Chapter 8

Luo Zheng turned his head and saw a person leaning against a huge tree. It was the female soldier, her expression pained, with blood flowing from her thigh. She was using vines to bind the wound. Without hesitation, Luo Zheng rushed over, placed his military backpack on the ground, and quickly opened it to search inside while asking, "Are you injured?"

Immediately after, Luo Zheng felt his collar being grabbed, and he was dragged to the side, behind the big tree. A gunshot rang out, and the spot where he had been crouching was hit by a bullet. He was shocked. Seeing that the one who saved him was the female soldier, he was about to express his gratitude when she made a gesture for him to be quiet. He quickly shut his mouth and listened carefully to the surroundings, not daring to breathe loudly, for fear of affecting the female soldier.

The female soldier, her face as cold as ice, remained unchanged. She listened for a moment, then sat up straight and began to rummage through Luo Zheng's military backpack. She found a first-aid kit, quickly opened it, and used a small pair of scissors to skillfully cut the pants on her thigh, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin. Suddenly remembering Luo Zheng was there, she gave him a fierce glare, and he quickly turned away.

A rustling sound was heard. Luo Zheng thought of the glimpse he had caught of the snow-white skin, which was so alluring that his blood began to boil. But then, thinking of the female soldier's terrifying skills and her fierce expression, his boiling blood instantly turned cold, and all his lustful thoughts vanished.

"Aren't you afraid of death?" a female voice whispered.

Luo Zheng knew the female soldier was asking him. He turned around and saw that she had indeed bandaged her wound. Without hesitation, he shook his head and said, "Of course I'm afraid. Who isn't afraid of death?"

"Then why did you come back?" the female soldier asked coldly.

"I can't let a woman be the rear guard. They might be my enemies. Nine lives, I have to come back," Luo Zheng said, his face becoming resolute. A killing aura erupted from him, and he gripped his machete tighter, his eyes becoming determined, dispelling the panic from before.

"Hmm?" The female soldier let out a barely audible gasp, looking at Luo Zheng with a hint of surprise on her cold, beautiful face. Then she turned away. Anyone can talk big, but it takes real skill to back it up. In her view, Luo Zheng's courage was commendable, but his skills were too ordinary. She quickly checked her weapons and leaned against the tree, closing her eyes to rest.

Luo Zheng knew the female soldier wasn't really resting but was trying to help him relax and focus on the enemy's next move. Just like the old folks at home taught him about hunting, what you see and hear isn't always real; only what you feel is truly real. When a wild animal attacks, it emits a killing aura. Feeling this aura means you can sense the animal's position and the timing of its attack. But this subtle feeling isn't something everyone can master. Luo Zheng had practiced for over ten years and still hadn't succeeded.

"Hey, what should I call you?" Luo Zheng asked softly.

The female soldier didn't move, ignoring Luo Zheng. He really wanted to ask what to do next. They didn't know how many enemies were outside, and hiding here wasn't a solution. Suddenly, a gunshot rang out, and he saw the female soldier fire back without hesitation, as if she knew where the enemy was hiding.

"Hey, little girl, running out of bullets? How about a deal?" a male voice with a Western accent shouted in broken Mandarin, his tone full of mockery and provocation.

The female soldier curled her body into a ball to reduce the area exposed to attack, leaning against the tree to rest. Luo Zheng could see that she was severely fatigued and looked very exhausted, perhaps due to blood loss. Fortunately, she had bandaged the wound earlier, temporarily stopping the bleeding. If she moved too much, the wound might reopen, and he felt a surge of protectiveness, a natural instinct for men to protect women.

"Give me your pistol, and I'll draw them away," Luo Zheng said to the female soldier, his tone firm.

The female soldier didn't even look at Luo Zheng, her eyes half-closed, taking the time to rest and regain her strength. This feeling of being looked down upon by a woman made Luo Zheng furious. He said solemnly, "I know they're strong, and this level of combat isn't something a small soldier like me can participate in. So what if I die?"

"Are you sure you want to do this?" the female soldier asked coldly, as if she had anticipated Luo Zheng's move. She looked at him with a scrutinizing gaze. Seeing his determined nod, she thought for a moment and said, "There are three trees between you and the enemy that form a shooting blind spot. Find it, run in a straight line. At your speed, zigzagging or feinting won't work. The shortest distance is a straight line. Whether you live or die is up to you."

The three trees formed a triangle, and the nearest corner should be the blind spot. Luo Zheng understood and smiled, saying, "Thanks. Can you tell me your name? I want to die with a clear conscience."

"Want to know my name? Live well," the female soldier said coldly.

Luo Zheng didn't get angry, just smiled awkwardly. He took a deep breath, stuck his machete at the female soldier's feet, and took out a bayonet from his military backpack, saying coldly, "Sergeant, brothers, we're going in together. Whether we can avenge ourselves is up to you."

"Ah—!" Luo Zheng let out a long cry and charged forward, quickly hiding behind a big tree. He covered the seven to eight meters in a single breath. In a life-or-death situation, human potential is limitless. Luo Zheng felt his heart pounding, gasping for breath, his blood surging, and his body filled with boundless energy.

After about three seconds, Luo Zheng estimated the possible hiding spots of the enemy. Based on the surrounding trees, he determined the next safe landing point. He picked up a stone and threw it at a tree on one side while bending down and dashing to the safe landing point on the other side.

He hid again, but no one fired. Instead, a cocky voice shouted, "Little girl, sending a piece of trash to die? I'm not interested in this kind of stuff. He's as slow as a snail. I'm more interested in you. How about we put down our guns and have a showdown? If you lose, you come with me. If I lose, I'll go with you. What do you say?"