Chapter 0005: Jungle Gunfight

Luo Zheng was taken aback, picked up his gun, and charged forward. Before long, he suddenly saw a person in the distance firing a shot, then quickly rolled to the side while holding the gun. The place where he had just taken cover was hit by a burst of three shots, with barely a blink of an eye between the two events. If he had been even half a beat slower, that person would undoubtedly have been dead.

For Luo Zheng, who is accustomed to the jungle, all of this is nothing. At the age of ten, he traversed the depths of the forest with his ancestors, and they would be gone for more than half a month. Luo Zheng feels a deep affection for the forest and is very familiar with it. While running, he resembles a nimble mountain monkey, continuously leaping over the obstacles in front of him, moving at an astonishing speed

A sharp bird call pierced the clear sky, adding a touch of vitality to the desolate mountains and fields. Luo Zheng turned his head to see a mountain eagle soaring into the clouds, followed closely by a flock of birds that burst forth from the towering forest, frantically flying into the heights

For a new border guard recruit like Luo Zheng, who has been accustomed to using a crude shotgun since childhood, opportunities to handle a firearm have been scarce. He had only touched a gun a few times during training in the recruit company, and the ammunition was pitifully limited. His understanding of firearms was far from sufficient. Upon arriving at the border outpost, he did have the chance to handle a gun, but the management of ammunition was extremely strict. He had not fired a single shot in six months and was completely unfamiliar with such advanced equipment, only able to roughly identify the names of the components. Suddenly, he heard two gunshots coming from ahead.

Having crossed one mountain after another, traversed numerous ridges, and waded through various canyons, the sound of explosions had finally ceased. After an hour, Luo Zheng arrived at a hillside, gazing around. The surrounding landscape was still a vast expanse of endless mountains, devoid of any signs of human habitation. In the distance, however, lay a forest, with tall and dense trees reaching up to the sky.

This time, Luo Zheng keenly sensed the direction from which the explosion sound originated, deep within the mountains at a considerable distance from himself. He could not help but feel overjoyed, and without a second thought, he sprinted towards it, secretly rejoicing that he finally had a lead. Thinking of the tragic deaths of his comrades, Luo Zheng was filled with strength, and his feet seemed to fly with the wind.

After walking for a while, the sun emerged. Luo Zheng climbed up the hillside and looked around; the surrounding mountains undulated, stretching endlessly. The hillside was overgrown with withered grass and shrubs, making it impossible to find a path, and there were no signs of human habitation. The desolation was suffocating, as if he had entered a lifeless wasteland. Only a few birds and a - picture - book soared into the sky, their cheerful chirping adding a touch of vitality to the dead silence of the barren land. Luo Zheng realized he was lost and had completely lost all traces.

Since childhood, Luo Zheng has been accustomed to the brutal killings among animals, witnessing the tragic deaths of his uncles and brothers at the hands of ferocious beasts. He is not particularly afraid of death, yet he values life; there is only one life to live, and one must stay alive to avenge his brothers

Running in the forest is extremely physically demanding. Fortunately, the trees in this forest are tall, and the sunlight is blocked by the dense canopy. The ground, lacking sufficient sunlight, is devoid of shrubs and weeds. Apart from the massive tree roots exposed on the surface, only a thick layer of dead leaves remains. The air is permeated with a foul odor of decaying leaves and mud. The depths of the forest after heavy rain are not as beautiful as they appear on the surface

After all, he was a seasoned warrior without any formal military training. Luo Zheng had only spent half a year in the border defense forces since graduating from the recruit company, so he could still be considered a rookie. Driven by his fervent passion, he had come this far, relying solely on the experience and physical strength he had accumulated from hunting with his parents during his childhood. After a night of frantic running, he was nearly exhausted and gradually fell into a deep sleep

Upon seeing this * picture * book curtain, Luo Zheng's spirit was greatly uplifted, like a startled bird fleeing the forest, indicating that there were people in the woods. A faint explosion sound, "boom!", echoed from the forest, confirming Luo Zheng's judgment. Overjoyed, Luo Zheng rushed towards the forest without any consideration of the potential dangers. In pursuit of revenge, Luo Zheng was fearless.

A faint sound of an explosion echoed.

"There are people fighting ahead." After Luo Zheng was certain of this, he ran even faster, the sound of bullets being fired ahead grew louder, occasionally mixed with the sound of a grenade explosion

Upon entering the forest, Luo Zheng relied on his hunting experience to search for traces everywhere. Broken branches, trampled ground, and disturbed tree bark, among others, were the best clues. After a thorough investigation, he found nothing. Fortunately, another explosion sounded ahead, prompting Luo Zheng to sprint forward, faintly hearing the "whoosh" of bullets tearing through the air.

Luozheng, who had been in a deep slumber, suddenly awoke, his eyes bursting with brilliance. He sprang up like a carp leaping out of the water, looking around, yet found nothing. The mountains remained as they were, a vast expanse, with light clouds and gentle winds. The air, especially fresh after the heavy rain, was invigorating. Luozheng looked up at the sun high in the sky, certain that what he had just experienced was not an illusion; it was impossible for thunder to occur on a sunny day in the plateau. The only explanation was the sound of an explosion.

The further he went, the more cautious Luo Zheng became. Before long, he saw a person lying ahead, with blood covering the back of the head and shoulders, most of the head blown off, already dead. The individual was wearing a very peculiar camouflage outfit, with a green base color adorned with yellow, brown, and black, blending the person into the surrounding nature. If it weren't for the blood on the person's head, it would have been nearly impossible to notice.

Luo Zheng cautiously approached, opened the other person's belongings, and saw an Oriental face. The resolute features were complemented by a pair of strikingly contrasting black and white eyes that revealed a sense of unwillingness and a deep attachment to life. Beside him lay a well-crafted high-end weapon, resembling a sniper rifle, and there were no identifying documents on him. Luo Zheng picked up the gun and began to inspect it

Boom! Another explosion was faintly heard.

About ten minutes later, the sounds of battle ahead ceased. Luo Zheng instinctively slowed his pace. Although he lacked combat experience, he understood that proceeding further would be perilous. He cautiously surveyed his surroundings, tiptoeing to run behind a large tree. Once he clearly assessed the situation and confirmed there was no danger, he quickly ran to another large tree to continue his observation

Upon thinking of this, Luo Zheng felt invigorated, swiftly shouldering his luggage, grabbing the mountain-cutting knife, and scanning the surroundings with his stern eyes, waiting for another explosion to sound. Under the influence of the ancestral breathing technique, a brief rest allowed Luo Zheng to fully restore his physical strength and energy, making him appear lively and vigorous once again

In a state of agitation, Luo Zheng sat down to rest, closing his eyes slightly to regain his strength. He began to breathe according to the ancestral secret method passed down through generations. Luo Zheng's ancestors had lived by hunting, and all that remained was an old shotgun and this set of secret techniques, which had no name and no one knew their origin. Passed down through generations, the greatest benefit of this method was that it enhanced one's hearing and vision, accelerating physical recovery, making it most suitable for hunting in the forest

Seeing the familiar yet unfamiliar mountains and wilderness, Luo Zheng could not help but feel discouraged. This vast expanse of mountains and fields already belonged to the territory of a neighboring country; where could he find the murderer? If he went in the wrong direction, not only would it be a futile effort, but he would also miss the best opportunity to pursue the culprit. What was to be done? The images of his fallen comrades surged back to his mind, leaving Luo Zheng with a face full of sorrow and helplessness