Chapter 108: A Wild Dance of Demons

"Copy that." Qin Yang adjusted his scope and took a quick breath. The enemy reinforcements had entered within a thousand meters, cautiously looking for cover. The area was mostly dense forest shrouded in cold snow, resembling a frozen woodland. This created massive obstacles for the enemy's advance. Furthermore, Qin Yang's Yin-Yang Eye could see through all illusions. Even if the enemy hid behind trees, he could lock onto their positions with absolute precision. Relying on the high-powered sniper rifle in his hands and specialized ammunition, he could easily shoot straight through the tree trunks. This group of terrorists was dismayed to find that no matter how they hid, they could not escape his sniper rounds.

"Sniper at nine o'clock," Qin Yang said calmly.

Shen Haoyun and the others immediately shifted their targets, suppressing the enemy sniper with heavy firepower so they couldn't shoot.

Just then, Qin Yang suddenly saw a line of unarmed people in civilian clothes slowly walking out of the woods with their hands raised. Behind them, a group of ruthless terrorists followed closely, using them as shields.

"Damn it, hostages," Qin Yang muttered.

"Hold your fire!" Zhou Qi ordered decisively.

However, the enemy had no intention of letting this golden opportunity slip. They began to fire heavily while constantly hiding behind the hostages.

"Dammit!" Zhou Kehai and the others ducked to evade the incoming bullets.

Qin Yang's eyes turned icy. This line of hostages was clearly Chinese, their mouths sealed with duct tape. The terrorists had no intention of negotiating, unleashing a torrent of heavy firepower.

"Retreat!" Zhou Qi gritted his teeth and ordered.

As soldiers, obeying orders was their duty. Though they desperately wanted to rescue the hostages, charging forward under the current circumstances was suicide. The group quickly retreated along their pre-planned route. The terrorists laughed savagely, firing wildly into the air to show off. The team fell back all the way to their temporary base.

Once inside, Cheng Mu tossed his Vulcan cannon aside, grabbed Shen Haoyun, and roared, "You bastard! Didn't your informant tell you they had hostages? Do you have any idea that my brothers almost died in that ambush?"

"How could I have known?" Shen Haoyun retorted, equally furious.

"Enough," Qin Yang pulled Cheng Mu back and said, "Zhou Qi, report the situation to Wei Boyang. The enemy likely has more hostages than just these. If they use them as human shields to advance, we'll be extremely vulnerable. It's getting late, and they will probably halt their advance temporarily. We don't have much time. Once they cross our defensive line, it will be very difficult to launch any lethal attacks against them."

Zhou Qi nodded.

They quickly established contact with Wei Boyang via their communication equipment.

To their surprise, Wei Boyang already knew about the situation. "We received a threat from the terrorists. They have thirty-two of our Chinese citizens hostage. They haven't sent their demands yet, but if they publicize this, the strategic objective of our entire operation will fail."

"Cut the useless talk and get straight to the point," Qin Yang said impatiently.

"Rescue the hostages at all costs. I will arrange for backup to meet you."

Hanging up the communication, Qin Yang lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, looked at the others, and asked, "What's the plan?"

"I'll contact my informant immediately to get details," Shen Haoyun said.

"Don't bother. If they didn't even mention something this big, your informant is likely dead," Zhou Qi said, waving his hand. "The terrorists still chose this route to declare war on us, clearly wanting to show the world how terrifyingly capable they are."

Shen Haoyun's lips trembled, and he slumped into a chair.

"We'll form a small squad to infiltrate their rear, assassinate them, and rescue the hostages," Xie Chengyang said, standing up. "It's the only viable way."

"But where would they hide?" Zhou Qi looked at him. "Most of our scouts have pulled back. If the enemy spots any of our men, they will likely start slaughtering hostages. I've fought them more than once or twice; they are entirely capable of such brutality."

"I know where," a scout suddenly stood up, walked to the map, and pointed to a spot. "They might be hiding here. It was once our temporary training ground, but it was abandoned long ago."

"Do we have a detailed map?" Zhou Qi asked.

The scout rushed to a crate, rummaged through it, pulled out a structural layout of the facility, and spread it on the table. "Here it is. The built-up area isn't large, but it's well-structured and offers excellent concealment. If our comrade's undercover operation failed, there's a high probability this place has been compromised."

Zhou Qi examined it carefully, lost in thought. "But we still can't confirm the enemy's numbers."

"I know their plan," Qin Yang said, suddenly opening his eyes. His dark, obsidian pupils gleamed with a mysterious light. "They are indeed hiding there. Tomorrow, they will rendezvous with their reinforcements and secretly bypass our defensive line through an underground tunnel."

"An underground tunnel? How do you know?" Shen Haoyun was shocked. "The tunnel below is an abandoned military site, originally built for covert operations. It has always been classified."

"What he knows will always exceed your expectations," Cheng Mu snorted. "It seems your informant leaked quite a lot."

Shen Haoyun clutched his hair, unable to reply.

Qin Yang glared at Cheng Mu and said, "There are one hundred and thirty-one enemies. I'll only know where the hostages are kept once I get closer. Zhou Qi, Ge Yun, Gao Di, Jiang Chi, the five of us will infiltrate. Cheng Mu, Dongfang Hao, you and the four members of the Parasol Team will provide fire support. Xie Chengyang, the remaining four of you will set up sniper positions along this retreat route to handle pursuers. Shen Haoyun, take your men and ambush the tunnel exits. The moment any terrorists show their faces, kill them on sight. If you dare bring back a single prisoner, I will be the first to skin you alive."

A powerful, chilling aura of death erupted from him, making everyone shudder.

