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Chapter 229 Black Pine Pass Abandoned Village (2 words, 15th update)

Fang Qingyu pondered the weight of those three words.

It turns out that the military's extraordinary ranks are guided by such a belief.

But then I thought about those figures from the Bureau of Justice, dressed in ordinary uniforms, who, knowing that what lay ahead was a bloodbath, still roared and charged in.

Aren't they also "witnesses" in another sense?
Once you see it, you can't stay out of it.

Seeing it means taking responsibility and fighting.

This is not unique to the military, but a shared, silent oath among all those standing on the front lines against the demons of fate.

Under the leadership of Zhou Zhenguo and others.

The group soon arrived at a relatively well-organized field barracks area.

Several dark green, thick military tents stood side by side, with simple wooden signs hanging at the entrances.

"Due to limited resources, I apologize for the inconvenience, comrades!"

Zhou Zhenguo lifted the curtain of one of the tents, revealing a simple cot, folding tables and chairs, and a set of field washing utensils. The ground was covered with a moisture-proof mat. Although it was simple, it was exceptionally clean and tidy, and even smelled of new canvas and disinfectant.

"Settle in first, put down your luggage, and we'll have a meeting at headquarters in ten minutes to coordinate specific defense arrangements!"

Fang Qingyu and the others nodded and put down their backpacks and the cold metal inheritance box.

Jiang Wei's small backpack was also bulging, stuffed with that heavy top-tier resource pack.

ten minutes later.

The group was led to a slightly larger field command tent in the center of the camp.

The tent's interior was quite spacious, with a huge, long conference table in the center. The tabletop was covered with a military map of the entire An Giang Province war zone, densely marked with various symbols, contour lines, and glaring red and blue markers.

Multiple tactical displays are suspended on both walls.

Real-time data and monitoring screens scroll across the screen.

The air was thick with the smells of ink, sweat, and a tense atmosphere.

There were already more than a dozen people sitting in the tent, their auras heavy. Most of them were wearing training uniforms similar to Zhou Zhenguo's, with shoulder insignia indicating the rank of colonel-level officers. A few others were wearing the standard combat uniforms of the Divine Administration Bureau, and their auras were also fluctuating at the second level.

When Fang Qingyu and his group of five walked in, everyone's eyes immediately turned to them.

Awe, inquiry, anticipation, and a subtle, almost imperceptible scrutiny.
Complex emotions flowed silently.

Zhou Zhenguo personally led Fang Qingyu and the other four people straight to the front of the conference table, near the head seat.

Five seats were deliberately left empty there.

"Captain Fang, Comrade Wei, Comrade Jiang, Comrade Chu, Comrade Lu, please sit here."

Zhou Zhenguo's voice was not loud, but it carried clearly throughout the tent, conveying an undeniable sense of importance.

This action caused the atmosphere inside the tent to freeze slightly.

Those positions are usually reserved for the most important commanders or the strongest support units.

By directly assigning a newly arrived special team, whose members' average age was probably less than twenty, Zhou Zhenguo's signal couldn't be clearer.

Fang Qingyu's squad is the pillar and the sharpest weapon for the Ghost Festival defense in the Anjiang war zone!

Fang Qingyu remained calm and sat down with composure.

Jiang Wei sat down next to him, took out her tablet, and quietly looked at it.

Wei Banmeng remained aloof, Chu Kuanglan grinned at the gazes directed at them, while Lu Jiuyuan sat down calmly, his eyes sweeping over the huge map on the table.

The meeting began with a serious yet efficient atmosphere.

An operations staff officer quickly briefed the entire An Giang province theater of operations on the grim situation.

The defense line stretches for hundreds of kilometers, there are several high-risk fluctuation points, the troop shortage is a predicament, and based on past experience and recent monitoring, the intensity of ghostly activity is predicted to reach its peak during the Ghost Festival.

Each piece of data weighed heavily on everyone's minds.

After the introductions, Zhou Zhenguo walked to the head seat, placed his hands on the edge of the table, and scanned the room with eyes like a hawk, finally settling on Fang Qingyu.

"Captain Fang, comrades," Zhou Zhenguo began, his voice deep and powerful, his finger tracing several dark red areas on the map.

"The situation is serious, and the pressure on these most dangerous nodes is extremely high."

"This is Hongliugou, which has been second only to the core point in terms of impact intensity in previous years. Yingzui Cliff has complex terrain that is easy to defend and difficult to attack, but large groups of 'death ghosts' have been detected gathering here as well as Heisong'ao."

