Dare to shirk responsibility? This adorable little one will tear down your military district!

The burly man with the wolf-like head, carrying a broad-backed machete, swaggered and stopped three steps away from Gu Changfeng. He casually stuck the machete into the sand, raised his chin, and revealed a mouthful of yellowed teeth.

"Soldiers, once you get to Hongshan Fortress, no matter how many stars you have on your shoulders, it's useless." The burly man spat on the ground. "This place doesn't care about your green uniforms, only how strong your fists are. If you want to pass through this street unscathed, you'd better know the rules and leave some toll money for drinks!"

As soon as he finished speaking, all the stall vendors and desperados smoking pipes from all directions stopped what they were doing, and greedy eyes swept over, staring intently at the two military trucks and the supplies on them.

Gu Changfeng didn't even bother to utter a single word of nonsense. He stretched out his left hand, completely shielding Lin Wanrou and Ya Ya behind him, and then reached down to his lower back with his right hand.

A crisp "click" sounded.

The Type 54 pistol had been drawn, the safety off, and the dark muzzle pressed straight against the center of the burly man's forehead.

"My rules are my rules." Gu Changfeng's voice was icy cold as his finger gripped the trigger. "Get lost."

The burly man's face twitched violently. He had thought that these regular soldiers would be more cautious in lawless areas, but he never expected to encounter a tough guy who would pull out his real weapon at the slightest provocation.

But he had been a local bully for years and still wanted to maintain some dignity, so he was about to say something harsh.

At this moment, Ya Ya, who was being blocked behind, peeked her head out from beside Gu Changfeng's legs.

With a pull of her two chubby little hands, the small sandalwood slingshot was stretched into a perfect circle. A black shadow flashed by with a "whoosh".

A dull thud!

A black steel ball grazed the burly man's ear and pierced a thick wooden stake three meters behind him, leaving a hole in it. Splinters of wood flew into the man's face.

"Oops, my hand slipped!" Ya Ya exclaimed in her childish voice while chewing on a White Rabbit milk candy. "Big Uncle, my slingshot doesn't have eyes. If it slips again next time, it might hit your head!"

The burly man rubbed his aching ear, completely cowering now. Such a powerful slingshot, coupled with the black muzzle of a gun pointed at his forehead—he was truly going to die. He pulled his machete from the sand and slunk back into the crowd.

Upon seeing this, the bandits and merchants who had been watching the spectacle immediately withdrew their probing gazes and went back to their work. In this cutthroat border town market, the law of the jungle prevailed. If you dared to use lethal force, others would show you respect.

Gu Changfeng holstered his pistol and turned to Platoon Leader Li, ordering, "Everyone, load up! Spread out in pairs for protection. In this place, if anyone dares to lay a finger on us, open fire. I'll take responsibility if anything happens!"

"Yes, sir!" Thirty elite soldiers simultaneously pulled back their bolts, raised their semi-automatic rifles, and marched in step. The iron-blooded aura of those who had killed spies spread out completely, forcefully clearing a path ahead.

A family of four walked in the middle of the procession. The market was in complete chaos, with rotten planks, broken stones, and camel dung scattered all over the ground.

A gust of wind blew by, carrying an extremely pungent smell of mutton and sweat. Ragged canvas sheds lined both sides of the street, selling bloodstained raw hides, various styles of curved knives and homemade guns, and a few foreign merchants gesturing in gibberish to indicate prices.

Niu Dan walked beside Ya Ya, his right hand gripping the handle of the cast iron boning knife tightly, his eyes scanning the pedestrians on both sides warily. He was ready to draw his knife and chop anyone who dared to come within a meter.

"Dad, this place is so dirty, there isn't even a place to sell candied hawthorns." Ya Ya covered her little nose in disgust.

"This is a death trap, where we have no time for snacks." Gu Changfeng shielded his daughter's head from the wind and sand with his large hand. "Platoon Leader Li, go find the biggest inn ahead. The whole platoon will rest here today. We'll buy enough guides and camels before heading into the desert tomorrow."

Platoon Leader Li led his men ahead, and they hadn't gone far when they stopped in front of a tulou (earthen building) with a tattered sheepskin sign. The sign bore three large, crooked characters written in charcoal: Huangshadian (Yellow Sand Shop).

This is the only two-story adobe building in the entire Hongshanbaozi area, and it looks quite sturdy.

