Chapter 98: Secret Passageway
All the machine guns and grenade launchers in the base were immediately adjusted to face the fast-approaching Thorns.
Upon seeing their reaction, Couton knew that Thorns was an ally right away. He then shouted, “All vehicles on the flank, make a path for the unexpected guest!”
The Coutonian motorcade changed its formation, emptying a path on its flank that led directly to the front gate of the base, which allowed Thorns to conveniently charge forward.
Han Xiao was alone in Thorns. After they killed Ghostly Fox’s team, they had gone back and repaired Thorns at the Farian base. This time, he came alone. Other factions in the Somar Desert would not allow such a great opportunity to pass. The main fighting force of Rose Militant had been wiped out. Han Xiao passed this piece of information to them. It gave him the ability to fish in the troubled waters.
The grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, and small-scale missile launchers had to be controlled manually using the aiming system beside the speedometer. An automated firepower control system was not installed in the vehicle.
There were many incoming rounds. Han Xiao managed to escape some, and the armored exterior absorbed the impact of the rest. He then aimed one of the cannons at the wall of the base and fired. As the vehicle vibrated violently, a few small-scale missiles and grenade explosives blasted promptly on the wall, triggering a glaring flame.
The canon exploded into thousand pieces, lingering in the air.
Inside the base, Luo was livid. She had a hunch that they would not be able to guard the base. She called in Su Li and gave her an orderly softly. “We will give up the base and evacuate using the secret passageway. Bring five people with us.”
Su Li nodded her head, agreeing with the plan.
The mercenaries left guarding the base would be the sacrificial lambs while they quietly evacuated the base using the passageway. As long as they survived, they could get as many mercenaries as they wanted from their secret sponsor.
The Rose Militant mercenaries who were defending against the incoming attack did not know that they had been abandoned. They were still operating the canons assiduously to defend again the Coutonians and Thorns. The blasting sounds of canons filled their ears; smoke and flames engulfed their sight. They could not hear a word from one another. Everyone was fighting as if they were the only reef there against the ocean wave, fighting a lone battle.
Hoooomm…
After more than ten rocket rounds were fired at the scarred metal gate, it finally gave in and blew up. The gate was open!
“Charge!” Couton was overjoyed.
The motorcade entered in a single file. Following which, the Coutonians, equipped with automatic rifles, swept through the entire base. The mercenaries from Rose Militant could not set up an effective counterattack the moment the enemies charged into the base. They were shot into sieves when they tried to escape from the canon emplacements.
Han Xiao drove Thorns in. He took out his two Berserk Eagles and acted independently. The Coutonians gave him a glance him but did not hold him back.
Han Xiao’s movement was as swift as could be, his black windbreaker flying like a cape. He was like a dark specter scouring the battlefield. Soon, he finished searching the entire base. In the process, he encountered two mercenaries from Rose Militant, who he pre-emptively shot in the head. One of them was rather beautiful—she would have turned many heads if she wore a bikini and walked on the beach. Han Xiao secretly regretted his decision to shoot her in the head.
After a round of searching, Han Xiao did not spot the leader of Rose Militant. His brows knitted as he knew the whole situation was not so simple.
There must be a secret passageway.
Wars were daily affairs in the Somar Desert. It would not be surprising if the Rose Militant kept a secret passageway for their evacuation.
Han Xiao soon discovered their tracks. Luo and her gang had left in a hurry; thus, they had left some footprints behind. He followed the trail of the footsteps and entered a hidden cellar beneath the ground. The cellar was dark and filled with a moist, humid smell.
A secret underground river?
Han Xiao ignited a fire pack before he threw it down. The depth was about five meters. He ensured that it was safe before he jumped down.
Beneath the base was a rocky mountain, and the cellar was actually a path dug within it. Like the passageway in a regularly mine, the walls of the path were held up by wooden frames. It was completely dark at the front of the path as there was not a single source of light. There were clear footprints in the soil.
Han Xiao raised his hand to feel the rocky walls, and he felt a patch of moisture. He suspected that there might be a secret underground river nearby.
