Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
Advance chapters available for patrons on Patreon. And a chapter can be sponsored by buying me a ko-fi.
A massive burst of fire exploded in the sky, dazzling half of it.
Xiao Jing looked up at the petals falling after the sparks died down and smiled naturally.
A petal landed on her head. She lifted her eyelids, looked at the crimson color, and her smile grew even brighter.
“Here it comes again!” the crowd exclaimed joyfully.
Xiao Jing subconsciously looked up at the sky, and with a “boom”, the flames exploded.
Unlike the coldness of the firelight a moment ago, the firelight was now somewhat scorching.
“Bang!” Sparks flew from the exploding fireball, and many people were still in shock when it landed in the crowd.
“Ah!” someone cried out in panic, and the crowd erupted into chaos the next moment.
It was scalding hot, burning hot as if it were on fire.
Shen Chengfeng noticed the falling fireball, raised his hand to block it, and pulled the small figure, who hadn’t yet come to her senses, behind him.
“Bang.” The fireball landed on the ground and exploded instantly, spilling out a pool of liquid, and the flames spread outwards.
“It’s kerosene! Run!” Someone shouted, and the already chaotic crowd completely lost their composure.
Everyone scattered and fled as fireballs rained down, shattering their outer shells upon impact and spreading liquid, leaving behind a trail of flames.
“Ah, ah, save me, save me!” A man collapsed to the ground in agony, his body engulfed in flames. He must have been hit by a fireball, and the oil that leaked out ignited him.
Fireworks lit up the sky, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake.
Xiao Jing reacted quickly, kicking away the fireball that was falling towards her. Seeing the fire dragon instantly spread across the ground after it hit the ground, her eyes seemed to burn with the same blazing fire. She instinctively shouted, “Captain!”
“Watch out.” Shen Chengfeng grabbed the figure that had been pushed aside by the crowd and pulled her back into his control.
The fire grew larger and larger, seemingly engulfing the surrounding area. The brilliant flames, combined with the scorching sun, burned the entire square to ashes.
“Fireworks party.” A man about 1.9 meters tall held a gun in one hand and fired a shot into the sky. The loud bang added to the tension of the performance.
“Captain.” Xiao Jing tugged at Shen Chengfeng’s clothes, her hands trembling uncontrollably with anger.
Shen Chengfeng nodded to her, “Be careful.”
Upon receiving the order, Xiao Jing joined the crowd almost without hesitation.
The crowd fled in panic, but due to the overwhelming number of people, the entire square was filled with wails of agony.
“Boss, something’s not right.” A woman walked up to the platform and handed over the amazing footage she had just captured.
The man, addressed as the boss, looked at his masterpiece with great interest, but his brows furrowed slightly when he saw two figures flash by in the crowd.
The woman said, “They look like soldiers.”
“Wouldn’t that be even more interesting?” The man tossed his phone high into the air and fired a shot in mid-air, shattering the phone into pieces in an instant.
The woman took out her sidearm, aimed at the fleeing people, and fired bullet after bullet without hesitation.
Xiao Jing successfully broke through the encirclement and noticed two armed men preparing to fire on her right. Without pausing for a moment, she charged forward.
Both men were stunned. In this situation, someone would actually risk their life to run over. But when they saw Xiao Jing’s military green T-shirt, the two men smiled and simultaneously pointed their guns at the fearless Xiao Jing.
Xiao Jing calculated the time it would take for the bullet to fly towards her: 0.01 seconds.
It only took the blink of an eye.
The airtight bullets were like the tiny sparks that fall after a firework display, dazzling in their own way.
Xiao Jing leaped and bounded, and in the blink of an eye, she was close to the two men.
One of them straightened up and hurriedly continued firing.
“Bang.” Xiao Jing grabbed one of the men’s gun barrels with one hand, raised the gun high, fired the bullets, and in the next instant, she clenched her fist and sent a cold punch that struck the man’s throat. After the punch, she turned her fist into a palm and locked his throat with two fingers.
The man’s pupils dilated, and before he could even cry out in pain, he collapsed to the ground, unable to resist.
Xiao Jing swiftly grabbed his gun and, without hesitation, fired two shots at the other man behind her who was preparing to ambush her.
