Chapter 590: The Hunter in the Western Forest

“Target One has reached the Outer City. Predicted to exit the Safe Zone from the west wall. Squad Three snipers move to Section Four of the Western Lands immediately. Squad Five and Squad Three artillery, stand by for orders.”

Squad Five were close-combat specialists, Squad Three handled artillery and sniping. As soon as Xia Qing got the order, she raced at full speed toward Section Four of the Western Lands.

She hadn’t even stepped into Section Four when her walkie-talkie crackled with an urgent report: “Target has climbed over the Safe Zone wall. Deemed to be deserting while evading punishment—authorized to terminate. Squad Three artillery, Number One, fire!”

The commander’s order had barely fallen before artillery thundered through the air.

Judging by the sound, Xia Qing guessed the shell landed at least 3.5 kilometers out—she still had time. Reaching Section Four of the Evolved Forest, she swiftly found the best sniper’s perch, then lined up alternate sniping points. She reported her movement range to the Squad Three captain, raised her sniper rifle, and set her sights.

Blast after blast crept closer to Xia Qing. Soon she caught sight of Sufeng Squad members dashing through the underbrush—her brows knitted together.

In the middle of the group, someone clad in a black protective suit was shielded by the Sufeng Squad. The build and height screamed Tang Zhengsu, the movement was quick—an obvious Speed Evolver. But it wasn’t Tang Zhengsu. Xia Qing was sure of it; she’d spent five years in the shadows tracking down her father’s killer. No one knew him better than her.

This squad was Tang Zhengsu’s test, feeling out their strength and strategy.

Just as Xia Qing was about to pull the trigger, her walkie-talkie interrupted with a new order: “Target One is not among the squad under artillery fire. Artillery, maintain barrage. Half of Squad Five, move out. Squad Three snipers commence. Night Heron, hold position.”

The other half of Squad Five and Squad Three’s Night Heron units were being held back—clearly reserved for Tang Zhengsu himself.

“Copy.” Xia Qing replied coolly, observing the Sufeng Squad inching closer through her night vision goggles. She picked out a few familiar faces. Even going toe-to-toe with Squad Five’s close-quarters experts, these fighters held their own. The standoff was fierce.

This—this was what made Hui Three’s top-ranked combat team so formidable.

Where was Tang Zhengsu? Was this just a feint, or were these men his vanguard and he’d arrive soon after?

Two minutes later, the commander relayed a new order: “Fifteen have crossed the east wall and escaped the Safe Zone, heading east fast. Squad Two stand by, Squad Four snipers provide cover.”

“Squad One, deploy surveillance birds. Scan both east and west Evolved Forest for any hidden helicopters.”

“They’re headed east?”

Damn it!

Just as Xia Qing was cursing under her breath, sweet music came over the comms:

“Now twenty more, armed with heavy weapons, have scaled the west wall and escaped the Safe Zone. Artillery, reposition. Squad Three snipers, provide cover.”

So the other side wasn’t just bringing bodies—they had heavy weapons, grenade launchers that could return fire. The last artillery barrage had already exposed Squad Three’s firing spot. If they didn’t relocate they’d be sitting ducks.

The crossfire erupted in seconds. Explosions answered explosions on both sides.

In the flickering light, Xia Qing caught the glint of a fourth-tier wilderness protective suit in the pack of fifteen—her eyes lit up. It was Tang Zhengsu.

The comms barked out: “Sixth from the left in the fifteen-man squad is confirmed to be Target One. Night Heron, begin sniping.”

“Night Heron, copy.”

Xia Qing sank down, pressed her cheek to the sniper scope, and took aim.

The moment Tang Zhengsu stepped into her range, Xia Qing let the first bullet of the night fly—aimed straight at his protective mask.

No sooner had she shot than she leaped from a tree over four meters high, tumbling to the ground in a roll. With hardly a pause, she dashed for her next planned sniping point—just in time, as a shell ripped apart the tree she’d been hiding behind.

So Sufeng did have top-tier snipers and artillery on their side.

Flat on the ground behind a rock, Xia Qing raised her rifle to aim again. Even on the move, Sufeng’s ranks kept Tang Zhengsu protected in the middle, but it wasn’t airtight.

Second shot!

She took the shot and sprinted for her next position.

The bullet grazed the edge of his protective mask and Tang Zhengsu exploded in anger: “Luo Pei! Damn you! Mattehead, kill that bastard for me!”

“Yes, sir.” Sufeng Squad’s six-star Speed and Endurance Evolver, Mattehead, charged forward behind covering fire with his folding riot shield out front.

“Boss Tang, Luo Pei’s in the Inner City. That can’t be him. This is bad news!” Another Sufeng Squad member was starting to panic. The main forces of both the Military and Qinglong were trapped inside the Inner City. Who was this deadly sniper on the western edge? Where did these artillery experts come from?

Tang Zhengsu had his doubts too, but brushed them aside. “Doesn’t matter—kill ’em first and ask questions later.”

As one of the Sufeng Squad members tore toward her old hiding spot through the hail of explosions, Xia Qing recognized him—Mattehead from Sufeng, Hui Three’s notorious troublemaker.

Perfect timing!

Mattehead advanced rapidly with Sufeng snipers and artillery laying down support, readying a grenade.

“Boom!”

“Boom!”

“Bang!”

Sufeng’s grenades and artillery shells detonated almost at once, right as Squad Three and Five unleashed their own counterattack.

But Xia Qing was the only one in her sector.

She stayed perfectly calm. As Mattehead launched a fourth grenade in her direction, Xia Qing tossed out an old shirt stuffed with rocks—her perfect decoy.

Mattehead fell for it. As he whipped around to track the shadow with a grenade in hand, Xia Qing squeezed the trigger.

Bang!

Her bullet hit the weak point just below the ear of his protective mask—Mattehead dropped instantly, a single shot to the head.

Without missing a beat, Xia Qing rolled away, scrambled up, and darted for her next hiding spot.

“Luo Pei!”

“It’s Luo Pei!”

“Luo Pei is here!”

Seeing Mattehead go down in one shot, the rest of Sufeng’s squad—already dodging shells and bullets—were rattled almost to collapse.

Luo Pei—the Death God of Hui Three, a sniper idolized for his long-range kills. He was supposed to be locked up in the Inner City! How the hell did he end up in the Evolved Forest?

If Luo Pei’s here, then Yang Jin—the top speedster—must be close by too!

Should they try to flee another way? But if they did, what about all the gear and weapons they’d stashed up ahead?

Sufeng’s front line was shattered by that single shot from Xia Qing.

“Azheng! Lao Hong! Come with me—we take them down. The others, hold formation and push forward!” Tang Zhengsu, who’d been spitting curses just moments ago, was now ice-cold as he charged into the forest.

Unless they took out Luo Pei and Yang Jin, none of them would make it out alive.

Tang Zhengsu burst forward, moving even faster than a seventh-tier Evolver—same went for the two by his side. Had they all taken Evolution Element stim shakes?

No chance to run, Xia Qing kept her cool and raised her rifle, lining up Tang Zhengsu in her crosshairs.

Just then, a familiar, calm voice came through her walkie-talkie: “Night Heron, fall back at three o’clock. Artillery, shift fire toward Section Five, Western Evolved Forest. Fire at target designated by the laser.”

That was Xie Yu! At last, Qinglong’s team was here.

Xia Qing didn’t hesitate. She gave up her sniping post and sprinted west as fast as she could.

But she couldn’t match Tang Zhengsu and his men for speed. Before long, she could hear their footsteps closing in all around her—just then, another voice, even more familiar, buzzed in her ear:

“Night Heron! Get down!”