Rebirth in the Dragon Kingdom: The Strongest Blade

Chapter 56 Annihilating the M Elite

The war has entered its fifteenth day.

In the enemy capital, in the Ministry of National Defense's underground command center, the atmosphere was oppressively tense. On the enormous electronic map, the blue arrow representing the advancing Chinese army had already penetrated fifty kilometers into the country's borders. Even more chilling were the constantly flashing and extinguishing red dots on the map—each representing a crucial target that had been destroyed.

"Here we go again..." An elderly general with gray hair stared at the screen, his voice hoarse. "The deputy commander of the Eastern Military District was attacked last night at his private villa, eighty kilometers from the front lines. All four guards were killed, and the deputy commander himself... was beheaded."

The command room was deathly silent.

This marks the thirteenth high-ranking officer assassinated by "Ghost" since the start of the war. From border outpost commanders to deputy commanders of military districts, from armory supervisors to communications hub managers, all were silently eliminated under heavy guard.

The most terrifying thing is that no one knows who the attackers were, how many people were there, how they got there, or how they left.

"What did the advisory group from Country M say?" someone asked.

"What else can I say?" another general said with a wry smile. "Their SEALs and Delta Force teams have come three times already, each time going out full of confidence, and then... either all of them are wiped out, or they escape with serious injuries. Yesterday's team was lucky; six out of ten came back, but they were all wounded, and the captain in charge is still in the ICU."

"Didn't those guys brag about their special forces being the best in the world?"

"That's how they boast," the old general said, rubbing his temples. "But the problem is... it seems there are even more powerful ones over in China."

He pulled up a blurry surveillance video. It showed the perimeter of an attacked armory, where a dark figure flashed by with incredible speed, and five sentries along the way fell almost simultaneously, without even a chance to fire. Zooming in, he could only see that the figure was wearing strange camouflage clothing, almost invisible in the night.

"Optical camouflage?" someone exclaimed. "China already has this technology?"

"Not only that." The old general pulled up another video clip, extracted from the helmet camera of a seriously wounded US special forces soldier. "Take a look at this."

The footage was shaky, clearly indicating the person filming was moving quickly. Suddenly, a dark figure emerged from the bushes ahead, and a firefight ensued, bullets striking tree trunks and sending splinters flying. Then the screen went black—the camera had been hit.

"That American soldier said the other side was only one person, but their speed, marksmanship, tactical awareness... were completely beyond human capabilities." The old general turned off the screen. "He said, 'That's not human, it's a machine.'"

Silence fell once again in the command center.

"Then... what do we do?" a young staff officer asked in a low voice. "If we continue fighting, I'm afraid..."

He didn't say the rest, but everyone understood. The front lines were suffering repeated defeats, the rear was under constant attack, high-ranking officers were living in fear, and troop morale had plummeted. Continuing the fight would only lead to one outcome.

"Contact the United States." The old general took a deep breath. "Tell them we need more aid. Especially... those who can deal with those 'ghosts'."

At the same time, in a primeval forest 120 kilometers from the enemy's capital.

Lin Zhe leaned against the aerial roots of a huge banyan tree, slowly loading bullets into his magazine. The wound on his left arm had scabbed over, but it still stung with every movement. However, compared to this minor injury, the recent skirmish had made him more vigilant.

Ten minutes earlier, he had just taken down an enemy communications relay station and was preparing to withdraw when he encountered a ten-man squad. These weren't ordinary enemy troops; they were special forces from Country M—it was obvious at a glance from their equipment, tactics, and coordination.

Those ten people were very strong. So strong that Lin Zhe had to go all out in the fight, and even suffered his first injury on a mission—a bullet grazed his ribs. Although it was only a superficial wound, it was enough to remind him that this time his opponents were different.

However, in the end, all ten men remained in the jungle. Lin Zhe spent seven minutes, using up two magazines, and at the cost of a bullet wound to his left arm and abrasions to his ribs, to end the battle.

He inspected the captured equipment: two rifles, three pistols, four sets of night vision goggles, and a bunch of tactical accessories. It was all good stuff, but Lin Zhe only took the night vision goggles—the 'Hidden Dragon's' equipment was far more advanced.

The watch vibrated, connecting the encrypted communication. Longya's voice came through, tinged with weariness: "Longyuan, how are things on your end?"

"We just took down a small squad from Country M, ten people," Lin Zhe said in a low voice. "What about you guys?"

"Same here." A slight panting came from Dragon Fang's side. "I encountered eight people, like from 'Delta Force.' It took some effort; we took down seven, and one escaped. Dragon Claw and Dragon Shadow encountered similar situations."

Lin Zhe frowned: "The US has increased its troop presence."

"Definitely. We beat their underlings too badly, and the big brother can't sit still anymore." Longya paused. "News just came from the base. Dragon King said that the US has sent at least four of its most elite special operations teams into the war zone under the guise of 'mercenaries.' Their objective is clear—find us and eliminate us."