The man was shot at close range, sent flying into the air, before crashing heavily to the ground, spitting out blood, and dying instantly.
Xiao Jing checked the magazine, making sure the AK had enough bullets, and slowly looked for cover.
Gunshots echoed continuously around the vast square, suggesting that the massacre had been planned for a long time.
Xiao Jing spotted a woman about ten meters ahead. The woman had a large number of colorful tattoos on her body and was firing wildly with a gun, as if the people in front of her were not living beings, but lab rats on an experimental table, and killing was just a thought away.
“Click-click-click.” The magazine was empty. The woman put down her sidearm and prepared to change to a new magazine.
Xiao Jing raised her assault rifle, her face grim as she aimed at the figure changing magazines.
“Bang.” The bullet, like a venomous snake, bit its prey. The venom spread along the blood, the prey’s eyes narrowed, and before it could even cry out, it fell straight down.
“Xiao Jin.” On the high platform, the man’s eyes darkened. He looked around. There were too many people, and he couldn’t find out who had shot Xiao Jin, but judging from the accuracy of the shot that killed him instantly, the other party was definitely not an ordinary person.
“Come out, get out here!” The man jumped off the platform and provocatively shot at several passersby.
Xiao Jing couldn’t hold back any longer; she couldn’t let innocent people get hurt.
With her index finger on the trigger, she confirmed that the other person was within her firing range, and without further thought, pulled the trigger.
The man noticed gunfire behind him, dodged to the side, and successfully avoided the bullets. He stared at the craters on the ground with interest, then hid behind cover and grabbed a member of the crowd to take hostage. He yelled, “Come out, or I’ll kill them!”
Xiao Jing frowned. She looked around at the buildings. A small stage had been temporarily set up for a performance, and colorful lights were shining from the stage.
“Come out, I’ll count to three,” the man continued to threaten.
Xiao Jing slung her assault rifle over her shoulder, circled around the small platform behind the stage, jumped up, and climbed up the small pillar to the top of the stage. She looked at the figures that were faintly visible behind the cover and listened to the threatening voices counting numbers in the air. She adjusted her sights.
Seeing that the hostage did not react, the man pointed the gun at the hostage’s head without hesitation and said, “Die.”
“Bang.” Xiao Jing no longer hesitated and fired directly.
The bullet pierced through a small light fixture on the right side of the stage and landed directly on the man’s exposed arm, as if it had been fitted with a locator.
“Thump.” A bullet struck his arm, and the man’s hand holding the gun suddenly froze. He didn’t have time to fire, and the AK fell to the ground. He bent down and instinctively reached for the gun.
Xiao Jing saw his body enter the firing range and fired two more shots.
“Bang.” Two bullets were shot into the man’s shoulder at the same time. He lost his balance and fell to the ground. He covered his bleeding wound and hid himself completely.
Xiao Jing knew that the other party had lost the ability to resist, and was preparing to jump off the platform when a bullet whistled through the air.
She did a side somersault and landed on the platform, staggering a couple of steps due to the momentum.
Another bullet hurtled toward her. She didn’t dare to stop, lunged forward, and rolled off the platform.
“Boss, let’s go.” A man carrying guns in both hands entered the battlefield, looking around for any movement. He knew that the performance was over.
The man called “boss” stood up reluctantly, looking at his own men who had been mostly wiped out. Left with no other choice, he had to announce a retreat.
After dealing with the lurking figures on the southeast sides, Shen Chengfeng glanced at the suddenly calmed square and knew that the other side must have withdrawn.
Xiao Jing ran out from behind the cover with her gun on her shoulder. Looking at the ordinary people around the square, her heart was pounding. “The enemy has already retreated, but we haven’t completely wiped them out yet. I’m afraid they will come back again.”
Shen Chengfeng glanced at the bloodstains that had accidentally stained her face, and listened to the deafening sirens of the police not far away. After unloading all the bullets from his gun, he threw down the empty barrel and said, “The police will handle this now. To avoid any unnecessary trouble, let’s leave first.”
“Yes, Captain.” Xiao Jing removed the bullets as he instructed.
The two left one after the other.
The atmosphere in the car was somewhat somber.
Shen Chengfeng abruptly turned the steering wheel and pulled over to the side of the road.
