Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 365 - 358: The Attack Goes Smoothly

Chapter 365: Chapter 358: The Attack Goes Smoothly

After the plan was finalized, the team carried out terrain surveys and position deployments in two days. Fu’en and his gang seemed ignorant of the traitor amongst them, and were still leisurely moving toward Holy Heart City.

Luo’er couldn’t quite understand why their unhurried attitude evoked a sense of bait, as if they were the ones being targeted by the hunters.

However, since there was no unexpected turn of events, all they could do was to prepare for battle according to the predetermined plan.

Just before dawn when Fu’en was expected to arrive, everyone took up their prearranged positions and were ready to ambush their incoming adversaries. The main attack team of four, including two light machine guns, were all equipped with silencers.

These were the latest customized tactical silencers made specially for them, characterized by their shorter length compared to regular silencers. This made them ideal for such operations, without making the guns too long.

The main attack team, split into two groups, was lying in wait in the forest along their unavoidable route, silently awaiting Fu’en and his gang’s arrival.

The timing of Fu’en’s arrival was quite coincidental and suitable. At the break of dawn, even if a battle broke out, the defense forces within Holy Heart City would not be able to mobilize immediately, providing them with ample opportunity to regroup and flank their adversaries.

"Boss, they’re here!" whispered Hu Daoke.

From afar, appearing through the morning mist, a convoy appeared at the end of the road. Composed of both horses and carriages, the size of this party was as anticipated in the intelligence report—about twenty or so people.

"What is that!" exclaimed Tangmo, barely suppressing his surprise upon seeing the approaching carriage.

"What’s wrong?" Luo’er asked, glancing at Tangmo who was covering his mouth and nose.

"A rune-protected carriage!" Tangmo pointed at the carriage as he spoke.

"What did you say?" Luo’er was immediately taken aback. How could Fu’en, a mere civilian mage, have a rune-protected carriage?

"You didn’t mistake it, did you?" Luo’er asked as he handed him a telescope.

Tangmo used the telescope for observation, then frowned, saying, "No, I didn’t make a mistake. It’s definitely a rune-protected carriage, and it seems to have quite a high defense level."

The Advance Team’s first encounter with a rune carriage was in a simulated battlefield. The rune carriage seemed invincible. They had to use RPGs also fitted with magic crystal heads to destroy it. However, such things do not exist in the real world. Although the researchers at the research center have wild imaginations, they can’t simply produce a magic crystal RPG.

The second time they encountered the rune carriage was Melia’s vehicle. Fortunately, they were not enemies with Melia then, and aren’t now either.

A rune carriage is a symbol of wealth and power. Its owners are either rich or influential, so when Tangmo mentioned the rune carriage, Luo’er instinctively thought of Holy Heart City, and of Gudulev.

"Could it be self-made by civilians?" Luo’er asked, hoping against hope.

"The runes are engraved very skillfully, without much flaw. It should be the work of an expert," Tangmo said solemnly.

If that was the case, then the origin of the rune carriage was certainly not simple. In principle, it’s almost impossible for any craftsman capable of engraving rune carriages to be among ordinary people. They are basically all sponsored by the nobles. Even if some are expelled, there are plenty of merchants and wealthy people waiting for them. They won’t become so poor that they would have to make a living by producing rune carriages among civilians.

Moreover, although there are no specific laws, ordinary people are in principle not allowed to possess rune carriages. Those wealthy owners who do have rune carriages have usually acquired them through connections with the nobility.

The defense level of the rune carriage is not simple. Apart from a poor power system, the armor is almost comparable to Earth’s main battle tank. High-tier rune carriages might be able to withstand even anti-tank missiles, let alone small RPG launchers.

"How about we strike first and kill the horses?" Hu Daoke suggested.

Being a carriage, the only weakness of a rune carriage is the horse. Once killed, the rune carriage loses its effectiveness. The last time they encountered Melia was because their horses had been killed by the rebels, trapping them there.

"Don’t act impulsively. We need to confirm whether Fu’en is in this team before we take any action," Luo’er said calmly, slipping the signal gun back into its holster.

In modern special operations, confirming the target is an important part of the operational plan. Only by confirming the target can the entire operation plan be launched.

At that moment, the entire team came to a halt. Then a man in a hooded cloak stepped down from the carriage. He glanced around him and removed his hood.

"About fifty, bald, with a stubble, a hawk-like gaze, squared face, high cheekbones. The target is confirmed, it is indeed Fu’en!" Tangmo reported the man’s features calmly while looking through the telescope.

Upon hearing her words, Luo’er nodded and took out the signal gun again.

"What is he doing?" Hu Daoke couldn’t help but ask.

