Chapter 1153: Victory

The position Xia Qing was currently in was indeed her last hiding spot, but it was not her last sniper position.

When she spotted the flash of wolf-eyes in the distance, Xia Qing had quickly drawn up a battle plan for the worst-case scenario, which was why she had changed this place into her last hiding spot.

Now, the most dangerous moment had arrived.

Level-six-and-a-half strength-evolved sniper Xia Qing sent a request to today's mission captain: "Captain, give me one minute. I'll pry loose a rock for cover, and I can suppress the Phantom with fire for ten seconds. But while I'm attacking, I need Eclipse Moon to use fire to pin down the other sniper."

"How sure are you of suppressing the Phantom?" The window of opportunity was fleeting. Ten seconds was not long, but it could decide victory or defeat — provided Xia Qing had enough certainty.

Xia Qing answered calmly, "Eighty percent."

Eclipse Moon spoke coolly, "I can pin down the enemy advanced sniper for ten seconds."

Xia Qing revised, "Ninety percent."

The last ten percent of uncertainty was the possibility of an enemy sniper still lying in wait. Even if she got sniped, Xia Qing wasn't afraid, because she wore a snake-skin protective suit under her special-forces protective suit — the bulletproof effect doubled, so a hit would only sting a little and wouldn't be fatal.

Ninety percent — go for it!

"Approved, Xia Qing begins action." After agreeing to Xia Qing's plan, Zhu Zhenming immediately laid out the battle plan: "Chen Yan, you three move 150 meters to the left and make fighting noises to draw the enemy's attention; Eclipse Moon, withdraw to the last sniper position as fast as you can; Tang Zhou, you lead four speed- and bounce-evolved fighters and sneak up on the Phantom's area from both flanks — get as close as you can; Xie Yun's squad also move toward the Phantom's area and provide close-range fire cover for Tang Zhou's team when the attack starts; I'm going to flank from the right now, and depending on how the engagement goes, I'll choose to act with either Xie Yun's squad or Tang Zhou's squad. Signal for the all-out attack: Sister Qing's gunshot."

"Copy."

"Copy."

"Copy."

……

Amid the stream of replies, Xia Qing pulled a modified magazine holding 30 rounds from her pack and slotted it into the sniper rifle's magazine well.

Xia Qing's sniper rifle magazine held 20 rounds; the modified magazine held 30. Because the modified magazine stuck out a bit and was awkward to use, Xia Qing rarely employed it — but to suppress an enemy top-tier sniper with fire for ten seconds, the more bullets the better.

After preparing her weapon, Xia Qing reached into her pack, drew out a pry bar, extended it, and tightened it. Then she drove the pointed end of the pry bar under the large boulder she was hiding behind, skillfully worked loose a few smaller stones, braced with both arms, and shouted in her heart:

Move!

"Boom—"

The nearly circular boulder, over four meters tall, was pried free by Xia Qing and began rolling downhill.

Using the rolling boulder as cover, Xia Qing advanced behind it. The rest of Xia Qing's squad chambered rounds and held blades at the ready, every member poised to go.

The enemy top-tier sniper Phantom assumed Xia Qing was using the rolling boulder to return to her third sniper position, and immediately aimed his rifle in that direction — the moment Xia Qing showed her head, he would put a bullet through the neck of Hui San, this fledgling top-tier sniper!

But Phantom had underestimated Xia Qing's nerve and her unorthodox moves.

Xia Qing held her shield and ran downhill behind the boulder for only four meters before stopping, jammed the shield firmly into a pre-chosen rock crevice to cover her lower body, crouched, and raised her rifle.

When the rolling boulder was about to stop covering her, Xia Qing sprang up and pulled the trigger!

By the time Phantom saw Xia Qing, it was already too late — because the muzzle of her rifle was glowing red!

"Bang Bang Bang—"

Level-six-and-a-half strength-evolved fighter Xia Qing stood behind her shield, took the sniper rifle's recoil on her shoulder, and used the sniper rifle like a machine gun, hammering the Phantom's hiding spot 2,100 meters away.

Phantom's sniper position was indeed excellent, but he had only one retreat route!

No matter how many levels of speed evolution you've got, under this barrage you can only curl up for me!

"Bang bang bang—" Eclipse Moon set up her rifle, used the same tactic as Xia Qing, and pinned down the enemy advanced sniper with intense fire so he couldn't shoot at Xia Qing, whose upper body was exposed on the hillside.

Under the covering fire of Xie Yun's two-person team, Tang Zhou and Zhu Zhenming led four fighters charging toward the Phantom from both flanks at full speed. Even if it cost six lives for one, they would take down the Phantom!

The lurking wolf pack also launched its attack on the intruders at the same time!

Snipers are the gods of ranged combat, the fire-shield of their squad. But a top-tier sniper pinned down by the enemy's fire cannot exert any offensive power at all.

The two intruders protecting the Phantom and the three intruders retreating moved at the same time. The former exchanged fire with Xie Yun's two-person team; the latter charged at Tang Zhou's six, determined not to let them break through and harm the Phantom!

The moment the two sides met, there were casualties on both.