Xiao Jing was puzzled as to why he suddenly stopped the car and turned to look at her captain in surprise.
Shen Chengfeng also looked over, and their eyes met.
Xiao Jing was stunned. She thought there was something on her face and was about to raise her hand to wipe it when she realized it hurt terribly.
Shen Chengfeng’s face remained expressionless, his unsmiling eyes fixed on her elbow.
Xiao Jing then noticed that a piece of skin had been shaved off her wrist, and said with a wry smile, “No wonder there was a bloody smell in the car.”
Shen Chengfeng opened the car door and walked to the trunk.
Xiao Jing saw him return, carrying a medicine box in his hand.
Without saying a word, Shen Chengfeng opened the passenger door, grabbed her hand, opened the hydrogen peroxide bottle, and poured it directly over her.
The sudden spray of disinfectant made Xiao Jing want to punch the person for a moment, but after realizing that the person was her superior, she didn’t dare to act recklessly.
Shen Chengfeng’s voice was somewhat deep, to the point that it sounded a little muffled. He said, “Every mission requires us not only to complete the mission, but also, most importantly, to protect ourselves.”
Xiao Jing looked at the bandaged wound; it must have been scraped when she climbed onto the platform.
“Speak your mind.” Seeing that she was hesitant and unable to speak, Shen Chengfeng walked around the front of the car and got back in. This time, however, he did not start driving immediately.
After hesitating for a moment, Xiao Jing asked, “Captain, if the target uses ordinary people to threaten us, should we lay down our weapons as they demand, or should we prioritize the mission and continue shooting him?”
“What are our responsibilities?”
“To protect our homeland and defend our country.”
“Firstly, our mission is to shoot the target, but the target is using innocent civilians to threaten and resist. If we abandon our weapons and choose to protect the hostages first, the most likely outcome is that we and the hostages will die together. Secondly, if we lose our lives, how can we save the hostages?”
“Does the captain mean to continue shooting at the target?”
Shen Chengfeng remained silent. This went against his beliefs. From the beginning, their purpose was to protect the people and the masses. Yet now he was going against his beliefs and telling his young soldier to protect him first. Was this his selfishness?
Xiao Jing smiled and said, “Actually, I thought the captain would tell me to protect the hostages’ safety no matter what.”
Shen Chengfeng looked at the young soldier beside him, who was showing off her bright white teeth, and his calm mind was slightly shaken. What had he just said?
Xiao Jing added, “If there really is no way out, I think when faced with such a desperate situation, we can only compromise first, after all, the responsibility and obligation we bear is to protect the people.”
“Xiao Jing,” Shen Chengfeng called out.
“Hmm, Captain?” Xiao Jing turned her head, and their eyes met again.
Shen Chengfeng took out a tissue and wiped her face, saying, “When it comes to matters of principle, we are all just flesh and blood. Sometimes, don’t be too reckless.”
“Is the captain telling me to run away if I encounter a strong opponent that I can’t beat?” Xiao Jing smiled, pursing her lips.
“Yes,” Shen Chengfeng replied confidently.
Xiao Jing was stunned. What had her captain just admitted?
Shen Chengfeng stepped on the gas again, his voice a little hoarse. He said, “Before you, we lost two teammates. They were focused on protecting our country and completing the mission, but they overlooked the enemy’s bravery and their own disproportionate resilience. When they died, they had thirty-six gunshot wounds on their bodies, almost riddled with bullets. Our special forces are strong, but not so strong that they are invulnerable to bullets.”
“Team leader–“
“I don’t want my soldiers to die innocently, understand?”
Xiao Jing thought for a moment. If she were to say that she would die for the country and the people, and that she would be honored even if she died, would the captain beat her up with his fists that were like sandbags?
Thinking about it, with their own insignificant abilities and their desire to act impulsively, those seniors certainly wouldn’t desert their posts. Even knowing they might never return, they would still resolutely shoulder their guns and face the enemy head-on.
For no other reason than that they were soldiers.
Soldiers, though they die, are honored!
As the sun set, the entire beach was painted a crimson hue.
The off-road vehicle was parked in front of the beach.
“Have you forgotten what I told you last time?” Shen Chengfeng broke the silence in the car and spoke up.
