Chapter Seventy-Three: The Art of Provocation

The warrior clad in a black robe, though blood poured from his wounds inflicted by Chen Cao’s gunfire, remained focused on pounding garlic, prostrated on the ground, begging for mercy without cease.

Blood from his wounds dripped onto the yellow sand, quickly staining it red. Giant Bear and his companions, weapons at the ready, kept vigilant as they watched this group of men, who now lay trembling on the ground, muttering pleas for mercy in their native tongue.

Chen Cao gazed coldly at the black-robed warriors before him. Suddenly, he kicked the shoulder wound of the soldier closest to him; the man howled in agony, but the others dared not move, keeping their faces pressed to the earth, too afraid to even cover their wounds with their hands—a truly pitiful sight.

Yet Chen Cao pressed down harder with his foot, turning his head to Ian and ordering, "Ask them why they impersonated the Black Robe Army!"

Without hesitation, Ian translated the question to the warriors in their language.

Upon hearing this, the black-robed warriors’ eyes lit up; they raised their heads slightly and began speaking rapidly.

Chen Cao demanded that they answer individually, increasing the pressure with his foot as he barked his command.

The soldier pinned beneath him grew pale with pain, his dark eyes rolling back.

Ian, after a moment's thought and exchange in their language, relayed the information to Chen Cao. "They were forced to masquerade as the Black Robe Army from the start. They say the original Black Robe Army numbered only a few dozen, and most were wiped out in today’s battle. These men are merely ordinary guerrilla fighters. The Messenger of the True God, Alfred, ordered them to impersonate the Black Robe Army to intimidate the enemy."

While Chen Cao was still pondering, Ian, eyes wide, translated again to the captives.

The fake Black Robe soldiers, terrified by Chen Cao’s deadly demeanor, fell silent, allowing one among them to speak.

Behind the soldier pinned by Chen Cao, a man with a wounded thigh spoke at length before falling back to the ground, trembling.

Ian’s blue eyes suddenly brightened with excitement. He turned to Chen Cao and said, "They claim Alfred has personally led his troops in pursuit of the enemy who inflicted heavy losses and destroyed their base—likely the person you’re searching for. As the saying goes, fortune favors the prepared!"

Chen Cao released his foot; the impersonator clutched his shoulder and immediately lay flat on the ground.

Xiao Li, holding his rifle, spoke to Chen Cao: "I believe the boss is still alive. As long as he is, I should be able to track his direction."

Chen Cao frowned, thinking aloud: "But it’s been more than an hour since we arrived. We have only about twenty minutes left, and we don’t know how many groups they split into." Turning to Xiao Li, he said, "Xiao Li, this is up to you now. We can’t waste any more time."

"Don’t worry," Xiao Li replied, pulling out a strange black box from his backpack. Opening it, he revealed a compass-like device and began scouting on the ground.

Ian continued to communicate with the prostrate warriors.

It seemed they had been thoroughly frightened; whenever Ian asked, they answered without hesitation.

"All right. I can’t detect the boss’s direction, but I know Alfred’s main force is ahead," Xiao Li declared.

Ian, eyeing the compass-like device, couldn’t help but ask, "Can that fortune-teller really track people?"

Xiao Li smiled faintly. "Some secrets are better left unknown."

Ian stuck out his tongue; with no advanced reconnaissance equipment, this was their best option. Chen Cao’s demeanor suggested he was serious and confident.

"Did you learn anything else?" Chen Cao gestured for Xiao Li to lead the way, then asked Ian.

Ian pointed at the warriors on the ground. "They are the lowest-ranking fighters; otherwise, Alfred wouldn’t send them to die. They know nothing about the Black Robe soldiers—not even their appearance. Apparently, the Black Robes dwell underground, cared for by dedicated personnel, rarely seen in action, and not directly commanded by Alfred. That massive stone was Alfred’s last stronghold, now destroyed by your comrades. Looks like most really have been wiped out." Ian gave Chen Cao a curious glance.

Chen Cao listened without comment. He understood Ian’s implication: suspicion as to why the Great Chen had deployed special forces against Alfred. In theory, there should be no enmity between them. But such matters were state secrets, and Chen Cao would neither inquire nor let Ian, commander of the Mainz army, learn more.

Chen Cao addressed Giant Bear, "Knock them out. They're poor folk; let them fend for themselves in the desert."