"Understood." Lin Zhe glanced at the time. "As planned, we'll meet at rendezvous point number 7 in two hours. If we encounter a strong enemy, don't get entangled; prioritize the mission."

"clear."

After hanging up the call, Lin Zhe stood up and stretched his injured left arm. The pain made him frown, but his eyes sharpened.

Is it the most elite special forces of Country M?

Perfect timing! He also wanted to see just how strong the top-tier combat power of this self-proclaimed world's number one military superpower really was.

Two hours later, at three in the morning.

Meeting point 7 was an abandoned quarry, its massive pit resembling an open black hole in the night. When Lin Zhe arrived, Long Ya and the other two were already there. All four bore fresh wounds, but the fire in their eyes burned ever brighter.

"Everyone's here." Longya checked the number of people, grinned, and said, "Looks like none of them are dead."

"Enough with the nonsense." Dragon Claw sat on the ground, bandaging his calf. "I got a graze from a stray bullet; it's not deep, but it's affecting my mobility. How should we assign tasks from here on out?"

Lin Zhe unfolded a waterproof map and shone his flashlight on it: "Our current location is here, forty kilometers from the target—the suspected chemical weapons storage site. According to the latest reconnaissance, there is at least a reinforced company stationed there, and at least one US special forces team operating nearby."

"A direct assault is definitely not an option," Long Ying said. "Even if we manage to break in, we won't have time to plant the explosives. We need to find a way to distract the guards."

Lin Zhe pondered for a moment: "I have an idea."

The three of them looked at him.

"We'll do it in two steps." Lin Zhe pointed to two points on the map. "First, Dragon Fang and Dragon Claw, you go here—to this military airfield, fifteen kilometers from the storage point. Create a large enough disturbance, the bigger the better, ideally making the enemy think we're going to launch an airstrike or parachute in."

Longya's eyes lit up: "A feint attack?"

"Yes." Lin Zhe continued, "The second step is for Long Ying and me to sneak into the storage point amidst the chaos. Long Ying will be in charge of the technical decryption, and I will be in charge of clearing obstacles. After planting the explosives, we will meet up at evacuation point 5."

"What about the special forces from Country M?" Dragon Claw asked. "What if they don't fall for it?"

"They will come," Lin Zhe sneered. "The Americans are arrogant and think their special forces are invincible. If we deliberately expose our position and attack important targets, they will definitely chase after us. This is our chance."

With the plan set, the four began final preparations: replenishing ammunition, checking equipment, and setting communication frequencies.

Long Ying suddenly said, "The base just sent an encrypted message saying that four team members who were on a mission outside have been recalled and are on their way. They are expected to join us in forty-eight hours."

"It's too late." Lin Zhe shook his head. "Chemical weapons are too dangerous; we must deal with them as soon as possible. We can't wait."

He looked at his three comrades: "This mission is very dangerous; we might die. If anyone wants to quit, say so now."

Longya was the first to laugh: "Withdraw? Those two words don't exist in my dictionary."

Dragon Claw pounded his injured leg: "This little injury won't stop me from killing."

Long Ying pushed up his glasses: "I'm in charge of the technology, so my chances of dying are lower than yours."

Looking at them, Lin Zhe felt a surge of warmth in his heart. These were his comrades-in-arms, people he could entrust his back to.

"That's settled then." He put away the map. "The operation will begin at four in the morning. Remember, if anyone goes missing, the others do not attempt a rescue. Continue the mission. That's an order."

"yes!"

The operation began at 4:00 AM sharp.

Dragon Fang and Dragon Claw set off first, stealthily heading towards the military airfield. Lin Zhe and Dragon Shadow, on the other hand, moved towards the chemical weapons storage site.

Forty minutes later, the first explosion came from the direction of the military airfield. Then came the second, the third... The flames lit up half the sky, and the sirens pierced the night with a mournful wailing.

Lin Zhe and Long Ying lay prone on a hillside, observing the storage point through binoculars. Sure enough, the previously tight guard began to stir, and at least a platoon of soldiers was redeployed towards the airport.

"It worked," Long Ying whispered.

"Wait," Lin Zhe pressed him down, "Look over there."

In the jungle beside the storage point, several figures moved quickly. Although they were dressed in enemy military uniforms, their tactical movements were clearly those of Western special forces.

"The M country team," Lin Zhe counted, "six people. They didn't go to the airport."

"Clever." Long Ying frowned. "They saw through our plan?"

"Not necessarily." Lin Zhe stared at the six people. "But they must have received a death order to guard this storage point. So no matter what happens elsewhere, they won't leave."

This is troublesome. Six top special forces soldiers from the US, plus at least two platoons of enemy guards, would be suicide to force their way in.

Lin Zhe quickly considered a countermeasure. Suddenly, he noticed that one of the six people had equipment that was different from the others—he was carrying a square box on his back, which looked like a communications relay or electronic warfare equipment.

