Chapter 759 - 110: Flanking

After speaking, Counselor Pei stood quietly to the side, offering no suggestions. This time, they were only providing the necessary intelligence. As for what to do, the choice was entirely up to Chen Chuan.

Chen Chuan stared at the map for a long moment before asking, "Do we have any intelligence on the inside of their camp?"

Counselor Pei shook his head. "The garrison has tried to scout them several times, but they were always intercepted from afar. We lost quite a few people. They haven’t given up, though, and are still making attempts. If we get any new information, I’ll let you know immediately, Manager Chen."

Chen Chuan nodded. "I have a general understanding of the situation now. Let’s head back."

Counselor Pei agreed. "Alright. Manager Chen, let me show you something else."

As they walked out, Counselor Pei glanced down the corridor toward the outside. "The nights in the Merging Land are always difficult to endure. The Old Imperial Family uses this to their advantage when they attack us. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be so on the defensive."

Chen Chuan glanced outside. It had been daytime when he entered the operations room, but now, as if in an instant, the world outside was shrouded in darkness.

’How to survive a night in the wilds of the Merging Land. This was another challenge he had to face. Fortunately, having inherited a portion of Chen Bitong’s memories and experience, he had already made thorough preparations.’

This time, Counselor Pei led Chen Chuan out of the main building. Under the beams of searchlights, they crossed an open field to the airship mooring station behind the fortress, where two small airships were parked on the plaza. He said, "This is the *Cangluo*. Tomorrow at five o’clock, it will take reinforcements to the camp. If you wish to go there, Manager Chen, you can take either of these airships."

Chen Chuan said decisively, "I’ll leave tomorrow."

"Excellent," Counselor Pei said. "Considering how vast that unexplored region is, Manager Chen, we’ve had our people prepare some transportation for you. This way..."

Chen Chuan followed him. After rounding a corner, he saw a stable containing several tall, formidable horses. The stable had clearly been treated with some kind of solution, as there was no unpleasant odor.

Counselor Pei walked up to a black stallion, took its reins, and patted its neck. "These are Dragon-nosed Horses we’ve attempted to train and breed ourselves. We may not have the special breeding techniques of the Old Imperial Family, but fortunately, these have gentle temperaments and excellent stamina."

"Best of all, as a breed raised here in the Merging Land, these horses can survive in the wild at night, just like the native creatures. You can take them along without any worries."

Chen Chuan looked them over. The horses were all about two meters tall at the shoulder, muscular and athletic. ’They really are excellent,’ he thought, nodding involuntarily.

Counselor Pei pointed to a few other horses. "Considering you’ll need to carry equipment, Manager Chen, we’ve also prepared two packhorses. They’ll be strong enough to carry everything you need, even if they are a little slower."

’He could tell at a glance that the packhorses had outstanding stamina. Their slower speed didn’t matter. To be honest, for him, the horses were just a means of transportation. If he really started running, even the speed of a Dragon-nosed Horse would be nothing to him.’

He said, "You’ve been very thorough, Counselor Pei. Thank you."

Counselor Pei waved his hand dismissively. "It’s a small thing. The people fighting on the front lines are laying down their lives. I just hope this helps you, Manager Chen."

"This will all be very useful," Chen Chuan said earnestly. He stepped forward and patted the horse. It obediently lowered its head and stood perfectly still.

Counselor Pei said, "I’ll arrange to have the horses loaded onto the airship, then. The *Cangluo* departs at five tomorrow morning. You should get some rest, Manager Chen." After speaking, he gave Chen Chuan a salute, then turned and walked back toward the mooring station.

Chen Chuan didn’t stay outside much longer. After familiarizing himself with the horses, he returned to the temporary quarters the garrison had provided for him.

He first rinsed off, then prepared a hot drink and sat down in an armchair. He tapped his Lower Realm Token, calling up a map from within it.

This was Chen Bitong’s map data. Dotted around and within the unknown region were scattered red, green, and a few gray points. Most of these marked settlements of the local indigenous people. Red points meant hostile, while green meant they were open to contact. The gray points indicated an unknown disposition—their reaction would depend on the circumstances.

The map also showed several winding lines, which were passable trails Chen Bitong had discovered during his explorations.

Of course, "passable" was a relative term, applicable only to someone on Chen Bitong’s level. The wilderness of the Merging Land was teeming with unpredictable dangers and unknown creatures. No ordinary Third Limit Fighter could guarantee safe passage.

His gaze shifted to the location of the current Lynx Federation camp. On Chen Bitong’s map, that spot had been a very large indigenous settlement. ’It seems those powers killed or drove the natives out to claim this land,’ he thought.

’But they wouldn’t have just set up a single camp. Even the fortress here is surrounded by a dense network of watchtowers, trenches, and permanent fortifications.’

