Chapter 5

After walking for a while, the sun came up, and Luo Zheng climbed up the hill. Looking around, he saw the surrounding mountains stretching endlessly, with withered grass and shrubs growing on the hillside. There was no path to be found, no sign of human habitation, and the desolation was suffocating. It felt like entering a lifeless no-man's land. Only a few birds flew into the sky, chirping happily, adding a bit of vitality to the silent wasteland. Luo Zheng knew he was lost and had completely lost the trail.

Feeling frustrated and restless, Luo Zheng sat down to rest, closing his eyes slightly to recover his strength. He began to breathe according to the secret method passed down in his family. His ancestors had been hunters for generations, and the only things left were a crude shotgun and this secret method, which had no name and no known origin. It was passed down from generation to generation, and its greatest benefit was that it could enhance one's hearing and vision and accelerate the recovery of physical strength, making it perfect for hunting in the forest.

After all, Luo Zheng was not a professionally trained elite soldier. He had only been in the border defense force for half a year after leaving the new recruit training. No matter how you calculated it, he was still a new recruit. He had pursued the trail here with a surge of passion, relying on the experience and physical strength he had accumulated from hunting with his elders as a child. After a night of frantic running, he was almost completely exhausted and gradually fell asleep.

"Boom!" A faint explosion sounded.

Luo Zheng, who had been sleeping, suddenly woke up, his eyes flashing with a sharp light. He sprang to his feet and looked around, but saw nothing. The mountains were still the same, vast and endless, with a light breeze and clear sky. The air after the heavy rain was particularly fresh, making one feel refreshed and at ease. Luo Zheng looked up at the sun in the sky and was certain that what he had heard was not an illusion. It was impossible for thunder to strike on a clear day in the highlands, so the only explanation was an explosion.

Thinking about this, Luo Zheng's spirits were greatly lifted. He quickly put on his backpack, grabbed his machete, and looked around with a cold, stern gaze, waiting for another explosion. Thanks to the family breathing method, the brief rest had completely restored his strength and energy, making him look as lively and vigorous as ever.

"Boom!" Another faint explosion sounded.

This time, Luo Zheng敏锐地 felt the direction of the explosion, which was deep in the mountains, far from him. He was overjoyed and, without hesitation, sprinted in that direction, secretly relieved to finally have a clue. Thinking of the tragic deaths of his comrades, Luo Zheng was filled with strength, his steps swift and powerful.

Climbing over one mountain after another, crossing ridges, and wading through valleys, the explosions did not sound again. An hour later, Luo Zheng reached a hilltop and looked around. The surrounding area was still a vast, endless expanse of mountains, with no sign of human habitation. In the distance, there was a forest with tall, dense trees reaching up to the sky.

Seeing this familiar yet strange wilderness, Luo Zheng felt disheartened. This vast wilderness was already in the territory of a neighboring country. Where could he find the murderer? If he went in the wrong direction, not only would he waste his time, but he would also miss the best opportunity to catch the culprit. What was he to do? The images of his comrades' tragic deaths flooded his mind, and Luo Zheng's face was filled with sorrow and helplessness.

"Screech!" A sharp bird call tore through the clear sky, adding a bit of life to the desolate wilderness. Luo Zheng turned his head and saw an eagle flying into the clouds. Immediately after, a flock of birds emerged from the forest with towering trees, flying into the sky in a panic.

Seeing this, Luo Zheng's spirits were greatly lifted. The birds' sudden flight indicated that there were people in the forest. "Boom!" A faint explosion sounded from the forest, confirming Luo Zheng's judgment. Overjoyed, Luo Zheng charged into the forest, not considering the danger. To avenge his comrades, Luo Zheng was fearless.

Once in the forest, Luo Zheng used his hunting experience to search for clues—broken branches, trampled ground, and touched tree bark. After a thorough investigation, he found nothing, but fortunately, another explosion sounded ahead. Luo Zheng ran forward, faintly hearing the "whoosh" of bullets tearing through the air.

"There's a battle ahead," Luo Zheng confirmed, and his pace quickened. The sound of bullets being fired became louder, occasionally mixed with the sound of a grenade explosion.

Running through the forest was very exhausting, but fortunately, the trees were tall, and the dense canopy blocked most of the sunlight. The ground, lacking sunlight, had no shrubs or weeds, only thick layers of dead leaves. The air was filled with the smell of decaying leaves and mud, and the forest's interior after the heavy rain was not as beautiful as it appeared.

For Luo Zheng, who was accustomed to the jungle, this was nothing. He had been traversing the depths of the forest with his elders since he was ten, often for over half a month at a time. Luo Zheng was very familiar and comfortable with the forest. As he ran, he moved like a nimble mountain monkey, leaping over obstacles with great speed.

After about ten minutes, the sounds of battle stopped. Luo Zheng instinctively slowed down. Although he had no combat experience, he knew it was dangerous to go further. He carefully observed his surroundings, tiptoeing to the back of a large tree. After ensuring there was no danger, he quickly ran to another tree to continue observing.

Luo Zheng had seen the cruel fights between animals and the tragic deaths of his uncles and brothers at the hands of fierce beasts since he was young. He was not too afraid of death, but he valued his life. Only by staying alive could he avenge his brothers!

The further he went, the more cautious Luo Zheng became. Soon, he saw a person lying on the ground, with blood on the back of their head and shoulders. Most of their head had been blown off, and they were already dead. They were wearing a very unique camouflage uniform, green with yellow, brown, and black patterns, blending seamlessly with the surrounding environment. If it weren't for the blood on their head, they would have been impossible to spot.

Luo Zheng cautiously approached and turned the person over. The face was that of an East Asian, with a strong, resolute expression and clear, black-and-white eyes filled with unwillingness and a longing for life. Next to the body was a high-quality weapon, which looked like a sniper rifle. There was no identification on the body, so Luo Zheng picked up the gun to examine it.

For a new border defense soldier, Luo Zheng was used to using a crude shotgun and had few opportunities to use a gun. He had only touched a few during his new recruit training, with very few bullets. His knowledge of guns was far from sufficient. At the border outpost, he had more opportunities to handle guns, but the management of bullets was very strict, and he had not fired a single shot in half a year. He could only roughly identify the parts of the gun. Suddenly, he heard two gunshots from ahead.

Luo Zheng was startled and ran forward. Soon, he saw someone fire a shot and quickly roll to the side. The spot where they had been hiding was hit by three consecutive bullets, with only a split second between them. If they had been even a fraction of a second slower, they would have been killed.