In the distance, Fu’en stood in front of a carriage. A few hired adventurers brought before him a disheveled man, and threw the man onto the ground.

Fu’en bent down and said something to him, a cold smile on his face. The man was incessantly pleading and clawing at his trousers.

Fu’en straightened up and kicked the man away. Immediately, a mercenary advanced, and despite the man’s desperate pleas, he raised his bolt-action rifle and pointed it at his head, pulling the trigger.

"Bang!"

The gunshot echoed through the jungle, and in an instant, the man’s head was blown open. His body was thrust backwards by the bullet’s impact. His warm, moist blood instantly soaked the damp soil.

Fu’en casually covered his ears. After seeing the man executed, he leisurely scanned his surroundings, then climbed onto the carriage.

"Target confirmed, commence operation!" said Luo’er as he raised a flare gun and fired it into the sky. Abruptly, a piercing flare shot into the air.

For some unknown reason, Fu’en felt an inexplicable panic in his heart as he looked around. Nevertheless, he decided to issue the order to attack.

With the launch of the flare, the firepower deployed on both sides of the road instantly kicked into action.

"Pupupupu..."

The dense crossfire instantly took the soldiers by storm. The advance team’s primary targets were the horses, instantly depriving the men of their means of escape. Many mages did not even have time to raise their shields, and were instantly knocked down by the concentrated barrage, unable to rise again.

As the machine gun squad opened fire, Luo’er and Xuzhong Qi, acting as riflemen, began to flank, advancing along the sides of the road and shooting at the enemy’s weak points.

Although their shots were distinctly audible in the quiet morning dreariness, the bizarre sound made it hard for their enemies to identify. They only heard strange noises emanating from the jungle, and then one by one, their numbers fell to the ground.

The battle confirmed Tangmo’s suspicion; it was indeed a rune carriage. A row of bullets, fired onto it, could not penetrate it. In fact, it produced a sound similar to that of striking metal, causing the bullets to ricochet haphazardly.

Tangmo followed closely behind Luo’er, magic crystal revolver in hand, providing him with magical support. These people were all mages, so they could easily sense the disruption of magical energy in the air. As a result, Tangmo and the others couldn’t use the magic in the air unless it was absolutely necessary.

In less than a minute after the fight began, the advance team had nearly wiped out the enemy’s perimeter. Some mages finally reacted and grouped together to initiate a shield spell to withstand the bullet onslaught.

Luo’er ran to a position not far from them, then pulled out a Magic Crystal Grenade from his pocket and hurled it after pulling the pin. The grenade landed in front of several men. They froze for a moment, hurriedly setting up a shield spell.

"Boom!"

The grenade exploded into an incredible surge of magical flame, instantly bypassing the men’s shield spells and engulfing them. Screaming and struggling, they were transformed into living pillars of flame.

Luo’er quickly raised his rifle, and a few rounds ended their suffering. In no time, several burning bodies were added to the damp ground.

When dealing with mages, magic crystal grenades using purely magical shockwaves should not be used in principle, because as mages, their magical resistance is lower than ordinary people. Therefore, general Magic Crystal Grenades are unlikely to cause effective damage to them.

The battle incredibly was smooth. In less than three minutes, the advance team had eliminated all the people on the outskirts, ending the battle ahead of schedule. Even the other groups on standby were not used.

Luo’er held his rifle, signaled to Xuzhong Qi on the opposite side of the road, and they both cautiously approached the stationary Rune Carriage. Tangmo hid behind him, providing vigilance.

"Fu’en Frok, come out of the carriage, or we’re going to shoot!" Luo’er shouted at the tightly closed carriage.

But there was no response to his shouting. Luo’er motioned to Xuzhong Qi. The latter nodded, reached into his pocket and pulled out a directional bomb, then stuck it to the bottom of the carriage.

"I’m warning you again, Fu’en Frok, come out of the carriage by yourself!" Luo’er shouted again.

With no response, Luo’er gave the attack order, and holding his gun, hid to one side. Xuzhong Qi ignited the directional bomb, and with a massive bang, the huge explosion tipped over the carriage. However, because it was a rune carriage, there were no signs of damage, even though it had rolled over.

"Alright, alright, I surrender, I surrender!" came Fu’en’s voice from the carriage. Obviously, he could not stand the constant turmoil.

He pushed open the carriage door above him, peeking out his upper body. With his hands held high, a bruise could be seen on his forehead from the collision.

"Fu’en Frok, are you the summoner from the civil sector?" Luo’er walked forward, rifle in hand, and asked coldly.

"How unusual, a half-elf!" Instead of answering Luo’er’s question, Fu’en looked at his dark green eyes and pointed ears, and said with a smile.