Gu Changfeng led his men inside. The lobby on the first floor was dimly lit, with several tables of rough men sitting around greasy wooden tables, drinking and playing drinking games. When a group of fully armed soldiers rushed in, the lobby fell silent for a moment.

Behind the counter, a skinny old man, as thin as a stick with two tufts of mustache, hurriedly ran out, rubbing his hands together. His eyes darted around, and just as he was about to greet the customer, his gaze suddenly passed over Gu Changfeng's shoulder and landed on Lin Wanrou behind him.

Although Lin Wanrou was wearing a simple thick woolen coat and her hair was simply tied up at the back of her head, her fair and delicate appearance made her stand out like a bright white steamed bun in this desert full of rough people.

The innkeeper's triangular eyes were practically gleaming, and he was drooling.

Gu Changfeng's tall frame blocked Lin Wanrou's path, completely protecting her. He raised his foot, clad in a hard-soled military boot, and kicked over the broken bench beside him with a bang. He grabbed the boss by the collar and lifted the skinny old man off the ground with one hand.

"What are you looking at? If you want to die, just say so!" Gu Changfeng's voice boomed.

The shopkeeper, his eyes rolling back in his head from the choking, quickly waved his hands and begged for mercy: "Sir! Sir, please calm down! I was blind and never saw anything like this before. Are you here for a meal or to stay the night?"

Gu Changfeng loosened his grip, slamming the shopkeeper onto the counter. He pulled two ten-yuan bills from his pocket and said, "We'll take the main house in the back. These rooms in the front are for my soldiers. Bring out all your best food and drinks; don't try to fool us with stale food."

Upon seeing the banknotes, the shopkeeper scrambled to collect them, his old face plastered with a fake smile: "Oh, you're so generous, sir! Don't worry, I guarantee you'll be served very well. Shunzi, quickly take the commander to the upper room in the backyard!"

A young waiter ran out and led Gu Changfeng's family to the backyard. Thirty elite soldiers, assigned by Platoon Leader Li, were stationed to guard all the front and back exits of the inn.

Upon entering the main house in the backyard, the conditions remained absurdly poor. The house reeked of mold and earth, and against the wall stretched a row of dark, grimy earthen beds, their bedding gleaming with grease, clearly unwashed for countless years.

Looking at the environment, Lin Wanrou was very worried: "This blanket is no good. If Ya Ya sleeps in it all night, she'll definitely get a rash all over her body."

"Mom, don't worry about it, I have a plan." While Gu Changfeng turned his head to check the window, Ya Ya put her hand into the pocket of her tactical vest. With a thought, she pulled out two clean and tidy cotton sheets and a soft new quilt from her personal space and spread them on the earthen bed.

Lin Wanrou understood immediately, quickly pushed the old quilt to the corner, and deftly made up the clean sheets. By the time Gu Changfeng turned around, the bedding had already been changed.

"How can you fit so many beddings in that bag?" Gu Changfeng glanced at the military green canvas bag, puzzled, but too many strange things had happened along the way, so he didn't bother to investigate further.

Meanwhile, in the shady kitchen in front of the inn.

The owner, with a mustache, stood in front of a large iron pot steaming with white vapor. Inside the pot, lamb bones and white radishes were stewing, and the aroma of lamb fat filled the room.

"Boss, those soldiers are carrying real weapons, even automatic rifles. Are we really going to pull off a big heist this time?" the butcher asked in a low voice, his palms sweaty.

The boss pulled a neatly folded yellow paper package from his pocket, his eyes gleaming with greedy malice: "What's there to be afraid of! Every day, a few people die in the desert. No matter how good they are at fighting, they're just a few dozen mortals. After drinking this pot of nourishing soup, even gods will go weak and be at our mercy."

As he muttered to himself, Lin Wanrou's fair face appeared in his mind, and a vicious slit appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"All those soldiers' guns and ammunition would fetch a fortune on the black market. As for that pretty woman, once I've had my fill, I'll resell her to a foreign mine owner, and I'll be set for life!"

The shopkeeper flicked his finger, tearing open the yellow paper packet. A packet of grayish-white, potent sleeping potion powder was poured down the side of the pot into the boiling mutton soup. He picked up a large iron ladle and stirred it a couple of times; the powder, coated with mutton fat, dissolved completely, leaving not a trace.

"Plate it up! Take it to the backyard to welcome the leaders!" The old man put the pot lid on, picked up a wooden tray full of large bowls, and walked unsteadily towards the main house in the backyard, stepping on the oil stains on the ground.