Watching the black discoloration on the forearm spread all the way to the elbow, everyone couldn’t help but tense up, their hearts rising into their throats. Although Xu Ze had inserted three silver needles at that spot, given how fast the toxin was spreading, the others had no confidence at all—could his needles really stop it in time?
But seeing the darkness halt right before the silver needles at the elbow, unable to creep any further up, they all let out a collective sigh of relief. At the very least, it seemed this guard’s life was safe for now.
Xu Ze watched the dark-tinged blood oozing from the several incisions on the arm and furrowed his brow slightly. This poison really was vicious…
“Special biological blood toxin, Class B… It’s indeed highly toxic by Earth’s biological standards…” Xiao Dao’s voice sounded again in Xu Ze’s mind, then continued: “Biological toxins break down pretty easily… bioelectric energy can neutralize and decompose them without much trouble.”
Hearing this, Xu Ze felt a great weight lift from his mind. If it could be neutralized that easily, then it was simple—after draining most of the toxin out, he could just use bioelectric energy to break down whatever little remained.
Without delay, he gave the three silver needles at the elbow a gentle flick, channeling three strands of bioelectric energy into them. As the needles trembled lightly, waves of pulsations began surging from the elbow down toward the wrist.
With each pulse, streams of dark blood started flowing out from the four wounds Xu Ze had made, dripping onto the ground.
As the tainted blood steadily fell, the seepage grew less and less, the color gradually turning into a pale red. At the same time, the blackness on the skin receded, giving way back to normal flesh tones…
Witnessing this remarkable scene, the Black bodyguards nearby broke into cheers, and the wounded guard’s face slowly shed its look of despair.
Seeing that the venom had almost completely drained, Xu Ze gave the three needles another flick. Feeling the bioelectric energy ripple back and forth within, he finally let go. After a dozen or so seconds, he withdrew the needles and said to Zhao Jun beside him: “Bandage him up. We need to get moving—we’ve already lost two minutes.”
“Yes, Lieutenant Colonel!” Zhao Jun stared in awe at the wounds, which now appeared completely free of the poison, and quickly dressed them. Meanwhile, Jida and the others swapped in a new guard to carry the furnace, then hurriedly lifted General Zuma again and pressed forward into the depths.
With those two minutes lost, Xu Ze’s group once again heard the faint echoes of two trip-mines being triggered behind them. Xu Ze let out a soft sigh. These Dragon Lion soldiers sent to intercept them were certainly no amateurs—they’d reached the second defensive line this fast. It looked like someone had to stay behind to hold them off; otherwise, there was no way they’d make it until the relief forces arrived.
“Bai Qi… you take the soldiers and escort General Zuma forward to meet up with the reinforcements. I’ll delay them here…” Xu Ze said calmly to Bai Qi.
Bai Qi’s expression shifted, and he replied gravely: “Lieutenant Colonel—absolutely not. General Yang gave explicit orders to protect your safety at all costs. You cannot stay behind. Leave the rearguard to us.”
“No—those Dragon Lion troops are experts in jungle warfare. If you stay, there will be casualties. I’ll hold them off—I’m confident I can pull back safely,” Xu Ze said firmly.
“Impossible, Lieutenant Colonel. Absolutely impossible. You’re underestimating us. We’re Wolf Fang—the republic’s most elite special forces. Even in the rainforest, we operate at peak effectiveness.” Bai Qi refused to budge. “Besides, sir, one man alone can’t slow them down much. Let us take the rear—I’ll lead five men, and that’ll be more than enough to stall them.”
Xu Ze frowned, thinking for a moment, then cut in decisively: “No. There are too many Dragon Lion troops closing in—five won’t cut it. You have to protect General Zuma and make sure he links up with the reinforcements. There may still be a mole among his personal guards—you need to stay alert.”
“But sir—your skills are extraordinary, but your safety is just as critical. We cannot let you take this risk,” Bai Qi insisted stubbornly.
Seeing how unyielding Bai Qi was, Xu Ze had no choice but to relent with a resigned sigh: “Alright, alright… here’s the plan—you take two men and assist me. The other seven must be extra careful escorting General Zuma to the rendezvous.”
Noticing Bai Qi’s eyes still held a hint of reluctance, Xu Ze said evenly: “You have to understand—even if your whole squad stayed behind, there’s no guarantee you could fully stop them. General Zuma’s life or death carries enormous weight for our nation’s interests. Before that greater cause, neither you nor I truly matter. And like I said—I can make it out in one piece.”
