The Biggest Flaw

The countdown to the return has begun.

Six o'clock in the evening.

Twenty-five people were silently heading north in the dim woods.

Qing Huai walked in the middle of the group, looking around with a serious expression.

When the field company came in, there were more than 150 people, but now only the seventh platoon remains, and with Qing Huai, there are only 25 people left.

Cao Wei had been missing for more than twenty hours. Qing Huai knew that if he hadn't returned to the team by now, he had probably met with some misfortune.

The only C-Class expert in the team has already fallen. Regardless of whether the boy was killed by Cao Wei or not, they cannot stay any longer.

As for the mission... I can only make some exchanges of benefits with the First Branch and Second Branch after I get out.

For some inexplicable reason, Qing Huai had a feeling that there was a dangerous aura following behind the group.

This feeling has no source or clue.

There was no extra sound from the woods behind him, but he felt as if he were being stared at by a demon.

Qing Huai gave the Seventh Platoon Leader leader a wink, and the other platoon leader immediately understood and sent two soldiers away. As they passed through a bush, the two soldiers hid in the dim shadows.

The two soldiers each held Induction Grenade in one hand and a dagger in the other, ready to throw the grenades at any moment.

Grenades are very powerful; they can kill people instantly and also trigger the rules.

Qing Huai never told the soldiers about this rule, precisely because he hoped that the soldiers would kill the enemy without any scruples when it came to the last moment.

It doesn't matter whether the soldier triggers the rules or not; as long as he doesn't trigger them himself, it's fine.

The rest of the people continued to move forward slowly.

Qing Huai and the Seventh Platoon Leader lagged behind the group, constantly listening to the movements behind them.

However, after walking for 10 minutes, they still didn't hear the two soldiers lying in ambush give any warning.

"Call them back," Qing Huai said, frowning. "I was overthinking it."

A short while later, a soldier ran back. "Sir, those two people have disappeared!"

"Disappeared?" Qing Huai was taken aback. "Was there any trace at the scene?"

"No bloodstains, no signs of fighting," the soldier replied.

The Seventh Platoon Leader whispered, "Sir, I suspect they've deserted."

Deserter?

Qing Huai coldly surveyed the soldiers around him, and everyone involuntarily lowered their heads when his gaze swept over them.

Everyone now knows that the killer was after Qing Huai, and now that Cao Wei is dead, no one wants to be buried with him.

Perhaps everyone has their own little thoughts, but no one dares to say them out loud or do them.

However, Qing Huai was unsure whether the two men had deserted or been killed.

If it's about annihilation, who can kill someone so silently and without leaving any trace of the battle?!

"Let's move on," Qing Huai said calmly. "You all have wives, children, and elderly parents. Think things through before you act. If I die here, but you return to the Federation alive, how will the Qing family treat you? Alright, let's set off."

As they were heading north, the soldier at the front suddenly crouched down and raised his right hand, signaling to those behind to stop.

In an instant, the soldiers dispersed behind the tree trunks on both sides for cover.

Soon, human voices came from behind. "Are we lost? This road seems familiar, like I saw it the day before yesterday. Hey, Wang Bingxu, did you lead us the wrong way?"

A girl's voice said impatiently, "If you can find a way out, then lead the way. Otherwise, shut up, or you might break the rules and die without even knowing why. Also, be more polite when you talk to Wang Bingxu in the future, understand?"

Qing Huai, who was hiding in the woods, frowned. What was going on?

He had initially thought that the people sent by the First Branch and Second Branch to kill him had arrived, but now it seemed that they were not.

Moreover, the name Wang Bingxu sounds particularly familiar.

Isn't this the B-Class expert who's in charge of the Autumn Hunting Team?

Two years earlier, Wang Bingxu was also an officer in the Federation Second Army Group. Later, he was injured in his right leg and was taken away by the Li family.

"It's the Autumn Hunting Team," Qing Huai said. "Put away your daggers, proceed normally, and no one is allowed to reveal any details of this mission!"

After saying that, Qing Huai took the lead and walked forward.

When the two sides met, the first thing he saw was Li Yinuo at the front of the Autumn Hunting Team.

At this moment, everyone in the Autumn Hunting Team looked disheveled and covered in dust.

Qing Huai was well-known in the conglomerate circle, so much so that many of the Tuanzi recognized him at first glance. "It's Qing Huai! We've met up with Qing Huai! We're saved!"

Qing Huai paused for two seconds before asking, "What are you doing here?"

One of the quick-tongued men said, "We were being chased by the Wilderness People before, and we barely managed to escape them in the Forbidden Zone. Meeting you guys is so wonderful; we're saved!"

Members of the Qing family gathered around, crying, "Brother Qing Huai, please save us!"

In everyone's eyes, Qing Huai is a highly capable member of the younger generation, completely different from these marginalized playboys.

At least, Qing Huai and his team didn't have a single injury on them, and their clothes were quite neat.

In contrast, the Autumn Hunting Team was in a different state. Not only were their clothes torn and their faces scratched, but they were also standing there awkwardly, clearly needing to urinate.

In the Forbidden Zone, a group of spoiled brats encountered a regular army, and their first reaction was, of course, that they were saved.

However, what they didn't know was that these regular troops in front of them were actually in a more dangerous situation than they were!

Moreover, at this moment, Qing Huai a new plan: he wanted to escape the Forbidden Zone with this group of people.

