Strongest Soldier King

It was late morning, and the sun was scorching the earth, yet it couldn't penetrate the dense mist of Ten Thousand Waterfalls Valley. With the deafening roar and the icy dampness, Mountain Eagle woke up freezing after barely half an hour of sleep. Unable to doze off again, he endured dizziness, piercing pain, and hunger, gritting his teeth in silence. He noticed small stones sliding down from the cliff above, guessing that Luo Zheng had descended. He couldn't help but look up.

Before long, a figure appeared at the top of the gorge—it was Luo Zheng. Lan Xue held the rope firmly, helping Luo Zheng down, and asked with concern, "Are you okay? Is your cold serious?"

"It's not a big issue, I can manage. Are you alright?" Luo Zheng replied, looking at Mountain Eagle.

"It's no problem, I can handle it. What's the plan next?" Mountain Eagle asked, puffing his chest with a hint of bravado.

Luo Zheng could tell that Mountain Eagle's condition was worse than his own and was merely putting up a front. He didn't mention it, but pondered for a moment and said, "Time's running short; let's begin the search. You bring up the rear, I'll stay in the middle. Xue Er, you're in the best shape, take the lead. The opponent is a Death God Killer skilled at hiding; don't be careless."

"Understood," Lan Xue agreed, drawing her pistol, chambering a round, and proceeding cautiously forward, her eyes coldly scanning the surroundings. Although the valley of Ten Thousand Waterfalls was heavy with moisture and fog, the mist was mostly centralized in the middle of the gorge. Visibility on the ground was relatively high, and they moved forward cautiously.

The path ahead was treacherous, covered with jagged rocks, with no real path. They had to jump from rock to rock. The cliffs on both sides of the gorge were heavily eroded by the wind and dampened by moisture, smooth and covered with moss, with no place for anyone to hide.

They carefully proceeded upstream. After some distance, Luo Zheng felt dizzy and sleepy, signaling everyone to stop and find a place to sit and rest. This weary state was unsuitable for pursuing a formidable enemy. Lan Xue approached with concern and asked quietly, "Are you alright?"

"It's not too bad; it's probably the effect of the medication making me feel unsteady, with body aches and stiff muscles. Resting for a while should help. You take watch," Luo Zheng responded softly.

"Alright, just don't push yourself too hard if something's wrong," Lan Xue said with concern.

"Look, what is this?" Mountain Eagle suddenly yelled, with a hint of surprise.

Luo Zheng and Lan Xue turned their heads almost simultaneously to see Mountain Eagle pick something up by a pile of rocks. Luo Zheng focused his gaze—it was a used cigarette butt. Jolting with realization, he eagerly asked, "What brand is it? Can you tell?"

"Hilton, a brand from Sam Country. It's no longer produced domestically; only Korea now manufactures it, mainly for export due to its harshness, and very few people know about it. It's unlikely that locals smoke it here, and neither would the soldiers or police involved in the search. There's only one possibility," Mountain Eagle explained quickly.

Upon hearing this, Luo Zheng stood up excitedly, took a closer look at the butt. Despite being soaked, the word 'Hilton' was still faintly visible. Luo Zheng didn't smoke and wasn't familiar with these, but he trusted Mountain Eagle's personality, knowing he wouldn't speak lightly. Delighted, Luo Zheng said, "It seems our search direction is correct. The enemy is hidden within this gorge. Everyone, be cautious." He discarded the cigarette butt and vigilantly scanned the surroundings, invigorated.

"Should we notify the outside?" Lan Xue asked softly.

Notifying the outside would undoubtedly be the best method, allowing them to seal off the entire gorge and conduct a thorough check, ensuring no one could escape. Luo Zheng pondered and said, "The signal interference here is severe. Mountain Eagle, your condition isn't great; can you climb up the cliff?"

"No, I feel weak," Mountain Eagle knew Luo Zheng was considering sending him out for help, but refused without hesitation. The enemy was nearby, and they could run into combat at any moment. Mountain Eagle didn't want to miss the fight.

Luo Zheng understood Mountain Eagle's intention and, seeing Lan Xue's glance, didn't press with orders. Lan Xue thought for a moment and said, "Then forget it. The three of us still stand a chance against their three. Even if we can't win, once the gunfire erupts, our action team atop the gorge will rush to assist from all corners. The military and police will come then too."

"Alright, just be careful," Luo Zheng understood Lan Xue's reluctance to share credit with others. As a soldier, no one wants to give up military credit—it's a matter of face and honor. He didn't insist but offered a reminder and moved to the front.

"Let me lead the way. You cover me," Lan Xue caught up, urging quickly.

"Be cautious," Luo Zheng didn't persist, falling behind Lan Xue, watching warily in all directions. The unexpected clue had pretty much confirmed that the assassins were in the gorge, but the terrain was long and complex, making it hard to find them. Furthermore, Shijing Teng and his group had weapons; getting hit by sniper fire would be troublesome. They couldn't afford to be careless.

They cautiously proceeded further where the mist grew denser and heavier, and the waterfall's roar grew louder, like a galloping herd. The waterfall crashing onto the rocks splashed water everywhere, presenting a spectacular scene, making even whispers inaudible—they had to communicate using combat hand signals.

On a part of the cliff, behind a protruding boulder, a person lay hidden, as quiet as a viper, watching Luo Zheng and his group with cold eyes, blending almost seamlessly with the rocks at first glance. If not for the fierce glint in those eyes, one might never suspect this person was alive.

Watching Luo Zheng and the others getting closer, this person didn't rush to shoot but instead retracted their gun, shrank back, and retreated into a cliff cave. The cave was three meters deep, with two people inside, resting with their eyes closed, and weapons and a pile of ammunition placed beside them.

This person sat down on the ground inside the cave and whispered, "Boss, the opponent is closing in."

"Oh?" A slightly overweight middle-aged man suddenly opened his triangular eyes, emitting a sharp glint and looked surprised at the speaker, a few signs of disbelief on his cold face as he asked, "What did you say? The opponent's closing in? How did they know we're here?"

"Not sure, maybe it's a random patrol. If not, we can let them pass—for this place is highly concealed, hard for them to discover. We can fight back once they do. There's only three of them, one is a woman dressed like a local, possibly a guide, followed by two dressed like Special Forces—they might pose little threat, and can be dealt with in a sneak attack," the other replied.