“Do you understand?” Xu Ze held Bai Qi’s gaze.
After hearing Xu Ze out, Bai Qi frowned deeply, weighed the options, and finally relented. Leaving seven soldiers as escort should be sufficient—even if one of the four Black guards was still a mole, as long as they didn’t run into a large enemy force, they could keep the general safe.
Xu Ze took fifty rounds of standard sniper ammunition from the squad’s sole marksman and stowed them in his pack. He had barely finished arranging things when his brows knitted again—because once more, he caught the faint rumble of helicopters in the distance behind them.
“Damn it… those Dragon Lion bastards are really going all out—they’ve sent another two choppers…” Xu Ze cursed under his breath, his handsome face clouded with frustration. Then he raised his voice to the group ahead: “Hu Qiang—they’re closing in from behind. Get General Zuma moving at full speed and link up with the relief forces. Once the mission’s complete, I’ll contact you again.”
“Yes, Lieutenant Colonel!” Hu Qiang acknowledged, then urged the team forward with the general.
Watching General Zuma’s party disappear from sight, Xu Ze tightened his grip on the Barrett and said to Bai Qi and the two soldiers: “Alright—spread out. Get traps ready and prepare to engage.”
“Leave the helicopters to me. Watch your own backs,” Xu Ze said calmly before turning and striding swiftly back the way they came.
Watching Xu Ze—who carried nearly forty kilograms of gear—bound and sprint through the undergrowth with the agility of a big cat, Bai Qi once again drew a sharp breath. How physically powerful was this Lieutenant Colonel Xu?
At this point, Bai Qi could finally affirm that Xu Ze far surpassed even their most elite special operators. No wonder he had the nerve to claim he could get out safely.
With Xu Ze now out of sight, Bai Qi wasted no more time. He gestured to the two soldiers and ordered: “Start laying traps, then advance and engage.”
“Yes, sir!” The two remaining soldiers were the squad’s best in pursuit and jungle combat. Though they faced numerous and skilled foes, they remained utterly confident, melting swiftly into the jungle.
Xu Ze sprinted back along the path for a stretch. The helicopter roar from the sky grew clearer, and a cold smirk spread across his face. Three choppers had already been shot down—yet the Dragon Lion army still hadn’t learned their lesson. Sending two more in pursuit… they really weren’t afraid to die.
This was a rainforest, not open plains. In this kind of terrain, helicopters were of limited use—and could easily get shot down from below. They sure were betting big on catching General Zuma.
This time, Xu Ze didn’t ditch his pack. Instead, he slung the Barrett over his shoulder, picked a large tree, and climbed up swiftly.
Perched on a fork, he hung his pack on a small branch, quickly removed the scope from the Barrett, and raised it toward the distant sky.
Though thick foliage blocked the view, in Xu Ze’s eyes there was no obstacle. The system’s optical lenses kicked in instantly, rendering the leaves translucent in his field of vision. He could clearly see the two attack helicopters barreling toward them.
He gently pushed the bolt forward. With a soft click, a round was chambered. Xu Ze squinted, aiming at the choppers in his sights.
“Distance: 980 meters… wind: southeast… speed…” A stream of data scrolled across his HUD. Satisfied, he nodded and squeezed the trigger.
With a muffled thud, the Barrett bucked violently in his hands, the recoil absorbed smoothly by the muscles in his back and arms.
Then his muzzle swept toward the second helicopter. A second later, the first chopper erupted into a fireball. The other reacted fast—two rockets streaked out with white smoke trailing, hissing toward his position.
The system locked onto the projectiles instantly. Within 0.3 seconds, it had analyzed their trajectory—a line of green text flashed past: impact points over ten meters away.
Catching the all-clear alert in the corner of his eye, Xu Ze paid them no further mind. In this dense jungle, a hurried rocket volley would be nearly impossible to pinpoint his location. If he got hit by that, his luck would have to be spectacularly bad. Unfazed, he pulled the trigger again.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Three sharp cracks rang out, and the second helicopter detonated in a shower of sparks. At the same time, two blossoms of flame erupted about ten meters to his side, sending up thin wisps of gray smoke.
Hearing the four explosions in quick succession—two far, two near—Bai Qi, mid-way through setting a trap, took a quiet breath and raised his head toward the direction ahead…