Xiao Jing was about to get off the car when she heard him say this. She was stunned for a moment and did not immediately understand the implied meaning behind his words.
“Lin Qi is a rare talent. Haven’t you noticed that he treats you differently than before?” Shen Chengfeng asked again.
Xiao Jing frowned. She didn’t notice anything wrong with Lin Qi, but she still felt that something was off.
“It’s probably because you broke the ice, letting him know something for a moment.”
“What does the captain mean by that?”
“He might really have fallen for you,” Shen Chengfeng continued.
Like a thunderbolt from the blue, Xiao Jing straightened her back in astonishment, saying with a wry smile, “Captain, you’re exaggerating.”
“The bystander sees more of the game[1].” Shen Chengfeng opened the car door.
Xiao Jing hesitated before getting down. “Captain, don’t scare me.”
“Think about it carefully. If you continue like this, he will find out your identity sooner or later.”
Xiao Jing lowered her eyes, her military boots sinking slightly into the sand.
Upon seeing the approaching figure, Lin Qi ran over almost without hesitation.
Seeing him rushing straight towards her, Xiao Jing subconsciously stopped, then turned a corner and ran directly to Ji Shanlin, who was cooking.
Lin Qi stood still, and from Xiao Jing’s deliberate movements, he could tell that Xiao Jing was avoiding him.
When Ji Shanlin saw Xiao Jing walking up, he handed her chopsticks and said like he was presenting a treasure, “Lieutenant Xiao, please have a taste.”
Xiao Jing glanced guiltily at Lin Qi behind her, picked up a piece of meat, put it in her mouth, and nodded in satisfaction.
Qi Yue put down his phone, walked up to Shen Chengfeng, and said with a solemn expression, “The military just sent instructions that an attack has occurred on Beidao Island.”
“Yes, we met.” With a concise reply, Shen Chengfeng gazed intently at the two people chatting happily in front of the large pot.
Qi Yue continued, “The captain encountered them?”
Shen Chengfeng withdrew his gaze and nodded. “The other side has already withdrawn, but they are probably still on this island.”
“The military knew we were training on this island and deliberately issued this order: clear them all out by tonight.”
“Clearing them out isn’t difficult, but the other side is already on guard, so it might be hard to find them.” Shen Chengfeng walked into the tent and looked at the map of the entire Beidao that was hanging up.
Qi Yue pointed to one of the spots, “This is where the first attack took place, resulting in heavy casualties.”
“A crowded open-air plaza is indeed a good choice.”
“Does the captain think they’ll take action again tonight?”
“The other side also suffered heavy casualties, so they shouldn’t act so quickly.” Shen Chengfeng looked at the sky over the sea. “Besides, they know we’re here, so they’re even less likely to act rashly.”
“So, we need to lure the snake out of its hole?”
“The police have taken full control of the island, and anyone entering or leaving needs to have their identity checked. They shouldn’t be able to leave for the time being. However, Beidao is vast, so it wouldn’t be difficult for them to hide, especially since this is a group of well-trained guys.”
Qi Yue carefully studied the map. Beidao was surrounded by the sea, so it was impossible for them to jump into the sea and swim there. Furthermore, the crowded center of the island was definitely under full martial law now, so it was impossible for them to hide in the central area. Therefore, they should take advantage of the northern mountains and forests, which were good for both combat and defense.
Shen Chengfeng nodded imperceptibly, “It’s this grove of trees in front of us.”
“I’ll send two people to scout immediately.” Qi Yue strode out of the tent.
As night deepened, small birds settled in the quiet forest.
“Bang!” A shell ripped through the night sky and exploded five meters in front of the tent.
Guys, ads are my only source of revenue, so please do not turn on the AdBlock when you are accessing this website…. Thank you, this would be a great help…
You can buy me a ko-fi and sponsor a chapter on: https://ko-fi.com/midnightrambles
Or access extra chapters on: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=45665005
If you support me, I would be able to provide more chapters….
Previous • Table of Contents • Next
[1] It means that people who are directly involved in a complex situation, argument, or emotional entanglement often lose their objectivity and can’t figure out the best path forward. Meanwhile, neutral observers watching from the outside can see the whole picture without emotional bias and understand the truth much better.
