Monarch of Evernight (Web Novel)

[Volume 3 - The Place Where My Heart Feels At Peace]

“Of course there’s good news! Miss Qiqi had supplied us a batch of good stuff! You’ll understand once you come out and take a look!”

“Oh yeah? Then I should give it a look.” Qianye stood up and followed Bao Zhengcheng outside.

After the previous battle, Qianye had used his own performance to subdue this group of strong and proud soldiers. Bao Zhengcheng had also become true comrades with him.

Bao Zhengcheng had to admit that this Qianye who was nearly twenty years old younger than him seemed born for the battlefield. While his tactical and ability to command could not be judged just yet, Qianye’s individual prowess and battlefield reactions completely qualified him to become the core of a battle group. Moreover, an excellent sniper had the ability to alter a battle situation singlehandedly and thus, could not be replaced.

Right now, a dozen or so soldiers were moving many boxes of equipment down from the trucks. Qianye did not even need to open the boxes. A glance at the numbers on the inscribed signboards was enough to cause a jump at the corner of his eyebrows.

“One hundred grade one sets, sixty grade two sets, and ten grade three sets of the imperial single unit combat armor ‘Iron Shield’, one box of origin grenades, five hundred blank origin bullets, a set of origin machine gun ‘Tempest’ and three sets of multi-barreled cannon ‘Vulcan’! Heh! This time we can fight to our heart’s content!” Bao Zhengcheng rubbed his hands excitedly while speaking.

The imperial single unit combat armor “Iron Shield” was the elite soldier equipment of the Empire’s main corps. This also meant that it wasn’t something that was normally seen in a list of allocation. The normal allocation rate of such equipment was 10% for a normal company, and 20% for a special company. Increased allocation would only happen in a national war grade large-scale military campaign.

This time, not only did Qiqi provided them with one “Iron Shield” armor each, they even had reserves. Just what kind of expenditure was this?

“Tempest” was an origin heavy machine gun. Although it was only a grade two firearm, its unique optimized functionality was its firepower which was comparable right up to a rank four firearm. However, its consumption was just as shocking, and even a rank four Fighter with a solid foundation like Bao Zhengcheng could only fire continuously for a full minute up to a hundred or so bullets before he would use up all of his origin power. This firearm used prefabricated physical origin bullets too. The amount of expenditure was literally astronomical!

Half of the ammo on the car was prepared for “Vulcan”. These three big guys had massive firepower, and their ammo consumption was just as terrifying. If they did not use it sparingly, they could fire almost a thousand large caliber bullets in a minute.

These two trucks of munition supplies could almost compare to a special corps already. Even if were convert them to money it would not go lower than thirty thousand imperial gold coins. When Qianye calculated this number in his mind, he was momentarily dumbfounded as he recalled Qiqi’s and Auntie Lan’s catchphrases on no lack of money. He could not help but understand just a little deeper about the style of aristocratic families.

Bao Zhengcheng’s face was full of smiles as he fondly picked up “Tempest’s” tactical accessories and equipped it testily onto the weapon, saying excitedly, “This precious little baby is something that only special corps can own. We’ve gotta do something big this time!”

Qianye also smiled, “The intel from the expeditionary forces’ general war zone headquarters should have arrived too. Let’s give it a good look.”

A moment later, Qianye took out the military use map from the document bag inside the combat room and was startled immediately.

Bao Zhengcheng also froze for a second before saying, “Isn’t this advisor rank intel?” afraid that Qianye might not understand the grading system, he pointed out a few labels and gave a brief explanation.

Qianye immediately understood that this was Qiqi’s handiwork.

Ji Yuanjia had mentioned in his letter that Qiqi’s troops on the Evernight Continent would be launching a large-scale military operation soon. This also meant that the results of the martial roll of the Yin Family’s successor exam were about to become apparent. If there was a military campaign grade ops, it would not be difficult for someone of Qiqi’s identity to obtain the support of the expeditionary force military advisor grade intel. After that, she directly bent the law for herself and delivered the information to him. He believed that she would definitely send him a copy in passing if she acquired a military advisor grade one intel as well.

Bao Zhengcheng immediately figured out the ins and outs too and let out a meaningful chuckle immediately. He purposely cast a glance at Qianye with all sorts of underlying meanings behind his eyes.

Qianye simply pretended that he had seen nothing and continued to research the map busily.

By now, the company’s advisor and NCOs had arrived upon the summons. They had gathered together and began selecting their operations paths and attack targets.

The battlefield advisor that was allocated to the 131th Company might have been part of the seventeenth corps, but he had spent nearly half of his active service in the combat unit of cooperative defense on the Evernight Continent. He might not know the battle zone around Xichang City like the back of his hand, but he was still very familiar with it.

After brushing his fingers across the map for a bit, and discussing a few lines with the NCOs, he pointed at a dark race base and said, “Sir, how about we take this base out?”

Bao Zhengcheng slapped his thigh and said, “Of course! That’ll be our target.”

That was also one of the two reserve targets in Qianye’s mind after he looked over the map. He agreed on the spot and nodded, “Send down the notice to mobilize our troops tomorrow and depart the day after. We will research our route of march again tomorrow afternoon.”

Two days later, the 131th Company left behind only a platoon to garrison the camp before Qianye led and departed with the entire company, approaching towards their target. Not long after he made his way, the intel had been placed at Gu Liyu’s desk.

Gu Liyu’s face was covered in sneers as he watched the company’s planned ambush direction.

He had left out two traps on his redrawn military intelligence map. Anyone who analyzed this map would choose that place as a first choice attack target unless the choice was made by a complete amateur who knew nothing about military affairs and made a random selection while closing his eyes. However, he also believed that with the quality of 131th Company’s original staff, especially an honest and just veteran soldier who lost his major rank because of a single line like Bao Zhengcheng would absolutely not obey his superior’s blind commands.