The more people he travels with, the safer he will be. Even if someone comes after him, Autumn Hunting Team has a B-Class expert like Wang Bingxu and a group of spoiled brats to protect him.

This would greatly increase his chances of survival.

Qing Huai thought for a moment, then said to the 7th Platoon Leader beside him, "Distribute some of everyone's sealed bags to them, making sure two people can share one. Then dig seven landfill pits for them and bury them in various locations."

"Received," the 7th platoon leader said, leading his men to distribute the sealed bags; they still had plenty of these left.

After all, the field company was originally scheduled to march through the Forbidden Zone for 15 days, but it was forced to retreat after only three days.

A group of spoiled young men were overjoyed upon seeing the sealed bag. "Brother Qing Huai, you guys are really well-prepared!"

Now that everyone saw that Qing Huai already knew the rules of Forbidden Zone No. 002, they felt more at ease.

Moreover, seeing that he had divided up such important supplies, everyone subconsciously felt that Qing Huai was trustworthy.

Only the 7th Platoon Leader had realized that Commander Qing Huai genuinely wanted to gain trust, but his tactic of digging a pit and filling it in was not without ulterior motives.

Their previous burial pits had been dug up, and Commander Qing Huai couldn't possibly be unaware that leaving this thing in the wild could be fatal.

Therefore, Qing Huai did this on purpose. If someone tracked down and discovered the landfill pit, they might assume it was from their field company and waste some time digging the pit.

The platoon leader of the seventh platoon sighed, thinking that the true elites in these conglomerates were really ruthless.

As the soldiers of the seventh platoon dug the landfill pit, they exchanged glances.

But no one revealed the truth about it.

It's always better to have someone else take the blame than to die yourself. They're now in the same boat as Qing Huai, so naturally they have to keep their superior's secret.

At this moment, Qing Huai looked at Li Yinuo: "Are you leading the autumn hunt this time?"

"Yes," Li Yinuo nodded.

"I don't see that you guys were prepared at all. How did you end up plunging into this Forbidden Zone?" Qing Huai, puzzled.

"We were forced into it. We didn't originally intend to enter the Forbidden Zone. Otherwise, I would have applied to the family for the confidential files on the rules of the Forbidden Zone. It was the people from Huotang who suddenly appeared in the wilderness and drove us into the Forbidden Zone. Look, the entire caravan of the Kamishiro Family was wiped out by Huotang," Li Yinuo explained.

Qing Huai frowned even more. There was intelligence within the fourth branch of the family indicating that the First Branch had been connected with Huotang, which meant that the other party had probably bribed them to hunt him down.

He hesitated for a moment. "Where are the Wilderness People now?"

The fact that they were able to wipe out the entire Kamishiro Family and force B-Class expert like Wang Bingxu to hide in the Forbidden Zone means that there is an A-level expert in the Fire Pit team.

At this point, wouldn't continuing north be like walking into a trap? Rather than facing an A-level opponent, he'd rather turn back and face that ordinary boy.

Qing Huai resentment in his heart. He hadn't expected the First Branch to go to such great lengths to plot against him.

Getting the elders of the fire pit to leave the snow-capped mountains is no easy task!

But then Li Yinuo said, "At first, the fire pit chased after us, but then it suddenly disappeared without a trace."

"You didn't shake off the pursuers?" Qing Huai, puzzled.

"Hmm," Li Yinuo glanced at him, "The other side has an A-rank member in their team, so getting rid of them won't be that easy."

Qing Huai a sigh of relief. He guessed where the fire pit had gone. The other party must have known his mission objective, so they went directly into the heart of the Forbidden Zone, intending to ambush him in the target area.

They probably never imagined that they would retreat ahead of schedule!

However, Qing Huai did not reveal this matter, but said to Li Yinuo, "It's alright. Now that you have joined us, I will naturally lead you out safely. Or, you can hand over the command of the Autumn Hunting Team to me as well."

Qing Huai finally revealed his intentions.

With command of the Autumn Hunting Team, Qing Huai could command Wang Bingxu!

But Li Yinuo also had doubts. "I heard you came here to carry out the Shadow Struggle mission, how come it ended so quickly?"

Qing Huai calmly replied, "With my abilities, completing the task is a very simple matter."

"I also heard that you came from a whole company, and now there are only so few people left," Li Yinuo asked again.

Qing Huai countered, "Isn't it normal to suffer casualties when venturing deep into the Forbidden Zone?"

It's normal for there to be casualties.

But Li Yinuo still felt something was wrong.

A field company arrived here, and even the famous adjutant Cao Wei was nowhere to be seen, but Qing Huai and the others were all dressed in perfect uniform!

This is the biggest vulnerability.

But Li Yinuo couldn't understand what had happened; her imagination simply wasn't up to par.

She thought for a moment and said, "The Autumn Hunting Team is a bunch of spoiled brats. What are you going to do with them? You must be exhausted after completing your mission. I'll keep command of the Autumn Hunting Team and assist you. I contacted the nearby Federation Group Army before I came in, so they should be here soon."

Qing Huai gave Li Yinuo a deep look, unsure whether she had noticed anything.

However, Li Yinuo also brought good news: reinforcements!

He had originally agreed with the Federation Group Army to come to the Forbidden Zone to meet him after the 15th, but now it seems that the other side will arrive ahead of time.