Next Year's Jungle Will Be Even More Prosperous

The Rabbit's southwestern region has a total border length of approximately 600 kilometers. It experiences a subtropical monsoon climate, influenced by southeast and southwest winds. Summers are hot and rainy, though higher elevations are cooler. Winters are mild with less precipitation.

The region's nine major vegetation types are roughly distributed across three altitude gradients: high, medium, and low. The high-altitude zone includes grasslands, meadows, and alpine vegetation.

The mid-altitude zone includes shrubs, coniferous forests, broadleaf forests, and swamps.

The low-altitude zone is mainly covered by grasslands and cultivated vegetation.

Consequently, the region is rich in rivers, forests, and pasture resources, featuring large areas of high mountains and grasslands, as well as year-round forests and pastures with a long frost-free period.

It is a valuable region for the Rabbit's tropical cash crops.

However, this abundance of ecological resources also makes border defense extremely difficult, with many brutal and inhumane humanoid creatures illegally entering the Rabbit's territory from these areas!

In a guard camp located in a certain area, a unit is permanently stationed here, guarding the peace of the border.

They endure all sorts of uncomfortable weather and insect bites, all for the sake of those lights that can shine brightly in the night.

"Assemble!"

Within the base, a squad leader loudly called his soldiers to assemble.

It took the soldiers less than a minute from hearing the assembly call to forming ranks.

"Everyone, check your own equipment again!"

"Old Xue, we've been here for over two years, do you have to shout so loudly? No one is here to inspect or patrol. Have you considered how your throat feels..." a young soldier said to the squad leader who had called the assembly, speaking with a playful grin.

Old Xue glared at the soldier and pretended to curse angrily, "I told you to check, so check! Why are you talking nonsense? Don't let your helmet get a hole in it and end up sending a thousand miles of blood into the forest, only to return with a bandaged head. I'm afraid people will think I'm abusing you, you rookie!"

"Yes, sir!" Little Xue replied with a grin.

The group checked each other's equipment and their comrades', confirming that both their own and their comrades' gear were intact and ready for immediate use. Then, the laughter disappeared from the ranks, and everyone stood in formation with confident, proud, and sunny smiles.

"Alright, we're taking the old route this time, Route 7. Keep your wits about you on the way, don't get bitten!"

Old Xue looked at the ready team, gave one last instruction, and set off on the path to patrol the border, conducting their routine patrol.

People who have lived in cities for too long, rushing through life, have no time to appreciate the beauty around them.

Therefore, when people from the concrete jungle come to such vast, ancient forests, they exclaim: "What clean air! What a beautiful forest!"

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

The quiet forest was filled with the chirping of insects and birds, as if nature itself was playing a moving symphony.

The fruits and dew in the bushes exuded the breath of life, speaking of nature's grandeur.

All of this was like a painting, a masterpiece radiating nature and life!

However, for the border guards who live and work here, this place is not as friendly as it appears on the surface.

Various venomous insects and fierce beasts, all sorts of poisonous plants and flowers – without formal systematic training and thorough preparation, entering such a forest is no different from slitting one's own throat.

The only difference might be that slitting your throat is more comfortable, or at least you die with a complete body?

In the quiet forest, rustling sounds were exceptionally loud in this environment.

Old Xue's team was walking through this forest, their path a faintly visible trail.

This trail was not formed naturally or intentionally; it was forged by the feet of generations of patrols.

As a certain Comrade Zhou Shuren, who often took the blame, once said: "Where people walk often, a path is made."

"Old Xue, I actually really want to ask a question. Which idiot drew this route? Although it's very close to the border, beyond here it's either sheer cliffs or nests of all sorts of venomous insects. Forget about those scum who use the horse trails; even with our complete equipment, we wouldn't dare to cross it. No, with the new gear, we can cross it now!"

Old Xue, walking at the front of the team, heard the question through his earpiece and replied without turning his head, "Lei Zi, why are you asking me this question? Who am I supposed to ask? There are no rumors about this route, unlike other routes where they say we fought scum or killed pythons."

"Back then, I asked the old squad leaders the same question, but no one ever told any stories about this route. It feels like this route doesn't even exist."

Old Xue also had the same doubts, and the group began discussing the issue of the route.

Of course, since they were on patrol, they weren't shouting loudly; they were chatting and gossiping quietly through their throat mics.

The group walked through the dense forest, encountering various poisonous insects and plants.

Day after day, they trudged forward with heavy loads in a monotonous fashion, yet no one complained about the hardship or tried to avoid such patrols.

"Halt!"

Suddenly, someone in the team shouted.

Everyone immediately stopped and concealed their positions.

Old Xue asked in a deep voice, "What's the situation?"

"Portable Radar detected an ambush a kilometer ahead!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk~" Old Xue looked at the person reporting with admiration.

Behind him was a large box, half a person tall and over ten centimeters thick.

If they hadn't all switched to this new Exoskeleton Armor, their group would have likely been wiped out by the ambush.

As for whether it could be those human scum from the patrol routes.

Don't joke, those people could hide in such harsh environments without making a sound.

If they had that kind of ability, why would they be on patrol routes? Wouldn't it be better to be mercenaries?

Especially going on patrol routes in Rabbit's territory...

"Request support from home!"

Old Xue looked at the synchronized information on his goggles, first issuing orders to the communicator, then said to the whole team, "Attention all personnel, hold your positions and await support!"

"Old Squad Leader, since they could set up there, they must have calculated our travel route and speed..."

"It doesn't matter, let them waste their time feeding mosquitoes."

Old Xue heard his teammate and sneered dismissively, "Remember an old saying: when you're poor, you use tactical maneuvers; when you're rich, you use artillery barrages!

The higher-ups said that carrying this new Portable Radar means we're the rich side, so...

Alright, everyone go silent!"

"..."

After a long pause, a faint roaring sound could be heard.

Then, a stranger's voice came through Old Xue's communication channel: "Flying Eagle Squad reporting!"

Old Xue couldn't help but curve his lips upwards: "Hello, Flying Eagle. We are from Border Outpost XX, Seventh Patrol Squad!

You're finally here!"

"Haha~" Flying Eagle laughed heartily, then asked with concern, "Are you all alright?"

"We're fine!

No engagement yet!"

"Alright, sync the target location."

"Already synced!"

"Good, prepare for fire suppression!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Old Xue and his team heard the roaring sound getting clearer.

Three high-speed fighter jets flashed overhead, and shortly after, a huge explosion occurred in front of Old Xue.

"Boom~ Boom~ Boom~ Boom~"

The fighter jet formation performed a dive, unleashing several air-to-ground missiles at the synchronized target location!

Then they immediately pulled up and circled back.

"Flying Eagle reports, targets have been completely neutralized."

"Good work!"

"There, one third-class merit for a single sortie. I wish you'd call us more often!"

"Hahaha~~ I'll buy you a drink if I get the chance!"

"Deal~"

As the fighter jets flew away, the enemy markers on the Portable Radar also disappeared.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, times have changed!" Old Xue looked at the bombed area ahead and educated the others: "Remember, now that we have this Portable Radar, the first thing to do when discovering a situation isn't to charge headfirst, but to call for air support!

Isn't blasting them satisfying?

Let's go, bring the Air Pressure Fire Extinguisher to put out the fires and finish off any survivors!

Remember, we need to care for the forest, don't let a third-class merit turn the jungle into an inferno!"

With that, Old Xue excitedly led his team to clear out the dangerous embers.

And to see which unfortunate souls were eliminated without even being seen.

From this day forward, for a period of time, Rabbit's aircraft were exceptionally busy.