However, in the real military intelligence map, there were several dark races troops that were currently mobilizing towards that direction. Even if the 131th Company had successfully taken out a base, they would still fell right into the pockets of the dark races’ main army. It would not be as easy to escape from them.

The route of march Qianye selected was complicated and circuitous. The places they trekked were almost all mountains and ruins. They marched for a full seven days over several hundred of kilometers before they finally closed in on their target.

No one complained, however. On the contrary, they were extremely impressed with Qianye. He had personally scouted the path himself, and every time they brushed past the dark races’ patrols without ever being discovered. Be it the vampires, werewolves or arachne, Qianye knew about their habits like the back of his hand. Although the situation had looked utmost perilous several times, the danger always passed by them leaving behind more fright than harm.

By now everyone knew that Qianye’s former occupation was a hunter in the Boulderstone Region. However, the expeditionary forces would probably have to consider recruiting new soldiers from the Home of Hunters if every hunter was as great as Qianye. Of course, this was impossible!

While resting, an NCO who was very close to Bao Zhengcheng happened to talk about this as a conversation starter. Bao Zhengcheng let out a simple laugh and pointed at him, saying, “A person whose rank isn’t high and lacking in commanding experience, but is capable of fighting in every position. Where do you think such a person would come from?”

The NCO wore a look of realization on his face, “Oh, he’s someone like lieutenant colonel Ji…” Ji Yuanjia was a figure among the top five back when he was an officer in the seventeenth corps. It was rumored that he was even qualified to enter the Empire’s elite corps, but his quota was replaced by an aristocratic child due to his humble background. However, Ji Yuanjia had also entered a special corps before. It was only later that he was transferred and promoted to a ranked officer in the seventeenth corps.

Bao Zhengcheng continued to chuckle. Among the middle and lower rank officers in the seventeenth corps, he could also be considered a member that was close to the Drinking Horse Yin Family. His military registry was guaranteed by none other than the Yin Family themselves, and he had seen many sights of aristocratic families recruiting talents from the army. At first, he was surprised by Qianye’s overly beautiful appearance, thinking that this time Miss Qiqi with her reputation might have gone a little overboard this time, but he did not think that it was he whose eyes were mistaken.

Just like this, this troop finally neared the dark races’ base during the early morning of the eighth day.

Right now dawn was not far away, and this was the most tiring moment for the dark races since they were about to fall asleep.

Of course, there were not glimmers of dawn during the dark seasons of the abandoned land. The sky god knew how many kilometers up above might have been bathed in sunlight, but the earth was still eternally dark.

The village-like base was quiet, and there were two black wolves crouching in front of the entrance lazily and letting out large yawns occasionally. This was all of the guards of the base.

Hiding on a hill several hundred meters away, Qianye observed with the quad-directional binoculars for a moment before making a hand gesture to Bao Zhengcheng. This intrepid, brawny man licked his lips and slowly crawled towards the base while carrying the origin machine gun “Tempest” on his back. His huge, bear-like physique was unexpectedly agile, and he made almost no sound at all during the way. Behind him, several hundreds of soldiers were clutching the ground closely just the same and slowly approaching the base.

The two black wolves seemed to have sensed something and suddenly stood up on their feet. Then, they raised their heads towards the sky and got ready to howl.

Dull gunshots tore apart the silence of the dawn. The two black wolves’ heads burst open and their bodies fell backwards, slamming heavily onto the base’s wall. Black wolves like these that could not transform to human form could not even be considered regular soldiers among the werewolves. Large caliber sniper rifles were fatal for them.

The two snipers swiftly changed bullets and readjusted their aims.

Meanwhile, Bao Zhengcheng leaped up from the ground and charged towards the base’s main entrance with large steps. The soldiers of the 131th Company also followed suit and began forming up for a charge.

The alarm inside the base rang madly, followed by chaos. Figures rushed up the city’s walls.

The gunshots of sniper rifles rang continuously, and blood blossomed above the walls in response. Caught off guard, the dark race soldiers were shot off the walls. There were only less than one-third of dark soldiers who successfully returned fire, but their aims were unpleasant to speak of. Humans were still the more talented race when it came to shooting.

When Bao Zhengcheng was fifty meters away from the main entrance, he swung out two origin grenades from his large hand, powerfully and accurately!

The terrific explosion nearly pushed the large door to the floor. The dozen or so dark race soldiers who were attempting to shut the stone cast door were all turned into corpses.

The few NCOs who were following closely behind Bao Zhengcheng and charging also tossed out their origin grenades. Explosions rippled inside the base, accompanied by waves of bloodcurdling screams.

The common soldiers surged to the main entrance while Bao Zhengcheng led a few rank two Fighters and leaped right up the defense walls. They risked the scattered and increasingly poor aims of bullet rains falling from the wall and swept out the remaining enemies.

Just as the information had labeled, this base did not have any heavy defense weapon and was most suitable to take down by a company scale troops.

Suddenly, a large black shadow flew out amidst the powdered smoke of battle! The dark figure that covered only half the wall had shrouded almost all the human soldiers with its shadow.

It was a dark race near three meters tall.

The lower half of its body had the eight claws of a spider. The leg hair of every bottom limb was shaped in the standard size of a narrow dagger, flashing with sharp, cold gleams. The upper half of its body was shaped like a human, and it was gripping a four meter steel spear in both its arms! It charged right up to the walls and penetrated a rank two Fighter who failed to get away in time in one spear, lifting him high up into the air and letting out a threatening roar at Bao Zhengcheng!

It was a rank six arachne!