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墨書 Inktalez
On a spring night, the temperature tends to be a bit chilly. The night breeze is not as bright as the daytime wind; it resembles a sorrowful woman from a distant land, her eyes wide with grief, her flowing sleeves brushing against the air, spreading a sense of coldness throughout the world.
A wind rises from the north, slowly blowing toward the southern shore. When it reaches this dilapidated factory, it pauses briefly, stirred by the throng of dark silhouettes under the night sky.
As the cold spring wind blows, the rustling of clothes in the crowd creates an eerie atmosphere. If not for their experiences on the battlefield, one might wonder how they came to be here. This area is remote; after the interstellar migration, Huaguo is no longer overcrowded. Few people pass through, and thus, there is little commotion.
“Brother Guan, when do we start the attack? Look at Hua Gang, all locked up tight; they must be scared out of their wits!”
The middle-aged man known as Brother Guan slowly exhaled a smoke ring, which was quickly dispersed by the biting chill of spring. He squinted toward the factory in the distance, now shrouded in darkness.
Guan Chao, leader of the Northeast Alliance and a prominent figure in the Unification Alliance during Mu Zhongde's era, had just crossed into his forties. He was known for his strategic mind and ruthless nature. In several campaigns against Hua Gang, he personally oversaw military operations. Anyone who showed cowardice or attempted to flee was executed on the spot. Consequently, his reputation within the Unification Alliance was quite poor. Now serving as the Northeast Alliance Leader, his subordinates were either locally recruited or coerced into joining him; they were hardly united in purpose. Thus, both Yu Jianyuan and Jufeng were thinking along similar lines: to create distance between themselves.
Of course, all of this hinged on surviving tonight.
The cigarette at Guan Chao's lips flickered in and out of visibility under the night sky, gradually shortening until it became nothing more than a stub, extinguished on the blue ground.
In his view, Hua Gang had reached a dead end. Faced with tonight's crisis, if they did not muster their strength and take decisive action immediately, they would have to retreat from Zhao City in shame; they should not be holed up like trapped beasts.
Though doubts lingered in his mind, Guan Chao felt compelled to act. Moreover, he did not believe that a fallen phoenix could rise again from despair—mythology could only ever remain mythology!
However, he had to adjust his previous strategic plans accordingly.
“Go fetch Wolf General.”
The previously boisterous young man hurriedly complied with enthusiasm.
Wolf General is a title referring to Prairie Wolf's senior management. Under Wolf King, there are five prominent Wolf Generals who command respect across the prairie. Currently in Zhao City, Wolf General Ren Hongbo is well-regarded and frequently trusted by Wolf King!
A minute later, Ren Hongbo appeared before Guan Chao. Compared to the latter's emaciated figure, the Wolf General looked even more imposing and robust, truly living up to the reputation of the prairie.
"Alliance Leader Guan, did you call me here because there are changes in the plan?"
"Indeed. I feel that today’s Hua Gang is somewhat unusual, so during the upcoming engagement, do not commit all our forces at once. Each side should retain forty percent of their troops for emergencies."
Ren Hongbo felt puzzled; why was Guan Chao, who had a sure victory in sight, suddenly being so cautious? However, he agreed verbally, thinking that as long as he could ensure that his prairie men wouldn’t suffer losses, it would be fine.
The cold wind lingered for a moment but would eventually fade away. Standing at the tail end of the wind, the Unification Alliance and Prairie Wolf sounded the horn of attack.
There were no shouts, only hurried footsteps and the rumble of boots. With a sharp "bang!" a rusted chain fell with a clatter. The crowd surged like a tide, overwhelming the factory's low walls.
In just an instant, the tide met hidden reefs, erupting into flashes of cold light like rain, falling onto the barren land and turning into patches of crimson!
The sound of metal clashing rang incessantly—intermittent and haunting—accompanied by the cries and moans of unfortunate souls. In this deep night, it was enough to chill one to the bone!
It was a sight too painful to behold!
...
The factory had been abandoned for years and had turned into a grassland overrun with shrubs. The buildings struggled against the ravages of time; half-collapsed walls and exposed factory rooms were filled with discarded equipment haphazardly piled everywhere, creating a makeshift battlefield.
The Unification Alliance and Prairie Wolf had been engaged in battle for nearly an hour; the situation was exceptionally brutal. The ground was littered with wounded souls suffering in agony, and many unfortunate ones didn’t even have the chance to experience pain.
