting them up, planning her movement routes.

"Current real-time temperature 15°C, air humidity 85%, wind speed level 3, Shang-element activity moderately above average, magnetic field moderately chaotic…"

The environmental data report from observer Zhu Zhenming came through the walkie-talkie. Temperature, humidity, and wind speed all affect sniping accuracy; Shang-element activity affects the accuracy of advanced electronic components. These figures were vital for snipers who relied on advanced equipment.

Xia Qing was a level nine-and-a-half visual evolver. Like Luo Pei, when visibility conditions were met, she didn't rely on any equipment besides her ranging scope to assist her shooting. But she still pried at the stones while listening carefully to the data Zhu Zhenming reported. Understanding other snipers' shooting habits would help improve her sniping success rate.

After Xia Qing hid in her cover, she suddenly saw two green lights flash through the evolved forest to the southwest!

Xie Yun reported, "Captain, evolved wolves spotted in the evolved forest to the southwest, 1800 meters from our position."

1800 meters—that was already very close.

Zhu Zhenming replied calmly, "This isn't the wolves' core territory; we probably won't clash with the pack. Tangzhou, prepare the bait. Once the evolved wolves approach, use the bait to lure them away immediately."

"Copy."

As Xia Qing stared at the evolved forest to the southwest, trying to figure out whether those were familiar wolves, Eclipse Moon's voice came through the walkie-talkie: "The eagle owl overhead is suspected to be a domesticated bird. All personnel, mind your concealment."

A domesticated bird had arrived, proving the invaders weren't far from here. Xia Qing stayed perfectly still inside her cover, observing the evolved forest ahead through the low-light night-vision goggles her idol had given her.

Although she was the squad member with the least real combat experience, the protective suit she wore was the highest grade among them, and it also had anti-infrared function. As long as she lay quietly inside the stone cover, the equipment carried by that eagle owl couldn't detect her.

But she didn't know what anomaly the eagle owl had spotted—it began circling above the spot where Xia Qing was hidden. The crescent moon hanging in the western sky cast the owl's shadow again and again onto the stone in front of her. Xia Qing steadied her breathing and heartbeat. Right now she was nothing but a stone pressed down by rocks and wild grass; she couldn't afford any emotional fluctuation.

"Ssha—"

"Plap—"

A small animal darted quickly past in front of her. The few dewdrops hanging on the clump of grass ahead were shaken loose and struck the stone, making faint sounds.

The shadow on the stone grew rapidly as the circling eagle owl descended, its sharp talons seizing a small mouse from the grass two meters in front of Xia Qing, then beating its wings and flying away.

Xia Qing reported in a low voice, "The eagle owl carries no camera. It has a tracking ring on its leg—confirmed as a domesticated bird, likely controlled by a brain-domain evolver."

Zhu Zhenming replied softly, "Copy. Mind your concealment."

"Click-click, click, click-click-click—"

A rhythmic tapping came through the walkie-talkie. Xia Qing couldn't understand what it meant, but Tangzhou did: "The enemy has entered Hui-3 from Hui-5. Number of people… three."

Zhu Zhenming ordered, "These are the pathfinders. Let them in. All personnel, prepare for combat."

"Copy." Xia Qing replied along with the others, acknowledging the captain's order.

Five minutes later, when Xia Qing saw the invaders through her low-light night-vision goggles, her eyes lit up. "Captain, the crossbows and satchels these three are carrying are highly similar to those of the wanderers who invaded Mountain 48 in the west before the third Shang-rain."

"Copy. Invaders suspected to be wanderers." Zhu Zhenming replied in a low voice, "Mind your concealment."

"Copy." Xia Qing quietly watched the three wanderers, then glanced at the area in the southwest evolved forest where wolf eyes had flashed earlier. Her finger on the trigger tightened slightly.

This batch of fugitive wanderers the Green Dragon squad had been searching for days on end without ever showing their faces had seized the opportunity when Hui-3's army and combat squads were busy hunting and defending territory and safe zones, with no time to patrol the evolved forest, and slipped across the base boundary line. They definitely weren't here to aid digestion!

Xia Qing had a vague premonition:

Good news: tonight might bring a big haul.

Bad news: she had forgotten to discuss with the base commander how to divide the spoils!