130: Chapter 129 Powerful Assault

Yan Qingcheng hesitated to speak; she was now pinning all her hopes on that mysterious expert. If that expert failed to show up in time or couldn't withstand the enemy, the Iron Fist Mercenary Group's meager strength would be nothing more than a death march. However, seeing Cao Xiao's confident demeanor, she found it hard to press further. After all, Cao Xiao's status didn't allow her to question him at will, and she had already witnessed that expert's miraculous abilities. Just how powerful they truly were was beyond her, a layperson, to speculate.

"Mr. Cao, let me first report on the integration progress over the past two days," Wu Feng interjected.

Cao Xiao waved him off, looking at Yan Qingcheng as he said, "Sister Yan, first arrange for the soldiers to retrieve the weapons. There are a total of one hundred and eighty armored vehicles, with all other weapons stored inside them. Have the soldiers familiarize themselves with driving the vehicles as quickly as possible."

"Understood, I'll take people over immediately." Yan Qingcheng knew the terrain surrounding the base like the back of her hand, a necessary quality for any commander. The valley three kilometers to the southwest was uninhabited and had no roads passing through it; it was very desolate and a suitable place to store weapons. However, the area within ten kilometers of the base was under the mercenary group's surveillance. It was impossible for a large convoy to pass through without their knowledge. How had Cao Xiao moved the weapons there so stealthily?

Seeing Yan Qingcheng leave to carry out the order, Cao Xiao then said to Wu Feng, "Brother Wu, go ahead."

Wu Feng then spoke, "The Iron Fist Mercenary Group has seven hundred and thirty registered soldiers and two hundred and fifty affiliated mercenaries. Adding the two hundred and eighty people Qingcheng brought, the total is one thousand two hundred and sixty. After our training over the last few days, only one hundred and twenty of the affiliated mercenaries were willing to join us. We've also weeded out some who were physically unfit or lawless troublemakers. Currently, nine hundred and sixty remain. These mercenaries were originally just a ragtag bunch, but after our integration, their combat power has more than doubled. Their individual combat skills aren't bad; they just didn't know how to coordinate. Now, they can barely manage to follow orders strictly. With a bit more training, their combat effectiveness will definitely be a cut above any national regular army in Africa."

Cao Xiao watched the soldiers' training scenes on the screen before him and said with his back to Wu Feng, "It's enough for now. Don't worry about having few people; what I want are elite troops who are absolutely loyal. Even if only a hundred remain, as long as their combat power is similar to yours, they can run rampant across Africa with the advanced weapons I provide. So, don't be afraid to weed them out. Train and observe these people for a while, gradually raising the standards. Keep up the nutrition and slowly improve the training facilities. I will provide the funds and subsequent weaponry. When the time comes, those who should be eliminated will be transferred to logistics. Once we take down the Black Scorpion Mercenary Group tomorrow and annex them, our numbers will increase, and we'll have even more elites to choose from. In the future, we need to absorb more technical branches and train some ourselves. The modes of modern warfare are changing rapidly; relying solely on rifles and cannons won't work. We must first achieve mechanization and informatization, then move toward unmanned and intelligent systems. These can be done step by step. You all must keep learning, and I will support you fully. Except for you, the other five will stay here for now to recruit and train. You will oversee the overall situation back home; the security company also needs to be developed."

"Understood. We will formulate a plan based on this development direction. As long as the equipment and funding keep up, we can build soldiers to special forces standards in a modular fashion. As for high-tech professionals, Iron Fist can't recruit them openly. I'll hire them in the name of the security company, or through other companies under Mr. Cao's name. Depending on individual willingness, we'll eventually recruit some," Wu Feng agreed with Cao Xiao's view while also proposing his own ideas.

...

Meanwhile, in a desolate and uninhabited place two hundred kilometers away, a military camp covering nearly ten thousand mu had been abruptly constructed. In the basement hall of the central command center, about a dozen people were gathered around a conference table, discussing.

"Bao, this is the trouble your idiot cousin caused. That crazy woman has already cost us a lot of manpower. We failed to eliminate her last time and let her escape, and now we have to spend energy constantly guarding against her. This time, she's actually joined some force and gained command of a mercenary group. Although that Iron Fist Mercenary Group is weak and their equipment is very outdated, it would be a real nuisance if they came to cause trouble at a critical moment. You should give us an explanation, or hand over that idiot cousin of yours!" a blonde, blue-eyed burly man said, staring aggressively at a cold-looking middle-aged man with black hair and eyes opposite him.