The situation of the path ahead was uncertain. Han Xiao pondered for a moment. He then took out his spider detector and laid it on the floor. The mechanical spider stood at attention like a soldier awaiting orders as Han Xiao started controlling it with his tablet.
I will call you Spider No.1.
After coming up with an amazing name as usual, Han Xiao quickly controlled Spider No.1 to move further into the path. The vision of its camera was shown on the tablet—Spider No.1 was equipped with a night-vision camera.
After moving for a while, Spider No.1 suddenly ran into a rocky wall; it had reached the end of the path.
As the path was clear of danger, Han Xiao took out his torchlight and walked briskly to the end of the passageway. Unsurprisingly, he spotted a secret door on the ceiling. Heaps of sand fell as he opened the door.
Han Xiao stuck his head out of the opening, and he looked out of the cellar—it was a slanted cave. Sunlight was shining in through the opening of the cave along the slope, and the ground was covered in tire tracks.
Han Xiao swiftly moved out of the cave, and his view suddenly brightened. The place was a complex of weathered rocks. The silhouette of the base could be seen from a distance. A vehicles’ tracks had been left in the desert, heading away from the base.
The remaining members of Rose Militant escaped using the vehicle. I’d better chase them quickly.
Han Xiao retrieved Spider No.1 and went back to the base hastily. He prepared to chase them using Thorns.
The Coutonians had eradicated Rose Militant’s presence within the base. They were now unloading all the supplies to take them away. They slowed down their movement and focused all their attention on Han Xiao as he walked out. They were looking at him warily. Han Xiao’s heart sank.
Couton brought a bunch of mercenaries and surrounded Thorns. Han Xiao touched his gun in secret before he walked over to them and said, “Move away.”
“Who are you?” Couton looked Han Xiao up and down, thinking about something.
“Not important. Please get away from my car.”
“Your car?”
Couton glanced at Thorns before a wicked smile appeared on his face. He gave his men a signal, and they quietly surrounded Han Xiao, ready to draw out their guns anytime.
“Are you sure this is your car?” Couton stared at Han Xiao and chuckled.
He was clearly threatening Han Xiao.
If Han Xiao’s answer was not to his liking, he would have his whole gang of men beat him up.
Phew.
Han Xiao attacked without saying a word. He swiftly dashed three meters forward, and his Berserk Eagles were already pointing at Couton’s forehead, like an unsheathed sword. His movement was as fast as that of a fox, and his gun moved rapidly like lightning.
“That was too fast!” The surrounding mercenaries were shocked. They then hurriedly raised their guns and aimed at Han Xiao. Han Xiao’s sudden specter-like movement made them extremely nervous. Furthermore, their boss’s head was right against Han Xiao’s pistol, so they did not dare fire at him. They were in a deadlock.
Although there was a gun to his forehead, Couton was surprisingly calm and unafraid—he had always been living his life on edge.
“If you want to threaten me to disarm my men, you can save yourself the effort.” He smiled coldly.
“You know who I am. Your master would not want his people to fight against each other,” Han Xiao replied calmly. He seemed oblivious to all the guns pointing directly at him.
Couton’s expression turned gloomy. He frowned and pondered for nearly one minute, the tension on the ground increasing all the while, before he suddenly waved his arms to ask his men to drop their guns down. He gave a half-hearted smile and said, “It seems like it is really your car.”
Han Xiao held his Berserk Eagle up and remained unmoved.
Couton moved sideways to open a path for Han Xiao.
Only then did Han Xiao start moving. He brushed past Couton before going up to the Thorns and saying in a hostile manner, “Good try.”
He then stepped on the accelerator and drove away.
The smile on Couton’s face disappeared as he watched the car vanish in the distance. He turned around and realized that his men were all watching him.
“What are you guys looking at‽ Hurry up and carry the items away,” he shouted snappily.
Although he was eyeing Thorns, he did not want to bear the possibility of infuriating his master. Couton reckoned that Han Xiao was an assassin hired by his master, so he was on his side. Thus, after Han Xiao pointed this fact out, he could no longer provoke him. If he messed up his master’s plan, he would suffer dire consequences.
Furthermore, Han Xiao was an assassin that he did not know enough background information about. So, after some consideration, he decided to control his greed and made peace with Han Xiao.
