As for Zhang Guangmu, Li Xiaoxiao had not taken him seriously at first.
The first time Li Xiaoxiao saw Zhang Guangmu, he had merely felt a pang of pity, thinking the other party was a pitiful nobody.
Later...
After their whereabouts were betrayed and many people died, Chu Fan had rushed into the Changhe Survivor Camp to seek revenge against Zhang Guangmu and Zhao Zhengrong. Li Xiaoxiao, however, had keenly sensed that something was wrong.
After searching and investigating, he discovered that the person who had betrayed their information was not Zhang Guangmu. In fact... out of gratitude for receiving a meal, that person had endured interrogation and torture without yielding, preferring death to submission. With his unyielding spirit, he had won Zhao Zhengrong's respect and recognition.
Up to this point, Li Xiaoxiao had begun to gradually take Zhang Guangmu seriously.
After eliminating the real traitor, he had even considered subduing Zhang Guangmu.
Unfortunately...
Almost the moment that thought arose, he received news of Chu Fan's defeat.
To be honest, Li Xiaoxiao did not understand how that fellow had lost.
Compared with Changhe, they had the advantage in numbers, morale, and equipment. Their training and logistical support were even overwhelmingly superior to the other side.
Moreover, after the battle began, their first volley had fortunately killed Zhao Zhengrong. With the enemy leaderless, they had become a scattered rabble.
Under such a vast disparity in strength between enemy and ally, how could Chu Fan possibly have lost?
How dare he!
It was simply inconceivable!
Impossible to understand!
After learning all the details of the battle, Li Xiaoxiao had raised his estimation of Zhang Guangmu, the Changhe New King, to the highest level deep in his heart. At the same time, he had abandoned the thought of subduing Zhang Guangmu for his own use.
As the saying went, "Those who share the same desire from top to bottom will win." Although Zhang Guangmu was young, he already understood how to bind every capable fighter under his command to his own ship through shared interests and goals. Judging from this alone, Zhang Guangmu already counted as a qualified commander in Li Xiaoxiao's eyes.
So...
Facing the defeated remnants brought back by Chu Fan, Li Xiaoxiao immediately began trying to repair the damage.
Unfortunately, having two people giving orders was a great military taboo.
Although Chu Fan had been defeated and suffered a huge loss of prestige, he still controlled all the logistical supplies of the entire team. He was also unwilling to hand over temporary command authority, fearing that his position would be seized.
If Li Xiaoxiao had been given a little more time, he was confident—and had sufficient certainty—that he could truly integrate the remnants, condense their strength into one force, and engage Zhang Guangmu in a head-on decisive battle, crushing him completely!
Unfortunately...
There were no ifs!
Zhang Guangmu had arrived far too quickly!
Swift as the wind, gentle as the forest, immovable as a mountain, fierce as fire!
Under his leadership, the rabble from Changhe Camp was like a pack of starving wolves. They pounced straight at the plump lambs, tearing into them and scattering the flock!
However, they still had a chance of winning.
The seemingly powerful Changhe Faction was not actually that frightening.
As long as they could kill Zhang Guangmu, they could win!
Li Xiaoxiao's figure flashed violently as he frantically pulled the trigger.
With one man and one gun, he relied on his familiarity with the terrain to wage a guerrilla battle.
Bang bang! Bang bang bang!
Compared with Chu Fan's eye-searing marksmanship, Li Xiaoxiao could practically be considered a war god. Relying on nothing more than one gun and some shabby cover, he had forcefully intimidated everyone from Changhe, making the Changhe Survivors howl in frustration and dare not advance another step.
"I'll deal with him!"
This was a tough bone to chew, so Zhang Guangmu decided to chew it up himself.
Holding his service pistol, he located Li Xiaoxiao and fired without mercy.
After all, the other party had a gun in his hands, making him far too dangerous. If Zhang Guangmu crashed and burned here just to maintain his sense of decorum, it would be utterly humiliating.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
In the darkness of night, flashes of fire blossomed.
The smell of gunpowder gradually spread through the air.
After exchanging several shots with Li Xiaoxiao, Zhang Guangmu dodged behind a piece of cover. Looking at the bloody hole that had appeared in his left arm, he narrowed his eyes slightly.
His entire body was drenched in hot sweat, his blood boiling, adrenaline surging, and breathing growing more rapid.
"This guy... he's impressive!"
Laymen watched the excitement, while experts saw the finer points.