"I have no other relatives in this world besides this cousin. Do you want me to lose my only kin? Sengel, you're just a logistics manager; you have no right to speak to me like that. Say one more word, and I'll make you shut up forever!" the cold middle-aged man surnamed Bao said, his eyes flashing with a chilling light as he glared at the burly man.

"Then do I have the right?" Just then, a sinister-looking, skinny young man sitting next to the middle-aged man surnamed Bao spoke up without looking up, trimming his nails with a small knife.

The middle-aged man surnamed Bao ignored the person beside him. His expression grew gloomier as he scanned the room with a heavy gaze, finally fixing it on a man in his fifties or sixties in a business suit sitting in the main seat. Seeing that the man was also watching him, he took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and said, "Commander, do you think so too?"

The man spoke calmly and powerfully, "The prestige of Black Scorpion shall not be desecrated! I have received intelligence that Iron Fist has a new boss, also a fellow countryman of yours from Huaxia. That person has some powerful bodyguards with him and has been urgently training mercenaries these past few days. Moreover, an hour ago, that Huaxia man arrived at the Iron Fist base. I suspect he will launch an attack on us. Black Scorpion is not afraid of such small-scale provocations, but I dislike trouble. Once we have wiped out Iron Fist, I do not wish to see your cousin at the base again!"

The cold middle-aged man surnamed Bao shuddered, but his heart felt relieved. He immediately adopted a grateful expression and said to the commander, "Thank you, Commander. I will send him to the United States in two days."

"Haha! Does that Huaxia man have cement for brains? He wants to go head-to-head with us with that little strength? One missile will guarantee they'll be running with their tails between their legs."

"No need to wait for them to come. I'll take a team, along with helicopters and tanks, and I can wipe them out today without leaving a trace."

"I say just let the fighter jets fly over and put on a show above their heads. I guarantee that whatever Iron Fist Mercenary Group won't exist tomorrow. Why? Because they'll all be scared away! Hahaha!"

"When the time comes, we must capture that Huaxia man and have him cook for us! I want to eat authentic Huaxia cuisine. Praise Huaxia food! Oh my god!"

Hearing the news that the Iron Fist Mercenary Group might attack the base, arrogant voices rang out continuously in the command room.

At this moment, the Commander of Black Scorpion suddenly flew into a rage, slamming his palm on the table and shouting at everyone, "Shut up! Have you forgotten how those tanks were scrapped last time? We also lost two helicopters. There were less than six hundred people last time, and this time there are over a thousand. How much more equipment do you want to lose? You bunch of idiots! If I could really wipe them out, would I have waited until now? That crazy Huaxia woman is a Soldier King; she's capable of anything. Now, everyone get back to your posts immediately. If they get near the base again, I'll wring your heads off!"

...

Time flew by, and it was soon noon the next day. After a day of adjustment, the soldiers had become familiar with their new equipment. In particular, the Level IV full-protection body armor given to every man had significantly boosted their confidence. Many were marveled at the commander's generosity. A G36 assault rifle could sell for three thousand us dollars on the black market, an M9 pistol for about eight hundred us dollars, and a Kevlar Level IV full-protection vest for around twenty thousand us dollars. Combined with high-quality uniforms, grenades, walkie-talkies, and other individual equipment, the money spent on each soldier was at least thirty thousand us dollars. For a thousand men, that was thirty million us dollars—not even counting the vast amount of ammunition, one hundred rocket launchers, and nearly two hundred advanced armored vehicles. Otherwise, it couldn't have been done without a hundred million us dollars.

"Are you ready?" Cao Xiao stood before the formation, looking at the soldiers who were even more imposing than yesterday, and turned to ask Yan Qingcheng.

"All ready. The route has been planned to bypass residential areas. Advancing in a dispersed manner won't attract the attention of the government forces, and the relevant departments have already been paid off. However, we must settle this quickly; if the commotion is too large, the government forces will definitely intervene strongly." Yan Qingcheng was wearing a black pinstripe suit Cao Xiao had given her, with a black balaclava over her head and large sunglasses covering her face, completely masking her features. The outfit looked somewhat strange.