’It was easy to imagine that the main camp was surrounded by defensive structures and smaller outposts. If I try to break through by following the main road, I’d have to fight my way through each of those defenses. Even if I could, the enemy would be fully prepared by the time I arrived.’

’So this time, I’ll take a detour. I’ll use the trails to circle around and launch a surprise attack on the camp’s weaker flank and rear. Once this camp is destroyed, the supply and retreat lines for their teams deeper in the unexplored region will be cut. Cleaning up the rest will be much simpler after that.’

His plan solidified, he stopped overthinking it. He downed the rest of his hot drink, rose, and went to the adjacent training room. There, he sat down and began to regulate his breathing.

「After a night of rest, the time was 4:30 the next morning.」

Chen Chuan washed up and got ready. He then picked up his Snow Monarch Blade, called to Chaoming, and walked out with his case in hand.

Counselor Pei was already waiting in front of the airship mooring station. When Chen Chuan approached, the counselor extended his hand for a handshake.

"Manager Chen, the three horses have been secured in the airship’s lower compartment. If you don’t plan on going all the way to our camp and need to disembark midway, just let the captain know. He’ll arrange for you to be lowered down. Finally, I wish you success."

"Thank you," Chen Chuan said.

Counselor Pei released his hand, stepped back, and gave him a formal salute.

Chen Chuan returned the salute, then turned and walked up the boarding ramp into the airship. Inside, his eyes scanned the cabin. Two twelve-man squads of soldiers were seated there, all of them bearing visible combat Implants. These men were reinforcements for the forward camp. In addition to the two squads here, another four were on the other airship.

He was dressed in civilian clothes, not his official manager’s uniform, so the soldiers paid him no mind. He found a secluded seat and sat down, resting the Snow Monarch Blade beside him.

After a short wait, the two airships lifted off from the fortress, one after the other. Amid the whir of their propellers, they sped toward the distant sky.

Chen Chuan sat by himself, closing his eyes to rest and regulate his breathing. Chaoming remained quietly by his side.

One of the squad members looked over at Chen Chuan, then nudged his companion with his boot. The other soldier, who had been dozing off, looked up, startled. The first man nodded in Chen Chuan’s direction and whispered, "He’s a Fighter, right?"

"Has to be."

Another squad member glanced at the Snow Monarch Blade and whispered, "An ordinary person couldn’t even swing a blade that long."

The first soldier said, "I hear the fighting at the front is fierce. The Old Imperial Family sent out a lot of their Samurai. Isn’t one guy a little short on reinforcements?"

His companion replied, "Not our problem to worry about. Get some sleep while you can. There won’t be much chance to rest once we arrive."

The airship cabin fell silent once more.

Several hours passed. Chen Chuan’s eyes suddenly snapped open. He tapped his Lower Realm Token, which displayed their approximate position on a map based on the surrounding terrain. The trail he planned to take was not far ahead.

He sent a message to the airship’s captain, forwarding a set of coordinates.

A moment later, two crewmen came over and forced open the rear hatch. A cold, damp gust of wind rushed in, startling everyone in the cabin awake.

*What was going on?*

Chen Chuan picked up his Snow Monarch Blade and stood. He patted Chaoming’s head gently, and the bird immediately took flight, soaring out the open hatch. Chen Chuan then grabbed his case and walked out onto the unguarded rear platform.

The airship had already begun to slow down and descend. He pushed the case out first, sending it falling toward the ground, then followed it with a leap into the open air.

The soldiers in the cabin gasped. They were at least a hundred or two hundred meters above the ground. ’Jumping from this high... Is he serious?’

Chen Chuan plummeted downwards, his eyes on the approaching earth. The wind howled in his ears, and his red scarf streamed behind him. His expression remained perfectly calm.

He had planned to simply brace for the impact, but as he neared the ground, a sudden power emanated from his fluttering red scarf, making his body feel weightless. When his feet touched down, he felt almost no force from the landing.

He glanced at the floating scarf. "Thanks, Hong Fu."

He then looked toward Chaoming. The bird had already located the case he’d dropped. It scanned the surroundings and, seeing no immediate threats, flew to the case, gripped the strap, and lifted it from the mud.

He turned and signaled to the airship. It descended further and opened its lower cargo bay doors. The three horses, standing on a platform attached to a cable, were slowly lowered to the ground.

Once they were on the ground, he walked over, unfastened the horses’ safety harnesses, and led them off the platform. He then gave another signal, and the airship’s bay doors closed as it began to ascend once more.

Chen Chuan turned, unpacked the case, and loaded the contents onto the backs of the two packhorses.

Once everything was secured, he swung himself onto the black Dragon-nosed Horse and gazed at the turbulent river and dense woodlands in the distance. A sharp cry rang out from the sky as Chaoming flew on ahead.

He pulled his gaze back to the path ahead and snapped the reins. The Dragon-nosed Horse beneath him sprang into motion, galloping forward.

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