Giant Bear squinted, watching the black-robed warriors glance nervously between Chen Cao and himself. Suddenly, he raised his rifle butt and struck their heads one by one; soon, they lay unconscious on the sand.

Bao Li frowned but said nothing. In terms of Great Chen’s martial arts, he was more adept at rendering them unconscious safely, but Giant Bear’s brute strength made it clear Chen Cao didn’t want survivors. Yet, on the battlefield, who cares for the fate of others? Still, these guerrillas—ordinary people—could expose them later, leading to diplomatic incidents if Great Chen’s troops were discovered. Caution was wise, and as a soldier, Chen Cao’s actions were correct.

Chen Cao glanced at Bao Li, nodded, and said nothing more.

They resumed formation, weapons ready, following Xiao Li toward the sun.

The wind stirred the yellow sand; soon, the drifting sands buried the unconscious warriors. Life faded slowly in the vast desert—yet what did that matter?

Xiao Li, compass in hand, moved quickly, stopping intermittently. After several minutes, he halted, gazing out over the endless sea of sand, and said breathlessly, "The signal ends here. They moved fast and used signal jammers—I can’t pursue them." His expression was downcast.

The group fell silent. Chen Cao looked up at the sky; a dark cloud floated across the brilliant blue.

He surveyed his companions, then said, "I think I know where Alfred and his troops went. It’s a place only Ian and I know."

"What?" The group revived, turning their attention to Chen Cao.

"But only Ian and I can go," Chen Cao said deliberately in Mainz’s language, giving Ian a deep look.

Xiao Li, always perceptive, seemed to grasp Chen Cao’s meaning and frowned. "Chen Cao, are you worried about running out of time and missing our return to the academy?"

Chen Cao’s gaze was steady, a trace of contempt on his lips. "I’m only concerned for my own safety. Beyond here lies the signal zone. Ian is on a critical mission to eliminate Alfred, and his signal is under strict monitoring. Then, we’ll face not only jihadist terrorists but the allied forces. Bringing you all along would make us too conspicuous. Why would I take such a risk?"

Giant Bear’s knuckles cracked audibly.

Chen Cao continued, raising his eyelids, "And in terms of solo combat, who among you can match me?"

Xiao Li fell silent; even the brash Giant Bear was subdued. They’d all faced Chen Cao before and knew they couldn’t match his special training. Bao Li, the one who understood him best, knew Chen Cao’s actions had purpose.

"Come on, time is short. Let’s get moving!" Ian, already understanding Chen Cao’s intent, was willing to risk everything. Whether alone or with others, as long as Alfred was killed, it would be worth his life.

Chen Cao, seeing the group motionless, barked, "Chen Diwen assigned me as your leader. Are you disobeying my orders?"

A crack of lightning tore through the suddenly clouded desert sky.

Xiao Li snapped to attention; time was running out. Any further delay would doom Chen Diwen, and they themselves would become traitors. He spun and sprinted back the way they’d come.

"Be careful, Chen Cao!" Bao Li knew the stakes; if anything befell Chen Cao, he would ensure the terrorist organization in Oderlu never found peace.

Giant Bear, breathing heavily, said nothing, shouldering his rifle and following Xiao Li.

Thunder boomed, deafening after the flash, and rain poured down. Chen Cao licked his damp lips and said to Ian, "Thank you for covering for me, but we may have to fight in the desert for a long time."

Ian wiped his face in the rain, grinning at the lightning. "Chen, I admire your courage. But it’s not entirely a lie—we really have been cut off from Alfred’s tracking signal. Your comrades are well-trained, but they lack military experience."

"Is any of that helpful? Let’s go," Chen Cao wiped the rain from his face, picked up his rifle, and strode ahead into the downpour. Without leading a team, he felt much lighter.

"Wait!" Ian called.

"What is it?" Chen Cao turned, frowning.

Ian pulled a palm-sized locator from his pocket. Its screen glowed in his hand. He held it out to Chen Cao. "I’ve received intelligence—Defense Intelligence just cracked Alfred’s signal jammer and sent coordinates. Alfred is only ten kilometers away, and your comrades may be there, too. Let’s go!"

Flame King 73_Flame King Full Free Reading_Chapter Seventy-Three: The Provocation Method Updated!