After his Firearms Shooting had reached 1, Zhang Guangmu had not merely become more accurate. He had also acquired a great deal of related knowledge. He could tell at a glance whose marksmanship was poor and whose was seasoned.
Compared with Chu Fan, Li Xiaoxiao's marksmanship was worlds apart. He was genuinely powerful, clearly already at the same level as Zhang Guangmu himself. Judging by his age, he was absolutely a little prodigy of marksmanship!
Zhang Guangmu was not surprised by this.
Before starring in Endless Food Bag, he had not possessed a single usable ability point. Acting Skill 1 and Imperial Body Forging Technique 1 had both been painstakingly honed by him over a great deal of time and effort.
It was perfectly normal for other people his age to master one or two skills at the same level!
Those second-generation heirs who never had to worry about food or drink would have an even greater advantage in this area if they had received elite education from childhood and guidance from renowned teachers. They might even have already mastered three abilities with a rating of 1 by now.
After all, Zhang Guangmu was an orphan suffering from radiation sickness. No one had been willing to adopt him. After leaving the National Orphanage, he had scraped by through wind and rain, relying entirely on odd jobs. Simply staying alive had already required all his strength.
Of course, the social welfare of the Xuanlong Empire was also quite good.
Otherwise, for a sickly young boy like him, the grass over his grave would probably already be three yards tall.
"Whew... whew..."
Breathing out great clouds of hot air, Zhang Guangmu gathered his thoughts and focused his attention on his duel with Li Xiaoxiao.
Through their earlier exchanges, and from observing Li Xiaoxiao's Tactical Evasion, it was obvious that he had received relevant training.
Moreover, judging from Li Xiaoxiao's Habitual Body Reaction, Zhang Guangmu could vaguely sense that the other party's Imperial Body Forging Technique should be better practiced than his own. Many of his movements had already fused with his subconscious and instincts!
However...
On the battlefield, circumstances changed in an instant. Having more skills and higher attainments did not guarantee victory.
At present, Li Xiaoxiao possessed the Geographical Advantage, while favorable timing and human support belonged to Zhang Guangmu.
Zhang Guangmu felt that if Li Xiaoxiao had a few Reliable Partners by his side at this moment, he might truly have been able to turn the tide.
However, the truth was that the other party had no Reliable Partners.
That unreliable fellow Chu Fan had dropped the ball at the critical moment and slipped away the instant he saw things turning sour.
Come to think of it, it was rather comical. The terrain between the Protagonist Group Temporary Camp and Changhe Camp was rugged and uneven, yet there was no environment that could conceal one's figure. No matter how fast Chu Fan ran, where could he possibly escape to?
His Survival Instinct had led Chu Fan to make the wrong choice, personally burying his final chance to turn the tables.
"Li Xiaoxiao, right? You once did me a favor, so I won't kill you. As long as you put down your gun, I guarantee you'll remain safe and sound. No one will dare touch you!"
Zhang Guangmu's opening words were filled with the air of a villain, his arrogance extremely overwhelming. "Brothers and Sisters of Changhe, does what I, Zhang Guangmu, say carry weight here?"
The people from the Changhe Survivor Camp were poor at fighting, but first-rate at shouting encouragement.
Hearing Zhang Guangmu's words, everyone immediately burst into laughter and urged Li Xiaoxiao to surrender his weapon and defect.
"Of course it does! When Boss Zhang speaks, anyone who disobeys is making an enemy of me!"
"Little girl, Brother Zhang is just like Boss Zhao. Every word he says is as solid as a nail. He's an honorable man who keeps his promises. Just submit to him!"
"That's right. We have no personal grudge against each other. As long as we kill Chu Fan and Snatch Back the Endless Food Bag from him so everyone can eat their fill, can't we all live in peace?"
"It isn't good for a young maiden to spend every day fighting and killing. Put down your gun, and we can all get along peacefully. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
Furious and humiliated, Li Xiaoxiao fired two shots toward the direction the voices had come from.
Bang! Bang!
Bang!
When he pulled the trigger a second time, pain shot through his wrist. His service pistol flew away, and a bullet pierced straight through his right hand, leaving it drenched in blood.
Li Xiaoxiao had never practiced Left-hand Gun. He quickly realized that he had completely lost his chance to turn the tables.
Thanks to Moyu Xingyuan for the 10,300-point tip~
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Thanks for all your support, everyone!
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See you all tomorrow!
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