"Dragon Shadow, can you interfere with their communications?"

"We can give it a try." Long Ying opened his portable computer. "But the distance is too far, so the effect will be limited."

"We don't need to completely disrupt him, just create a few seconds of chaos," Lin Zhe said. "See that guy with the box? I'm guessing he's a communications soldier or an electronic warfare expert. If he can 'suddenly lose contact' for a few seconds, his teammates will definitely check on him."

Long Ying understood: "A diversionary tactic, then defeat them one by one?"

"Yes." Lin Zhe checked the sniper rifle. "You're in charge of creating chaos, and I'll take care of eliminating the target. We only have one chance."

"clear."

Long Ying began operating the computer, his fingers rapidly tapping on the keyboard. Thirty seconds later, he nodded: "Ready. Three, two, one... Now!"

In the jungle beside the storage point, the US soldier carrying the crate suddenly stopped and patted the equipment on his back in confusion. A piercing static sound came from his headset, followed by deathly silence.

"Communications down!" he growled in English.

The other five men immediately surrounded them, forming a defensive circle. The captain leading the team crouched down to check the equipment: "What's going on?"

"I don't know, it just happened suddenly..."

Before he could finish speaking...

"Bang!"

With a muffled thud, the soldier carrying the box jerked his head back, blood and brain matter spurting out. His eyes widened as he fell straight down.

"Sniper!" the captain roared, "Ten o'clock!"

The remaining five men immediately scattered, seeking cover. But the second shot came even faster.

"Bang!"

Another soldier collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from his chest.

"He's in the tree!" someone shouted.

Bullets rained down on the tree canopy where Lin Zhe was hiding. But Lin Zhe had already moved – after the first shot, he slid down from the tree and circled around to the side.

"Bang! Bang!"

Two more shots were fired, taking down two more people.

The team of six was reduced to only two in the blink of an eye.

The captain and another soldier stood back to back, firing wildly in all directions, but they couldn't find their target. Lin Zhe moved through the jungle like a ghost, pausing only to fire a single shot before disappearing instantly.

"Retreat! Retreat!" The captain finally realized that they weren't facing ordinary snipers, but monsters. Staying here meant certain death.

But it was too late.

Lin Zhe stood up from the bushes three meters behind them and fired two shots with his pistol.

"Pfft pfft."

Both men were shot in the back of the head simultaneously and fell to the ground.

The battle ended in one minute and twenty seconds, from the first shot to the last. All six of the most elite special forces soldiers from Country M were wiped out.

Lin Zhe stepped out of the bunker and quickly examined the body, finding a paper map and some documents on the captain. His eyes narrowed as he glanced at them—the maps depicted the internal structure of the storage site and the specific locations of the chemical weapons.

"Dragon Shadow, come here," he said through the communicator. "I have something good."

Five minutes later, the two stood outside the storage point. The guards were more vigilant because of the gunfire, but the main threat—the US squad—had been dealt with.

"As planned, you go in through the ventilation duct while I clean the outside," Lin Zhe said. "You have twenty minutes."

"That's enough." Long Ying slung his equipment pack over his shoulder, climbed up the side of a building like a gecko, and disappeared into the ventilation shaft.

Lin Zhe then picked up his sniper rifle and began eliminating the sentries in his line of sight.

"Pfft, pfft, pfft..."

With each shot, a guard fell. There were no gunshots, only the muffled thud of bullets piercing flesh. Panic began to spread among the guards—they couldn't see the enemy, only watch their comrades fall one by one.

Twenty minutes later, Long Ying's voice came through: "The explosives have been installed. Timer set for thirty minutes. Also... I've discovered something."

"What?"

"Most of these chemical weapons are expired and stored in extremely poor conditions. Even if they explode, the amount of poison gas leaked would likely be limited." Long Ying paused. "However, in the innermost warehouse, I found twenty brand-new containers marked with the insignia of the US military. Inside... was VX nerve agent."

Lin Zhe's pupils constricted sharply. VX, one of the world's deadliest chemical weapons, a single drop is enough to kill.

"Can it be destroyed?"

"I've already planted extra explosives on those containers," Long Ying said, "but we need to evacuate as soon as possible. If these toxic agents leak, the area within a ten-kilometer radius will become a death zone."

"withdraw!"

The two quickly left the storage point and sprinted towards the evacuation point. Behind them, the timer's numbers ticked silently.

Five minutes later, a huge explosion came from the direction of the storage site, and flames shot into the sky. But even more terrifying was the yellowish-green smoke that followed—a sign of a chemical weapons leak.

Lin Zhe glanced back to confirm that the explosion had completely destroyed the den of iniquity, then quickened his pace.

They must escape the deadly area before the poison gas spreads.

This war is becoming increasingly brutal.

The blade of "Hidden Dragon" must also be sharpened to an even higher level.