Chapter 557: The Night Raid on Section Three

As news of Xia Qing taking down the intruders came in, lords hiding in their territory basements, caves, or tree hollows were about to relax when Yue Haiying’s calm, serious voice came over the channel:

“Xia Qing, another high-level Speed Evolver and a high-level Elasticity Evolver just crossed into our territory from Hill Fifty. They slipped past our snipers and are heading straight for Section Three. They’re armed with sniper rifles and submachine guns. The two before them were killed—one blown up, one shot. Now two more are coming. This means they’ve sent at least one elite squad against Section Three.”

“Xia Qing, stay hidden. Yin Jie, Ding Hao, fall back and conceal yourselves immediately.” This kind of enemy is way beyond what Yin Jie or Ding Hao can handle. If they run into these two, there’s only one outcome: death.

A high-level Speed Evolver sniper?! The entire territory was instantly on edge. So, Fire Phoenix, frustrated that explosives didn’t flatten Section Three, has sent in another squad with at least three high-level Evolvers?

Looks like they’re dead set on killing Xia Qing… Zhao Ze wanted to tell Xia Qing again, just abandon your territory and take shelter in Territory Seven.

“Copy that,” Xia Qing replied coolly then ordered Er Gou to hide in the stone pit they’d prepared in advance. “Er, get into the hole. Watch how I take out the enemy.”

Obediently, Er Gou hid in the stone nest on the high slope, steel bars reinforcing the entrance. Listening to the earth and stones tremble, with the thunder of gunfire nearby, he peered through the cracks with his shaggy face set and watched Xia Qing.

With fingers steady on her sniper rifle, Xia Qing’s sharp gaze scanned through the night vision goggles at the two figures darting through Territory Nine toward her. The Elasticity Evolver led, the Speed Evolver with the sniper rifle followed. Their spacing and stride made it obvious—they worked together like clockwork.

If they’d come one at a time, Xia Qing wouldn’t have worried. No matter how strong an Evolver is, they have to climb over the four-meter-tall iron mesh wall to enter Section Three. Anyone doing that is practically a sitting duck.

But the two covering each other meant they might actually break in. If they made it inside, a fierce fight was coming.

Even in the elite Qinglong combat squad, ranked ninth, led by Hu Zifeng with ten people, there’s only one high-level Evolver—and that’s a non-combat Vision Evolver. However disciplined their teamwork, going up against two high-level combat Evolvers working in sync was a losing battle.

So, at least one of the pair must be taken down before they breach the wall.

“I’ll snipe their sniper. Everyone else focus fire on the Elasticity Evolver,” Xia Qing ordered, aiming squarely at the enemy sniper.

“Roger!” Hu Zifeng’s squad fixed their sights on the Elasticity Evolver, the one who could leap over thirty meters in one bound.

“They’re prepping grenades—looks like they’re about to blow the fence.”

Hearing Xia Qing’s update over the walkie-talkie, Liangzi—Hu Zifeng’s sixth-level Vision Evolver—blinked rapidly.

This confirmed Xia Qing’s visual evolution was higher than his. But today, Xia Qing wore a special ops suit with a matching night vision goggles, way better quality than Liangzi’s own. Hard to say if she was level seven, eight, or even higher.

Either way, it got his blood pumping. Advanced vision evolution is a must for a top sniper. No wonder Xia Qing’s skills had risen so fast in the past year.

Hui Three Base was about to have another legendary sharpshooter, ready to fight side by side with Luo!

“Enemy sniper is hiding behind the stone wall in Territory Nine—can’t get a clear shot.”

Even as their enemy sheltered in Territory Nine’s barricade, Section Three was within his range. And he was well within Xia Qing’s as well.

Right now, Xia Qing really missed her grenade launcher—it was on loan, helping the Inspection Team fend off a beast tide. That launcher wasn’t available, but her allies’ were.

Xia Qing called her Idol over comms. “Third Brother, are you there?”

“Here,” Zhang San answered, his voice steady and powerful, like he was standing over an operating table instead of lounging in a chair.