Hua Gang's total number was already fewer than their opponents', and now due to the strategy set during daylight, their numbers had been halved. Facing fierce predators like tigers and wolves, they were barely holding on.
Inside a dilapidated factory building, thirty or forty people huddled together. Most of those lying around them were from the Unification Alliance or Prairie Wolf. One brother rushed in from outside in a panic but stumbled and ultimately collapsed to the ground.
Wu Li hurriedly approached the brother who was fighting for territory, crouching down to wrap his arms around him gently.
“Brother Wu, I… I can’t fight alongside you anymore. The outside is… about to collapse. From now on… it’s up to you… for the Brothers… to take revenge…”
That last word never lingered in the world, buried forever in the underworld along with a sincere heart.
Wu Li's eyes turned red, and the hand that wasn’t around the brother's neck clenched tightly, as if he were using all his strength. The bones in his fingers strained under the pressure, turning pale and making a cracking sound.
“Feng Shao, how much longer are we going to wait here? Are we just going to watch these Brothers leave us one by one? I can’t wait any longer. If you don’t go out, I’ll take revenge for the Brothers alone.”
Wu Li's anger was palpable, but it wasn’t from pain. He had once endured having a bullet removed from his thigh without anesthesia while surrounded by Brothers, not flinching even when the blade pierced his flesh. Yet now, he found himself overwhelmed with emotion. After years of fighting in the underworld, he had never faced such a heart-wrenching battle.
According to Yu Jianyuan and Jufeng's plan, five hundred men would remain at the factory to withstand the attacks from the Unification Alliance and Prairie Wolf. This was nearly an impossible task, so everyone had to be prepared for death before the battle began. In reality, as the fight continued, Hua Gang had indeed dwindled to fewer than eleven.
After holding on for an hour, this group of Brothers had completed their mission. Next would be Jufeng and Wu Li leading the elite members of Starlight Ranking and Hua Gang to hold out for another hour against an overwhelming enemy force, with hundreds of skilled soldiers yet to join the battlefield. The most dangerous part was just beginning.
Jufeng placed himself in such a situation partly to inspire Hua Gang’s fighting spirit and partly to win their hearts. Yu Jianyuan had initially sworn to oppose this plan fiercely; however, Jufeng ’s words compelled this leader to agree.
“Brother Yu, when I went alone to Flame Axe Base and was hunted by thirty Gunners in Washing City back then, I understood one thing—some things must be done personally to be true to oneself and one’s conscience!”
Bringing his thoughts back, Jufeng walked over to Wu Li and took the Mountain-Cleaving Blade from a Hua Gang member’s hands, presenting it solemnly before Wu Li. “Brother Wu, a general’s success often comes at the cost of countless lives. Although this saying is too cold-blooded, it is a stark reality. For our common goal, we must persevere; but if we continue down this path, there will be bloodshed and sacrifices. We are called big brothers by our Brothers; what we can do is end this war quickly and emerge victorious. Come on, for those who have fallen and followed us—let’s hold on for this next hour!”
Wu Li looked at Jufeng in surprise. Romain smiled sincerely as he extended the two-foot-long Mountain-Cleaving Blade forward.
Wu Li accepted the Mountain-Cleaving Blade from him, finally calming his emotions while feeling his momentum surge to new heights.
“Hua Gang Brothers, open your eyes and see! Countless Brothers have fallen for our gang’s survival; they have given everything for Hua Gang’s future. Now, the baton has been passed into our hands. Raise your blades and let’s go kill them without leaving a trace!”
"Hua Gang! Hua Gang! ..."
The elites of Hua Gang were all inspired by Wu Li's words, their spirits soaring as they startled several members of the Unification Alliance who had mistakenly wandered into their midst.
Wu Li moved swiftly, three steps at a time, and with a swift motion of his blade, three individuals fell to the ground before they could even call for help. The mortality rate in knife fights was not high, but it was clear that under Wu Li's wrath, the chances of survival for these three were almost nonexistent.
The brothers of Hua Gang surged forward, following Wu Li's lead as they emerged from their cover.
Jufeng smiled silently as he grabbed a suitable knife and exchanged a few words with Chang Guohong before catching up with the ranks of Hua Gang.
"We are outnumbered, so let's avoid fighting alone. Stick together in groups and conserve our strength when attacking."
(To be continued)
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