Cao Xiao was still in his white Zhongshan suit, with a pair of gold-rimmed round sunglasses on the bridge of his nose. He now held a silver-white folding fan, which he was rapidly fanning to drive away the hot air. Duan Hong and the others, in black Zhongshan suits and fully armed, stood behind Cao Xiao. Hearing Yan Qingcheng's words, Cao Xiao suddenly snapped the fan shut against his left palm and ordered decisively, "No need to disperse. Hang our flag on every vehicle and set out immediately!" He then said to Duan Hong behind him, "Bring my case onto the car as well."

"Yes! Everyone into the vehicles! Depart! GO! GO!" Upon receiving the order, Yan Qingcheng immediately organized the soldiers to board the vehicles along with Wu Feng and the others.

The flag of the Iron Fist Mercenary Group was designed and made by Cao Xiao himself. It had a black background with a bright yellow pattern in the center formed by four arrowheads with concave bases facing each other, symbolizing an all-around powerful strike. Regardless of what others thought, Cao Xiao himself was very satisfied with it.

The soldiers broke from their formation into small squads and boarded the vehicles parked on the road outside the base. Cao Xiao also boarded a Mengshi with Duan Hong and the others. This time, a total of twenty-five Mengshi armored assault vehicles and thirty troop carriers were deployed. Ten of the troop carriers had only drivers and no soldiers; Cao Xiao had specifically arranged this to carry the spoils of war. In his eyes, the fate of the Black Scorpion Mercenary Group was already sealed.

The fifty-five armored vehicles formed a long dragon on the highway, heading at full speed toward the target area two hundred kilometers away. Cars along the way actively gave way; no one could drive calmly after seeing the thick barrels of the Vulcan Cannons on the roofs of the Mengshi vehicles.

Less than an hour into the journey, the sound of helicopter rotors slicing through the air came from overhead, and a helicopter began circling high above the convoy, following them.

"Mr. Cao, it seems the enemy has discovered our movement. That helicopter should be their surveillance. What should we do now? Should we stop the convoy? If they deploy fighter jets to bomb the road or attack us directly, we won't have time to evade."

Yan Qingcheng's anxious voice came through the walkie-talkie. Cao Xiao looked coldly at the black dot in the sky through the sunroof. If he wished, the helicopter flying at five thousand meters would crash in an instant. But there was no rush now; even if the enemy discovered them and sent fighter jets, they couldn't harm the convoy. Any physical weapon within his detection range was just scrap metal. Thus, he spoke into the walkie-talkie, "Ignore it. The convoy continues to advance! That senior has been following us. If the enemy attacks, the senior will take action. Even a fighter jet at ten thousand meters won't escape."

"Understood!" On the other end of the walkie-talkie, Yan Qingcheng practically spat out the word through gritted teeth.

Since they had been discovered, they needed to speed up. Moving like the wind, they approached the target area half an hour later.

"Mr. Cao, the enemy camp is five kilometers ahead. Leave the attack to Wu Feng. There's a high ground here; we can command from there," Duan Hong said as he suddenly steered the car away from the convoy and stopped by the roadside.

"Alright! Take that case and get out of the car. Let's head up." Cao Xiao knew Duan Hong didn't want him to be in danger and didn't refuse his kindness, giving the instruction as he opened the door and stepped out.

The six bodyguards, assault rifles in hand and on high alert, escorted Cao Xiao up a small earthen hill several dozen meters high nearby.

Cao Xiao took out binoculars to observe the military camp a few kilometers ahead. Figures were moving everywhere. A ring of sandbags had been piled up a kilometer outside the camp, and hundreds of enemies were positioned behind them, forming a defensive line. There were dozens of concrete bunkers around, and behind the line, five tanks and more than ten heavy armored vehicles were neatly parked. Several attack helicopters were already loaded with missiles and rocket pods, their engines running. Further back, soldiers could be seen operating more than ten self-propelled artillery pieces, aimed directly at the direction of the convoy. On a straight runway behind the camp, ground crew were guiding two fighter jets for takeoff.

"All units, pay attention. In one minute, all electronic instruments will fail. Be prepared. Attack in one minute." Seeing the convoy approach within a kilometer of the defensive line, Cao Xiao took out his walkie-talkie and commanded on the public channel. He then switched to Yan Qingcheng's private channel and said, "That senior has arrived. Don't worry about him; he's right behind us assisting the attack remotely. I'll start counting down now. Organize yourselves immediately and wait for my command."

"30... 29... 10... 9... 3... 2... Attack!"