His finger finally touched that deep red, almost black spot.

There were three small words written next to it.

Black Pine Pass.

"Heisong'ao, an abandoned village that was completely abandoned more than 20 years ago."

Zhou Zhenguo's voice was heavy with sorrow, "Starting a few years before it was abandoned, every year during the Ghost Festival, the fluctuations of the spirits here become unusually intense. The number of spirits appearing is large, the types are diverse, and the intensity is high, as if something is continuously gushing out from underground. We have tried various methods, and even asked a third-tier expert to investigate deeply, but we have not been able to find the exact source, and we can only passively defend against it."

“Every year, in order to guard the entrance to Heisong'ao and prevent the evil spirits inside from rushing out in large numbers to wreak havoc on the surrounding area, we have to send many people and many brothers here.”

His voice was a little hoarse as his gaze swept over the young and resolute faces inside the tent.

“These locations all require the strongest forces to be stationed there. Captain Fang, you are the Federation's elite spearhead. Whether the Anjiang war zone can be held largely depends on your strength. I wonder which area you prefer to be stationed in?”

Zhou Zhenguo had barely finished speaking, his gaze still fixed on the map.

A calm voice has already sounded:

"Heisong'ao".

Zhou Zhenguo suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with disbelief and astonishment, and looked toward the source of the sound.

It was Fang Qingyu.

"Captain Fang, you mean Heisong'ao?"

Zhou Zhenguo repeated it subconsciously, his tone carrying a strong sense of confirmation.

He pressed his finger firmly against the glaring red dot again.

Fang Qingyu met his astonished gaze, his tone still calm, yet carrying a matter-of-fact composure:
"Yes."

"Don't worry, Brigade Commander Zhou! I don't care about Black Pine Pass or White Pine Pass. If any ghost dares to show its face, I'll smash them all back into the ground!"

Chu Kuanglan slapped his chest hard, making a dull thud that shook the water glass on the table. His face was full of fearless arrogance.

Lu Jiuyuan gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, his eyes sharp as a drawn blade, and said in a deep voice, "It is my duty, and I cannot shirk it. Leave it to us."

Wei Banmeng didn't speak, but nodded very slightly to Zhou Zhenguo, her cold eyes conveying a silent promise.

Zhou Zhenguo looked at the five young faces before him, faces brimming with responsibility and composure, and saw no trace of shirking responsibility, hesitation, or even dissatisfaction in their eyes.

Taking a deep breath and forcibly suppressing his surging emotions, he suddenly stood up straight and gave a perfectly standard military salute to Fang Qingyu and the other four men, as well as all the officers in the tent!

"Thank you!"

Zhou Zhenguo's voice was filled with heartfelt respect: "On behalf of the Anjiang War Zone, and on behalf of those villages and towns that may have been spared, thank you!"

The officers behind him stood up in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized, and saluted solemnly in the direction of Fang Qingyu's squad!
Silent gratitude and trust flowed in the solemn military salute.

Although the members of the special team are young, their sense of responsibility and commitment have long surpassed the limits of their age.

"Alright, let's not delay!"

Zhou Zhenguo put down his hand, calmed his mind, and immediately got into the zone.

He gestured for the operations staff officer next to him to come forward.

A capable major staff officer immediately stepped forward, picked up a laser pointer, and pointed it at Black Pine Pass on the map. At the same time, another staff officer quickly brought up a tactical tablet, which displayed a compiled atlas of ghosts and battlefield footage. "Captain Fang, comrades, the following are some of the most threatening ghosts recorded in the Black Pine Pass area during the Ghost Festival over the past five years. Please take note!"

1. Iron Eater (Large/Cluster):
Appearance: Resembling an enlarged steel centipede, with a body length generally exceeding eight meters, and a few individuals exceeding ten meters! The arthropod-like body is forcibly spliced ​​together from rusty, twisted, and deformed metal components, with dark green rust-corroded toxic fumes emanating from the joints.

The head is usually a constantly rotating metal drill bit or a shredder.

Habits: They live in groups of 3-5, and make a harsh metallic friction and cracking sound when they move.

It has an extremely strong affinity and control over metals, and can attract and manipulate metal fragments on the battlefield as weapons or to repair itself.

Its defense is extremely strong; ordinary second-tier attacks can hardly break through its thick "armor".

The weaknesses lie in the joints and the relatively fragile energy core inside the drill bit/jaw.

Its emitted rust-corroding toxic mist is highly corrosive and can quickly weaken metal equipment and corrode protective gear.

