The whole nation is trying to survive on the cable car; I'm choosing one of three options at ea

Yu Ishikawa said, "I don't believe it's just these people. When they come back, this will be the first barrier. As long as this barrier is blocked, they won't be able to get back to the cable car."

As he spoke, he tossed the crystal into the air and caught it steadily.

"Besides, our people are already on the defensive over there, and we'll be on the cable car going back anyway. All we can do now is kill as many of their people as possible. That way, even if they gain a small advantage, they won't be able to cause any real trouble."

Several people nodded in agreement.

Someone muttered under their breath, "These Xia people are fucking useless. I've been on guard all night, and not a single one of them can fight. They can't even hold their weapons steady when they see us."

That's why I said that's all they're capable of.

The short man leaned against the rock wall, tracing the tip of his knife across the ground. "Just like the last Great Xia cable we cleared, it's a bunch of scattered people with no discipline. As long as we don't run into their core team, we can kill them indiscriminately."

"What if we actually run into that?"

A young man who hadn't spoken until now, with a pale face, suddenly asked a question.

"If we run into each other, we run into each other."

The short guy scoffed, "No matter how strong their core team is, can they coordinate as well as us? We've fought more team battles in places like this than they've been to anywhere else."

"Don't forget, the Americans said before that there's a troublesome guy named Su Mu on their cable line," the young man said in a low voice. "Be careful."

"Su Mu?" Ishikawa Yu suddenly turned his head, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"You've heard about it too?" the short man asked, looking at him.

"The world announcement practically popped up in my face, how could I not know?" Ishikawa Yu raised his chin. "It's that guy who started the world quest. The Americans are hyping him up like a monster, but he's just a lucky guy."

He paused, then continued, "I checked the intelligence. The only reason they still have some fighting strength is because they're sticking with the main force. Now, with world missions, it's practically just a formality. Anyone would take advantage of such an opportunity."

"So you mean..." the young man hesitated.

"What I mean is, this guy is somewhat capable, but not to the point where we should be afraid. That's just how the atmosphere is among the Great Xia people; if someone becomes even slightly capable, they're blown out of proportion."

Yu Ishikawa gripped the crystal in his hand, slowly tightening his grip. "If I ever come across it, I'd like to see just how much it's worth."

"I heard he's at least level 10 now," said the hook-nosed man.

"Level 10 is nothing." Ishikawa Yu sneered. "I've killed so many Level 10s that I can't count them on one hand."

He didn't say anything more, but simply turned his gaze to the sand dunes to the west.

The sky was already showing a hazy gray-blue light, and a gray fog was gradually enveloping everything.

"This place is open, and even at night, the visibility is good, so it's hard to hide anyone." Ishikawa Yu stood up and stretched his shoulders. "Have the sentries on the perimeter keep their eyes peeled, especially those two small openings to the north and southeast. If anyone tries to sneak in, they should come in from there. It's dangerous at night, and I suspect some people who don't have time to use other teleportation points will try to break through."

"Understood." The short man picked up the communicator and began making arrangements.

Yu Ishikawa took two steps forward, stood on the edge of the rock platform, and glanced around at the teleportation point.

The group of over thirty men was divided into three lines of defense, with sentries both inside and outside the perimeter. Heavy firepower was positioned on both sides, and a retreat route was also prepared. With this setup, they were confident they could stop not only ordinary lone attackers, but even a core team of thirty men from the Great Xia Empire.

He subconsciously looked up and gazed northward.

The outline of Ash City is no longer visible there, but the discussions about it on the world channel have never stopped.

Su Mu.

He silently repeated the name to himself, a dismissive smile appearing on his face.

"You'd better not come," he thought to himself. "If you do come, I'll let you know that getting on the world's announcements isn't so easy."

When Su Mu arrived near the teleportation point, the setting sun had already risen above the sand dune line.

He walked along the shadows on the back of the wind-eroded rock.

I didn't walk too fast.

The Sakura Kingdom certainly had a lot of manpower. Every now and then you could see one or two sentries disguised as rocks. Some were squatting in the sand pits, and some were lying behind the protruding rock ridges. They were all holding their breath and focused, like scorpions lying in the sand.

He counted them; there were eleven on the outer perimeter alone. Including those on the inner perimeter and around the rock platform, there should be thirty-five or thirty-six people.

"More than thirty people, just to block a return point." Su Mu's lips twitched. "They're really going all out."

If it were another country, he might consider bypassing this place altogether, since with his abilities, it wouldn't be difficult to get back to the cable car from another teleportation point.

But the land of cherry blossoms

He didn't hide anything and just walked out.

The cloak billowed in the wind, revealing a section of the spear tip.

When he appeared at the gap on the west side of the teleportation point, the two sentries spotted him almost simultaneously.

"There's someone here." One of them pressed the observation scope towards him, quickly compared it, and said, "One person, without a team."

"Is it that Su Mu?" another voice asked, sounding uncertain.

The message reached the inside, and a few seconds later, the previously quiet rock platform seemed to be stirred up by something. Figures moved quickly on both sides, and the sounds of swords being drawn and guns being cocked blended together.

Su Mu stood thirty meters away, his spear hanging limply, the butt of the spear lightly touching the ground.

"Is this the road you blocked?" he asked.

There was no reply from the other end.

But a person emerged from behind the rock platform. He was short, but had broad shoulders, and his face, in the morning light, showed signs of being roughened by wind and sand.

It was Ishikawa Hiroshi.

He walked steadily, his eyes fixed on Su Mu the moment he stepped off the rock platform, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"I know you," Ishikawa Yu said, drawing out each word. "Su Mu. The lucky one in the world announcement."

Su Mu remained silent.

Yu Ishikawa took a few more steps forward, unbuttoned his coat, and stretched his wrists: "You know what? Ever since I saw the announcement last night, I've been thinking about whether I should give you a quick death if I run into you here."

He stopped, about fifteen meters away from Su Mu.

"I was thinking that someone like you would at least bring a few teams with you before daring to show your face. I didn't expect you to come alone." He slowly drew a short knife from his waist, the blade gleaming like a piece of ice in the morning light. "That's fine. It saves people from saying I'm bullying you."

Su Mu finally spoke.

"Are you the leader of this group?"

Ishikawa Yu chuckled. "What? You want me to let you go?"

"No." Su Mu slammed his gun on the ground, the tip digging into the sand. "I wanted to confirm who would be the most effective to kill first."