Free Web NovelChapter 1415: Chapter 1415: Hide-and-Seek
Wei Xiaoxiong and Yue Qiyuan are acquainted, but the friendship isn’t deep.
Although the friendship isn’t deep, it doesn’t mean Yue Qiyuan is unfamiliar with this person. On the contrary, the Yue Family occupies such a position that requires handling many complex affairs. Where there are people, there are intrigues, and where there are intrigues, there are interpersonal relationships. The brothers, Yue Qiyuan and Yue Qiguang, only wish to become Mechanical Warriors and do not plan to continue working as warehouse managers. However, being influenced incidentally, Yue Qiyuan and Yue Qiguang roughly understand the situation of the Main Star circle.
Yue Qiguang is a scatterbrain; he forgets what he hears.
But!
Yue Qiyuan is more meticulous. He once deliberately observed Wei Xiaoxiong. This person appears humble, resembling a gentleman, but is in fact a petty person, a schemer with a heart as small as the point of a needle. Once someone annoys him, he will surely find an opportunity to retaliate.
Of course, Wei Xiaoxiong’s methods are very circuitous, roundabout, with several twists and turns.
After receiving a task, Yue Qiyuan didn’t resist or offer any suggestions but completely agreed with Wei Xiaoxiong’s decision.
After asking for weapons and equipment and getting rejected, Yue Qiyuan left the Commander Base with a trace of regret.
Next.
Yue Qiyuan returned to his station, knowing he must immediately execute the task, or else Wei Xiaoxiong would find reasons to punish him.
The reasons for punishment will certainly be righteous and awe-inspiring.
Yue Qiyuan thought about it and realized the most likely scenario: he would be transferred to another position for not handling affairs properly.
In other words, a demotion.
Yue Qiyuan’s position as Squad Leader was given by the system, but as the Commander of a camp and the overall commander of the team, as long as there is a legitimate reason, the Commander can demote or dismiss his subordinates.
...
Yue Qiyuan squinted slightly, and the next moment, he divided his small team of 100 people into two groups: one group followed him to the enemy camp to gather intelligence, and the other stayed at the station, responsible for its defense.
He took action immediately, and soon Yue Qiyuan led his men and set off.
This time, it wasn’t just the second squad led by Yue Qiyuan; the fifth squad, including Liang Youqing, also went to the enemy camp to collect and spy on intelligence.
Liang Youqing’s preparation was a bit slower, and Yue Qiyuan, seeing this, felt a bit anxious and said, "Without communication equipment, our information transmission will surely lag significantly, so intelligence gathering cannot afford to be slow; it must be fast. I’ll lead the team into the enemy camp first, and you follow shortly, or be responsible for supporting us."
Squad Leader of the fifth squad Liang Youqing agreed, thinking it was reasonable, and seeing Yue Qiyuan’s confident demeanor, did not object.
Soon.
Yue Qiyuan set off.
Liang Youqing was a bit slower.
The direction Yue Qiyuan set off in was meticulously pondered by Wei Xiaoxiong, and he had discussed it with Yue Qiyuan before settling on it. After Yue Qiyuan and his men entered the enemy camp, they pretended to take a turn, then quietly circled back and found a valley to hide in covertly.
About half an hour later, the investigator sent out by Yue Qiyuan to gather intelligence returned: "Squad Leader, Commander Wei indeed arranged another team to our direction."
Yue Qiyuan’s heart sank.
The investigator’s ability had been personally assessed by Yue Qiyuan and deemed highly capable, worthy of assignment. The investigator said, "That team was sneaky, leaving traces along the path we walked, and made quite a commotion. The enemy should have noticed we infiltrated."
In the team, someone was very confused: "What’s he doing?"
Yue Qiyuan answered calmly, "Nothing much, he wants us dead."
Everyone was shocked!
"Ah?"
"Why?"
"How come?"
"What’s the benefit for the Commander from doing this?"
"Can’t figure it out."
...
They huddled in the valley, leveraging the cover of rocks and shrubs, wide-eyed and slack-jawed, not understanding why Commander Wei Xiaoxiong would want them dead?
Why would he kill his own people, what for?
"What for?" Yue Qiyuan said, "For nothing, because we aren’t in his intended promotion slots."
"What?"
"What?"
"Huh?"
Constantly, their expressions changed.
Yue Qiyuan squinted and said, "Our Commander wishes more for his favored ones to advance, so he first needs to eliminate those who are disobedient, not suave, not likable, and who might lead to flaws in his plan... And you along with me are the first batch he wants to sift out."
"Damn!"
"How can that be?"
"No way, right?"
"If this is true, it’s infuriating!"
"Why, because everyone is here to compete, equal opportunity for all, advancement should only depend on strength; what right does he have to decide who advances and who is eliminated?"
...
Facing the indignant subordinates, Yue Qiyuan kept a calm and poised face, seemingly undisturbed by the current predicament; instead, he appeared calm and very composed.
"Squad Leader, if Commander truly wants to borrow the enemy’s blade to kill us... then..."
"Squad Leader, what should we do now?"
"Squad Leader, we need to..."
Yue Qiyuan raised his hand slightly, made a gesture to signal everyone to stop, and calmly said, "Why panic? No need to panic. He wants to borrow the enemy’s blade, but the enemy won’t necessarily comply. We have no necessity to panic."
"So are we now... staying in the valley?" the investigator asked.
The valley is indeed a good place. They discovered a very concealed cave here; as long as the cave is well covered, they could hide here for a long time.
But!
No one wants to hide forever.
Yue Qiyuan said, "Of course, we won’t stay here. We came to compete, not to play hide and seek; hiding doesn’t compute."
"Hence, we’ll continue executing the task given by the Commander." Yue Qiyuan squinted slightly and said, "But taking hits, being killed; those roles can be left to the Commander’s confidants. We’ll watch from behind, and when necessary, we can fan the flames, seizing the fisherman’s profit wouldn’t be bad."
After Yue Qiyuan led his men and set off, Wei Xiaoxiong quickly dispatched another team to trail them based on Yue Qiyuan’s itinerary and destination. To avoid being detected, they dared not get too close, giving Yue Qiyuan the opportunity to ditch them.
Since they dared to cause trouble and frame their teammates without any psychological struggle, they must be Wei Xiaoxiong’s trusted associates.
How couldn’t they be Wei Xiaoxiong’s trusted associates if they weren’t from the same school? What difficulty is there to achieve that, given the competing schools are limited, and every school’s top students are evident. Approaching each, surely at least one will be willing to talk; privately offering some perks or agreeing on an alliance to seize promotion slots isn’t strange at all.
Upon hearing Yue Qiyuan’s words, the students present felt calmer internally despite their previous panic.
Then.
Yue Qiyuan squinted and said, "Let’s go."