Attack methods: ramming and crushing, spraying metal fragment storms, physical biting with drills/crushers, and spewing corrosive toxic mist.

When clustered, they can form a simple encirclement and strangulation formation.

2. Shadow Weaver (Medium/Mysterious):
Form: Humanoid silhouette, but abnormally tall, thin, and twisted, approximately three meters in height. Its entire body is covered in thick, writhing shadows, as if alive, obscuring its features; it appears as a mass of darkness that absorbs light. From time to time, distorted, painful faces or limbs emerge from the shadows, emitting silent wails.

Habits: Elusive and adept at high-speed stealth in the shadows. Its core abilities are "Mental Web" and "Pain Absorption".

It can silently release a wide range of mental fluctuations, weaving an invisible "net of pain." Those caught in the net will be constantly aroused by their deepest fears, sadness, despair, and other negative emotions, and their minds will be continuously impacted. Those with weak wills will quickly collapse or even be controlled by it.

At the same time, it can absorb the painful emotions of living beings within its range as nourishment to strengthen itself.

Physical attacks are ineffective against its main body; one must attack its core, usually hidden in the deepest shadows, a constantly pulsating dark red "crystal of pain."

Attack methods: Mental Shock (area-of-effect/single target), Shadow Binding (tentacles extending from the ground or the shadow of an object), Pain Drain Aura, Shadow Assault. It is a "source of mental pollution" and a "morale destroyer" on the battlefield.

3. Mandrill (Large/Power Type):

Appearance: Ape-like in form, but exceptionally robust and ferocious, averaging six meters in height, with muscles as bulging as granite, covered with dark green moss and tough vine-like tissue.

Its arms are unusually long, extending past its knees, and at the ends are sharp claws covered with a rock-like keratin layer.

Its face was contorted in a ferocious grimace, with exposed fangs and bloodshot eyes.

Habits: Lives alone or appears in pairs (suspected mates). Possesses immense strength, capable of easily overturning armored vehicles and smashing concrete fortifications.

It possesses the ability to manipulate rocks and soil within a certain range (similar to low-level earth-based abilities), and can lift up ground spikes, throw boulders, or even create small-scale ground collapses or swamps.

Its skin is extremely tough, offering considerable resistance to both physical and energy attacks.

Its weaknesses lie in its relatively fragile joints (such as the knees and elbows) and its bloodshot eyes.

Its roar can trigger small-scale shockwaves that disturb the mind.

Attack methods: Frenzied physical smashing, throwing boulders, manipulating ground spikes to launch surprise attacks, ground collapse/mud swamps, and shockwave roars.

It is a pure "battlefield bulldozer" and position destroyer.

As the staff officer explained, he played a blurry, processed video recorded by a battlefield recorder.

Iron-devouring demons, resembling steel centipedes, rampaged through the ruins, stirring up a storm of metal.

Like a living, dark shadow weaver appearing and disappearing in the shadows, the faces of the fallen warriors around them were frozen with extreme fear.

The mandrill swung its massive claws, smashing an abandoned building to pieces like building blocks.
The scene, accompanied by the piercing scraping of metal, the silent wailing phantoms, and the deafening roar of the mandrill, is filled with a suffocating sense of oppression.

"In addition to these three main threats, there are also a large number of common Shadow Hounds, Corruption Flies, Rock Golems and other small and medium-sized Life Ghosts mixed in, forming a tidal wave of impact."

The staff officer added, "Heisong'ao is a typical mountain pass, surrounded by mountains on three sides, with only a narrow valley leading to the outside world. The village ruins are located at the bottom of the pass. Our strategy is to hold the valley entrance and stop the tide of ghosts within the pass to annihilate them. Once the valley entrance is lost, the ghosts will pour out and directly threaten several towns within dozens of kilometers behind."

The amount of information is enormous, and the level of danger is shocking.

Chu Kuanglan grinned as he listened, Lu Jiuyuan's eyes sharpened, and Wei Banmeng's usually cold face became serious as her fingers unconsciously tapped lightly on the table.

Jiang Wei stared at the frozen image of the Iron-Eating Demon on the tablet screen, her brows furrowing slightly as if she were deep in thought.

Fang Qingyu silently memorized all the key information.

Pay special attention to the weaknesses and attack patterns of those large-scale demons.

Deep within his molten gold eyes lay an analysis of utmost composure.

After explaining, Zhou Zhenguo said in a deep voice, "Captain Fang, that's the situation. I'm leaving Heisong'ao in your care! In addition to your squad, a reinforced company will be stationed with you to be responsible for perimeter security, communications support, supplies, and the transfer of the wounded. The company commander will report to you."

