Free Web NovelChapter 8: Chapter 8: The Big Year-End Operation
In this world, perhaps due to an overabundance of Spiritual Qi, the mountains and forests were always filled with rapidly growing vegetation. Some trees could become towering giants within a single year. Moreover, flesh-eating monsters would breed deep within the forests, and some animals would even transform into demons, gaining the right to cultivate.
To suppress these unstable elements, the City Defense Bureau organized monthly logging operations around the city and along the main roads, destroying the overly dense forests. However, this method was merely a stopgap. At times, if the logging teams weren’t careful, they would be attacked by Demons.
That’s why the annual year-end cleanup was so necessary. Otherwise, given the growth rate of those Demons, they would counterattack the cities in less than a decade.
When the members of the Second Patrol Squad arrived at the training grounds, the First Patrol Squad was already fully assembled. Just as Yang Wenqing and the others fell into formation and were about to speak, Xiao Liang and a senior officer approached them. The officer was the First Squad’s captain, Wang Ze’en, who was said to be the Director’s cousin.
Immediately after, the sound of dense footsteps echoed from the entrance of the training grounds. The members of the Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Patrol Squads jogged into the field, led by their respective captains.
In the blink of an eye, the vast training ground was filled with over forty officers. Their blue uniforms formed a solid block of color. With the six captains standing at the front of their respective squads, the entire field fell silent, the only sound being the mournful whistle of the cold wind whipping past the flagpole.
A dozen or so seconds later, Director Wang Ren walked in from the entrance. He wore a tactical belt with two longswords, and a standard-issue military pistol was holstered at his side.
"I’m sure you all know why you’ve been assembled. Our bureau’s target this time is Forest Thirteen, fifty li outside of East City. Aside from the Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Patrol Squads who will remain on duty, all other patrol squad members will participate."
Wang Ren’s gaze swept quickly over all the officers present as he spoke in a serious tone, "The First Patrol Squad will act as the vanguard, coordinating with the logistics department to set up the encampment. The Second Patrol Squad will follow close behind. Upon arrival, you will first conduct a two-kilometer sweep around the encampment."
"The rear courtyard has been stocked with ample ammunition and Rune paper for your two squads, as well as plenty of rations..." He glanced down at the mechanical watch on his wrist. "It is now four-thirty in the afternoon. You need to have the camp set up before nightfall."
The two squads immediately sprang into action, jogging toward the rear courtyard. Two rune transport vehicles, reinforced with protective steel plates, were already parked there. Beside them were several sealed wooden crates. Logistics personnel were already on standby. The crates contained neatly stacked, gleaming bullets, stacks of basic Rune paper, and compressed rations and dried meat wrapped in oil paper.
Yang Wenqing and his teammates skillfully checked their firearms, loaded extra bullets into their speed loaders, and sorted the Rune paper into the specialized compartments of their tactical belts. The rations went into their backpacks.
Once the supplies were distributed, Xiao Liang and Wang Ze’en exchanged a look and nodded to each other.
"All personnel, attention!" Xiao Liang and Captain Wang barked in unison. "Board the vehicles!"
The order was given, and all squad members boarded the transport vehicles one after another.
"Move out!"
The First Squad departed first.
The Second Squad, with Yang Wenqing, followed close behind.
With the transport vehicles, the fifty-li journey would take no more than an hour.
Nevertheless, since it was winter, by the time the First and Second Squads arrived at the designated location on the edge of Forest Thirteen, the sun was already sinking below the distant mountains, leaving only a dark red afterglow on the horizon.
There were already people at the campsite—militiamen from the nearby villages. They had felled numerous giant trees and stacked them up, cleared a small stream to flow through the middle of the camp, and erected simple wooden fences and barricades around the perimeter.
"Clear the site and set up the camp immediately! Move quickly!" Wang Ze’en’s voice rang out in the dimming light.
The members of the First Squad sprang into action, quickly clearing the overly dense vegetation from the chosen clearing. At the same time, logistics officers unloaded folding metal fences, tent components, and lighting equipment from the transport vehicles, beginning to construct rudimentary defensive fortifications and a place to camp.
Captain Xiao Liang surveyed the members of the Second Squad. "Stay alert. Form up in three-man cells, just like in our usual tactical training. Don’t get separated. In case of an emergency, fire a signal flare immediately!"
"Sir!"
After receiving their orders, Yang Wenqing, Li Ming, and Zhou Kun immediately formed a combat formation and cautiously stepped into the forest, where the light was already growing dim.
Inside the forest, the trees towered so high their interlocking branches nearly blotted out the sky. The air was damp and cold. A thick layer of fallen leaves covered the ground, soft underfoot, making a soft, rustling sound that only amplified the terrifying silence of their surroundings. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
The three of them held their breath, advancing slowly for about a li when a strange rustling came from the bushes to their left.
"On guard!"
Li Ming barked, and the three of them snapped into a triangular defensive formation, their muzzles aimed in the direction of the sound.
The next moment, three Demon Beasts burst out! They were shaped like jackals, but their fur was a dark purple, and corrosive saliva dripped from the corners of their mouths.
Their eyes glowed with a bloodthirsty red light. They ran on all fours with astonishing speed, fanning out to encircle the three men.
"Rotclaw Jackals! Watch out for their claws and saliva!" Zhou Kun shouted as a warning.
BANG! BANG!
Li Ming and Zhou Kun fired almost simultaneously. The bullets whizzed out, accurately hitting the two Rotclaw Jackals charging at the front. One had its foreleg pierced and rolled on the ground, howling in pain. The other was hit in the neck; dark purple blood spurted out, and after a few struggles, it lay still.
However, the third Rotclaw Jackal was extremely cunning. It used its packmates to draw their fire, then dropped low and dashed through the gap in Li Ming’s and Zhou Kun’s line of fire. It opened its foul-smelling maw and lunged straight for Yang Wenqing on the flank!
Yang Wenqing’s eyes were calm as if he had already predicted its trajectory. The moment the Rotclaw Jackal leaped into the air, he calmly raised his gun.
For just a split second, he clearly saw the arc of the jackal’s lunge and predicted where its head would be in the next moment.
BANG!
A single, crisp gunshot rang out.
The bullet flew with unerring accuracy into the Rotclaw Jackal’s open, gaping maw and pierced through the back of its skull!
The Rotclaw Jackal’s forward momentum came to an abrupt halt. With a whimper, it fell heavily at Yang Wenqing’s feet, kicking up a few dead leaves. It twitched a couple of times and then went silent.
"Nice shot!"
Li Ming praised him sincerely.
Yang Wenqing let out a slight breath and checked his gun’s cylinder. He took an Explosive Bullet in his hand, just in case.
Just then, sporadic gunshots began to echo from other parts of the forest. Some sounded like warning shots. This was a tactic to intimidate any Demon Beasts lurking in the shadows—a lesson learned from previous forest cleanups. As the instructors at the Police Academy used to say: those Demon Beasts have inherited memories, and the sound of gunfire is a source of fear passed down from their ancestors.