Tang Zhou, charging at the very front, took a bullet in the arm, but he seemed to feel no pain at all and sprinted at full speed toward the Phantom, who was pinned down by Xia Qing's fire.

"Pfft!"

When the second bullet hit Tang Zhou's thigh, the enemy shooter was also hit by Xie Yun.

Only ten meters left! Tang Zhou roared and exploded with all his strength, leaping high into the air, and together with Zhu Zhenming charging in from the other side, rushed toward the high slope where the Phantom was pinned down by Xia Qing's fire.

At the apex of his leap, Tang Zhou was just about to throw the grenade in his left hand when he saw an evolved wolf sprint over and pin down the top-tier sniper, who was crawling away!!!

"Ah—"

The top-tier sniper's cry of pain sounded like heavenly music to Tang Zhou. He spun his hand and fed the grenade to an intruder who was raising his gun to try to save the Phantom; Zhu Zhenming, already hit by one bullet, feared the evolved wolf wouldn't kill the Phantom, so he tossed his grenade and kept charging forward — only to be pinned under the paw of another evolved wolf.

Seeing that the evolved wolves and Zhu Zhenming had all charged into the Phantom's hiding spot, Xia Qing immediately swapped magazines and, together with Eclipse Moon, dealt with the enemy advanced sniper.

Top-tier versus advanced — an absolute crushing of strength.

Eclipse Moon seized the chance to move quickly to the best sniper position and took out the enemy advanced sniper with one shot.

"Awooo—oooo————"

After the human gunfire stopped, an evolved wolf in the distance let out a victorious howl.

This battle was won! The wolf pack was howling, and the uninjured squad members rushed toward their fallen teammates to begin emergency treatment.

Xia Qing rolled her aching right shoulder and heard Tang Zhou's plea over the comms: "Sister Qing, Brother Zhu is being pinned down by an evolved wolf — do you have a way?"

"On my way." Xia Qing put away her shield, rushed up the slope where the Phantom had been hiding, and saw the wounded Tang Zhou and two enemy snipers and Zhu Zhenming, all face-down with their necks held in the jaws of two evolved wolves.

Fortunately, they were familiar wolves.

The one biting Zhu Zhenming was Old Four; the one biting the Phantom was that half-grown male wolf that had once been caught by wanderers and locked in a cave, later wounded in battle, and had its torn left-side mouth corner stitched up by Xia Qing. The Phantom's leg was twitching — it looked like he had been bitten to death.

Old Four's brain-evolution level was very high; having watched the battle, it should have figured out that Zhu Zhenming was Xia Qing's comrade, which was why it hadn't bitten hard.

Wolves are animals that hold grudges — they must have had a grudge against the Phantom. Old Four pinning down Zhu Zhenming was probably to let Scarface Wolf kill the Phantom.

Fortunately, only Tang Zhou had seen this scene, and he could be trusted, giving Xia Qing a chance to salvage the situation.

Xia Qing didn't want to expose her relationship with the wolf pack. After signaling Tang Zhou to lower his weapon, she took off her protective mask, took two steps forward into the gaze of two fierce pairs of green wolf-eyes, pulled a nutrient solution from her pocket, handed it to Old Four, and said sternly, "Let go."

She couldn't call its name, couldn't let the military people know she and Old Four knew each other — every day she could keep it hidden was a win. The stern tone was, of course, for Zhu Zhenming's ears.

Old Four, gripping Zhu Zhenming's neck in its jaws, stared with fierce eyes and didn't move a muscle; Zhu Zhenming, pinned beneath it, didn't dare move at all.

This is… too little?

Xia Qing sighed soundlessly, pulled out two more tubes of nutrient solution and two packs of freeze-dried food, dug out three eggs, stuffed them all into a bag, handed it over, then raised a hand to point at the Evolution Forest beside them, and then at the half-grown wolf behind Old Four that was biting down on the enemy sniper.

Seeing Old Four still showed no sign of moving, Xia Qing simply took action directly, raising her hand and tossing the bag out.

If the eggs hit the ground, they'd definitely crack! This was Old Four's favorite food—Xia Qing didn't believe it wouldn't be tempted.

Sure enough, after Xia Qing tossed the bag, Old Four immediately let go of Zhu Zhenming, darted over and bit the cloth bag, then withdrew into the Evolution Forest.

Why use a cloth bag? Damn it, a plastic bag would rustle loudly—Zhu Zhenming isn't deaf, he'd definitely notice something was off.

The half-grown wolf pinning the Phantom also released it, glanced at Xia Qing with a mouth full of fresh blood, then followed Old Four away.

Seeing this scene, Tang Zhou couldn't even feel the pain from the wounds on his arms and legs anymore.

He had seen Zhu Zhenming being bitten on the neck by the Evolution Wolf, so he didn't dare act rashly. That's why he held back the other team members and wouldn't let them come over and provoke the wolf, then asked Xia Qing to come over and give it a try.

He never expected that Xia Qing would rescue Zhu Zhenming with just two packs of jerky and three eggs!

Isn't her territory over three hundred li north of here, in Northern Zone One? When did she get in touch with the wolves in the south, and to the point where their relationship is this solid?!