Soon, a tall, muscular officer, as imposing as an iron tower, lifted the tent flap and strode in.

He was around thirty years old, with dark, shiny skin, a square face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes with a sharp, eagle-like gaze. He exuded a fierce, iron-blooded aura as he walked, and the bulging muscles beneath his training uniform almost seemed to burst through the fabric.

The shoulder insignia indicate the rank of captain.

"Report!" The officer stopped in front of Fang Qingyu, his voice booming like a bell, "Zhang Tiezhu, the company commander of the Fierce Tiger Company of the 3rd Mobile Brigade of the Anjiang War Zone, the only eyewitness! Ordered to lead the Fierce Tiger Company to cooperate with the Qianlong Special Operations Team and move into Heisong'ao! Please give instructions!"

"Company Commander Zhang, you've worked hard."

Fang Qingyu stood up and calmly extended his hand. "I am Fang Qingyu. These are Wei Banmeng, Chu Kuanglan, Lu Jiuyuan, and Jiang Wei. The defense of Heisong'ao still requires our joint efforts."

He lingered on Jiang Wei for a moment, but there was no questioning, only pure obedience and a hint of curiosity.

He gripped Fang Qingyu's hand tightly, a rough and powerful hand like an iron clamp: "Captain Fang, rest assured! All officers and soldiers of the Fierce Tiger Company will cooperate to the death! We guarantee to complete the mission!"

No more empty words, actions speak louder than words.

Ten minutes later, at the camp entrance.

The convoy, consisting of three reinforced and modified military off-road vehicles and five wheeled armored personnel carriers carrying soldiers and supplies, had started their engines and were emitting a low roar.

The soldiers of the Fierce Tiger Company boarded the vehicles swiftly, silently, and in an orderly fashion.

The young faces were filled with determination and a solemn look as they headed for the battlefield.

Zhou Zhenguo and a group of officers stood solemnly to see them off.

Fang Qingyu and his four companions boarded the lead SUV.

Zhang Tiezhu personally served as the driver.

"set off!"

Zhang Tiezhu let out a low growl into the communicator.

The convoy kicked up dust as it slowly drove away from the camp, heading along the winding mountain road toward the valley marked with deep red markers dozens of kilometers away.

Zhou Zhenguo stood there, gazing for a long time at the dust and smoke that disappeared around the bend in the mountain road, until the last wisp of dust also vanished from sight.

The heaviness on his face did not fade; instead, it became even more profound.

He slowly turned around, facing his adjutant who had followed him for many years, his voice low and resolute, carrying an unquestionable tone of command:
"Old Liu, immediately select an elite squad from the brigade's direct reconnaissance battalion. The best soldiers, the finest equipment. Secretly deploy them to the outskirts of Heisong'ao, concealed and awaiting orders. The mission is singular: at all costs, ensure the safety of Captain Fang Qingyu and his team! Upon receiving my orders, or if an insurmountable danger arises at Heisong'ao, immediately cover their retreat! Understand?"

Upon hearing this, Adjutant Liu Weiguo's face instantly turned extremely bitter, even showing a hint of disbelief: "Brigade Commander! Heisong'ao has been handed over to the special detachment, but the pressure on our other points hasn't lessened at all! The Second Battalion just reported that the fluctuations at Hongliugou are unusually violent, and the Third Battalion is also having a hard time holding out at Yingzui Cliff. We're short-handed everywhere! The elite squad... that's the brigade headquarters' last mobile reserve! If they're withdrawn, what if..."

"I know we're short-handed." Zhou Zhenguo's voice was deep and hoarse, carrying an undeniable iron will. "The defenses can be thinned, the pressure can be increased! But this elite squad must be deployed! Execute the order immediately!"

"Yes, sir!" The staff officer looked at the brigade commander's cold profile, felt a chill in his heart, dared not persuade him any further, and immediately accepted the order and left.

Zhou Zhenguo stood alone in the same spot, the mountain wind blowing against his graying temples.

I slowly closed my eyes, and the events of a few hours ago echoed in my mind.

The mysterious old man's brief but weighty admonition in the communication:
"Commander Zhou, that kid Fang Qingyu is more important to us than defending a province. We must spare no effort if necessary."

At all costs.
Zhou Zhenguo suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the dark green mountain ridgeline that undulated like the back of a giant beast beneath the thick, lead-gray clouds in the distance. His expression was extremely complicated.

He could only pray silently.
I hope that elite class will never be needed.

(End of this chapter)