"We could capture a prisoner to interrogate them about the location of their reinforcements," Zhou Kehai suggested, somewhat puzzled.

Zhou Qi snorted. "Qin Yang will find out where their reinforcements are himself. As for prisoners, they're just extra trouble. Kill them all. Keeping those bastards alive is a waste of food."

With their roles assigned, Qin Yang's group of five gathered to apply camouflage to their gear and paint their faces. Pointing to the map, Qin Yang said, "Once we blow up this base, the enemy will definitely realize we're conducting a stealth rescue. Be extremely careful. Follow the plan, and make sure our timing is precise down to the second."

"Understood."

Once darkness fell, the five of them set off toward the abandoned base along the route shown on the map. Along the way, they encountered a few scouting terrorists, but eliminated them with ease. Checking the time, Qin Yang said, "The enemy shifts guard every two hours, so we have plenty of time. I'll go rescue the hostages while you plant the explosives."

With their tasks clear, Qin Yang slipped into the dense forest alone and silent. Spotting the flickering firelight of the base in the distance, he sneered. Behind him, two Ghost Soldiers flickered into existence before vanishing. They didn't need to sneak around; the night was their perfect cover. They were true, omnipresent reapers of death. Meanwhile, Qin Yang kept looking for gaps in the enemy's defense.

Fortunately, Qin Yang knew the enemy's entire troop deployment. He had personally killed a low-ranking enemy commander earlier who was involved in organizing the base's defenses, allowing Qin Yang to harvest his soul. The Steward had also notified him that his Soul-Reaping quest was now two-twelfths complete—meaning that during the daytime firefight, he had successfully sniped two jihadist war criminals.

The temporary base was built using local materials, primarily sturdy logs. The rough construction left many branches untrimmed, providing Qin Yang with excellent handholds to climb. Activating his Yin-Yang Eye, the entire layout of the base unfolded before him, and he clearly saw the hostages locked in a dark room.

Climbing up, he spotted a dark figure approaching. Taking a deep breath, Qin Yang drew the military knife he had taken from the Black Prison and lunged. Before the terrorist could react, Qin Yang took his life with a single slash. Dragging the body into the shadows, he stripped the man of his outer jacket and put it on. He spent over eighty soul points to read the man's memories, acquiring their language and military hand signs. Wearing a thick hat, it would be hard to tell him apart without close inspection.

Cradling an AK rifle in his arms, he walked openly. He even casually greeted a few guards he passed, only to end their lives the moment they turned their backs. Using this method, he made his way to the room where the hostages were kept and greeted the two guards at the door.

"I'm here for a woman," Qin Yang said in a sinister tone.

The two guards exchanged knowing glances and led him inside. A bonfire burned in the center of the room to keep the occupants from freezing. Over a dozen men and women stared at them in terror. They had never imagined that what started as a sightseeing trip to Xinjiang would end with them being taken hostage by these terrorists, or that they would nearly die in the daytime bombardment.

"Which one do you want, brother?" one of the guards asked with a lecherous grin.

The hostages huddled closer in fear. Qin Yang looked up and smiled. "You two."

"Huh?" Only then did the guards notice the camouflage paint on his face. Shocked, they opened their mouths to yell, but Qin Yang had already drawn his Tang saber. In a flash, he slashed it across their throats. The blade was so sharp it nearly decapitated them.

"Quiet," Qin Yang whispered, switching to Chinese. "I'm here to rescue you."

"Are... are you a soldier?" a relatively brave young man of about twenty-three or twenty-four stepped forward and asked.

Qin Yang gave a faint smile and showed them the national flag patch hidden under his chest armor. He then picked up the two terrorists' weapons and tossed them to the young man. "Do you know how to shoot?"

"I've practiced at a shooting range before, but I've never fired a real gun," the young man replied, his hands trembling as he held the heavy rifle.

"That's enough. Take this watch and this map." Qin Yang handed him a watch and a hand-drawn map. "When the countdown on the watch hits zero, escape along the route I've drawn. If anyone shows up, shoot to kill."

"What about you? Aren't you coming with us?" someone asked timidly.

"I'll be securing the path ahead," Qin Yang replied.

"Can you please save my child?" a woman in her forties stepped forward, pleading in agony. "They took my child away."

"I'll do my best," Qin Yang said, waving his hand. "If anyone breaks in, use this knife to kill them." He handed his military knife to the young man. "Be a man."

"I'll... try," the young man swallowed hard, feeling incredibly bitter inside. *I'm just a student, I've never killed anyone.*

Qin Yang wasted no more time. Gripping his Tang saber, he slipped out of the room and spoke into his earpiece. "Zhou Qi, I've found the hostages. Initiate the retreat as planned."

"Copy that. You have ten minutes. You must clear a safe path for them within ten minutes," Zhou Qi whispered. "Ge Yun and Jiang Chi are on their way to support you. Gao Di and I will cover them."

Having received the confirmation, Qin Yang adjusted his clothing. The terrorists' outfits were mismatched and baggy, making it hard to notice the Tang saber in his hand under the cover of night. The two Ghost Soldiers had already begun assisting him with silent assassinations in the dark. There were too many hostages; if they tried to retreat now, they would easily be hunted down by the terrorists. Clearing a temporary safe passage for them was the top priority.

The Ghost Soldiers proved incredibly effective. They would materialize behind a target, reap their life with a curved blade, and vanish back into the night for the next assassination. Qin Yang's Yin-Yang Eye accurately pinpointed the missing girl's location. However, her situation did not look good. Four large men were gathered around a fire, preparing to commit unspeakable acts.