“Third Brother, can I borrow Territory Seven’s grenade launcher to hit the invaders hiding in Territory Nine?”

Zhang San didn’t even hesitate. “Go for it.”

“Thanks, Third Brother.” Xia Qing gave the order, still calm as ever. “Please, in thirty seconds, fire the grenade launcher at the northeast corner of Building Three in Territory Nine.”

Hu Zifeng’s squad: Damn! You can do that?!

Lords’ Alliance members: See? Whenever you’re in a pinch, just call Third Brother!

“Roger.”

With Ally support secured, Xia Qing issued her next command. “Guan Tong, throw a rocket grenade at a point 35 degrees southeast from your spot, 450 meters out. Once you’ve thrown it, move to another hiding place immediately. Don’t stick your head out.”

A rocket grenade is a hand grenade fitted with a rocket booster—maximum range is 500 meters.

“On it.” Guan Tong grabbed the grenade and launched it as instructed.

The grenade streaked out, trailing fire and everyone’s hopes. But before it even touched down, a grenade hurled from the Territory Nine bunker hit it head on. Both exploded midair.

“BOOM—”

The explosion was so fierce, Zhou Xun—faking a bloody death in Territory Two—almost jumped up in shock. Elsewhere, in Territory Twelve, Tang Huai, and in Territory Ten, Shizhong with his family, snapped to attention, fully alert.

“Who did that? Where’d it land?” Tang Huai, one foot on a tightly bound intruder, shouted in the Lords’ channel.

“Hah.” In the Territory Nine bunker, the high-level Elasticity Evolver sneered, “That’s the best they’ve got? What a joke.”

The Speed Evolver cut in, “Don’t let your guard down. There’s a fully-geared Qinglong squad in Section Three.”

“Pfft. All that gear’s useless. Other than Yang Jin and Luo Pei, the rest of Qinglong are nothing to—” He didn’t even finish before a shell’s roar screamed through the air, forcing him to leap out of the way.

Now! This was the opening!

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

“BOOM—”

As the shell detonated, Hu Zifeng, Liangzi, and Peng Jian—all marksmen in the squad—opened fire in sync, targeting the Elasticity Evolver as he sprang clear.

Xia Qing searched for the enemy sniper, scanning quickly with both eye and barrel. When she saw he hadn’t moved, she ordered calmly, “Third Brother, twenty meters south from the last spot—fire again.”

“BOOM—”

“Now twenty meters east—another shot.”

“BOOM—”

There it is!

The instant the hiding sniper rolled out to dodge, Xia Qing predicted his route perfectly. Her shot rang out, the bullet flying straight for his gut.

Hit! But he wasn’t seriously wounded—the guy wore high-grade protective gear.

“Third Brother, thirty meters southeast of Building Two in Territory Nine. Jing Kuan, Er Yong, move in.”

“BOOM!”

Run!

The blown-out sniper abandoned his attack and bolted south for Territory Twelve. He zigzagged the whole way, trying to throw off Section Three’s snipers and dodge the next shell.

Eight years fighting, always the hunter—now he was the prey. He’d never been this humiliated!

Gunfire in Territory Twelve had only just died down. The fire there still raged and Xia Qing couldn’t let the sniper escape to cause more chaos. If he made it, after the brawl Tang Huai would be here whining to stroke sheep and pet wolves.

“Bang!”

Xia Qing’s shot nailed the fleeing sniper in the thigh. It didn’t get through his armor, but it sent him stumbling and tumbling forward.

He faked right, darted left—then took another hit under the ribs before he could get far.

His head, still ringing from the blast, clung to one desperate thought: They fell for it. Luo Pei must be back in the territory!

Turning, he saw two Speed Evolvers racing in. He slammed his palm to his chest and set off the bombs strapped to him.

And the Elasticity Evolver?

He took a bullet during the second shelling and blew up when he landed.

Xia Qing lowered her rifle, pressed her comm button, and reported to Commander Yue Haiying:

“Section Three, with Territory Seven’s support, has eliminated one high-level Elasticity intruder and one high-level Speed intruder.”