Chapter 75

Chapter 75: The Five-Star Brigade Appears!

After Zhang Xiaobai, Zhong Xu, and Chen Gen arrived at the gathering spot, they were immediately loaded onto a military truck and taken to the foot of the mountain where they had previously competed for the four spots. They didn’t even get to see Third Brother before being whisked away.

Third Brother and the others were already waiting at the base of the mountain. Along with them was the company commander, and even the third company commander, whose unit had no one selected, showed up.

The company commander spoke gravely, “The Five-Star Brigade is already waiting for you on the mountain. Your only task is to survive for three hours without being taken out by them. Whether you hide in a rabbit hole or not, if you make it, you win.” He added, “I don’t know if you’re lucky or unlucky, but the four people who came are all top-tier members of the Five-Star Brigade.”

The second company commander, who usually didn’t get along with the first and third company commanders, stood by the team during this critical moment. “You still have an advantage. You’re familiar with the terrain here. See if you can use that to close the gap. They’ll probably go easy on you, but don’t hold back—give it your all.”

Third Brother didn’t give any instructions, simply saying, “When you come back down, we’ll celebrate at the seafood restaurant Zhang Xiaobai’s always talking about.”

The four of them were then given watches with a three-hour countdown. They synchronized the watches, and the countdown began.

Zhang Xiaobai, watching the numbers on his wrist tick away, joked, “Should we chat for a bit longer before heading up?”

Fully armed, the four of them set off up the mountain, a mix of excitement, eagerness, and nervousness driving them forward.

As the second company commander had mentioned, aside from Gu Ning, Zhang Xiaobai, Zhong Xu, and Chen Gen were all very familiar with the mountain’s terrain. Gu Ning had been up the mountain once before during the selection process, so she had a general sense of the layout. This familiarity gave them a significant advantage.

As soon as they entered the mountain, their nerves were on edge. Compared to the previous selection, facing the Five-Star Brigade in a real match made them far more tense. Every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig set their nerves on edge. Even Zhang Xiaobai, who was usually all smiles, had a serious expression now.

They didn’t dare run, instead moving cautiously along the mountain paths, constantly scanning their surroundings.

The Five-Star Brigade had entered the mountain before them, and the uncertainty of where they might be lurking made the situation even more nerve-wracking. It felt like walking on eggshells.

After what felt like an eternity, the four of them finally reached a hidden slope and stopped to catch their breath.

Zhang Xiaobai leaned against a rock, clutching his chest. “Are you guys nervous? My heart’s about to jump out of my chest.” Despite his words, his eyes sparkled with excitement.

No one answered him. Zhong Xu’s tension was written all over his face, though he tried to control it. Chen Gen remained expressionless, but it was clear he wasn’t completely calm either. Gu Ning, on the other hand, was the most relaxed. After all, nothing could be scarier than the flesh-eating zombies they’d faced at the beginning of the apocalypse.

“Gu Ning, what’s your plan?” Zhong Xu whispered.

Gu Ning’s lips moved slightly as she uttered a single word: “Wait.”

Unlike the previous selection, the rules this time were simple: survive for three hours without being taken out. This was likely a concession made by the Five-Star Brigade due to the disparity in strength between the two sides, but it also highlighted their confidence. Blindly rushing around would only get them killed before they even saw their opponents. For now, staying put and waiting for the right moment was the safest plan.

If the Five-Star Brigade wanted to take them out, they’d have to reveal themselves first. And once they did, Gu Ning and the others, hidden in the shadows, would have the upper hand.

Chen Gen seemed to agree, nodding slightly at Gu Ning.

Zhang Xiaobai and Zhong Xu, having experienced Gu Ning’s skills before, had complete faith in her. She wasn’t just a sharpshooter; they believed she could handle anything.

Zhang Xiaobai stared at his watch, feeling every minute drag on. It felt like an eternity had passed, but only ten minutes had gone by.

Chen Gen would scout the area with binoculars every five minutes.

Half an hour passed in what felt like an eternity.

“Gu Ning, what are you doing?” Zhong Xu whispered, noticing Gu Ning busy with something behind them.

Zhang Xiaobai and Chen Gen also turned to look, only to see Gu Ning weaving something with thick vines she’d somehow gathered.

“I’m making some traps. They might come in handy,” Gu Ning replied.

“Right! Why didn’t I think of that? Let me help!” Zhang Xiaobai exclaimed, forgetting to keep his voice down. Chen Gen quickly covered his mouth. “Shh!”

“Where did you get these vines?” Zhong Xu asked, leaning closer.

Gu Ning tilted her head, gesturing toward a nearby area. “There’s plenty over there.” Sure enough, the rocks were covered with vines similar to the ones in her hands.

Zhang Xiaobai scratched his head. “I didn’t notice them when we came up.”

Zhong Xu smirked. “You wouldn’t notice anything, you scatterbrain.”

He then grabbed a knife and cut a long vine from the rocks. He tugged on it a few times, noting its strength and thickness—it could easily hold a person’s weight. He’d been up this mountain several times but had never noticed these vines before. Thankfully, Gu Ning was more observant.

Zhong Xu mimicked Gu Ning, making a loop with the vine. He tested it by pulling it tight around his wrist, confirming it worked. He then helped Gu Ning make a few more. Once they were done, Zhong Xu was about to go set them up when Gu Ning stopped him.

“I’ll do it,” she said, taking the loops from him. She adjusted her hat, tucking her golden hair inside, and then crept out like a cat, her footsteps silent.

She moved through the grass, listening carefully for any unusual sounds before continuing. She deftly set up the traps among the trees and was about to head back when she heard a sharp bird call.

Gu Ning froze, then slowly retreated into a nearby thorny bush. The bush wasn’t very dense, and if someone got close, she’d be easily spotted. She activated her special ability, and the flattened grass around her quickly grew back, perfectly concealing her.

The bird call had come from Chen Gen, who was skilled at mimicking bird sounds. It was a signal to alert the team without alerting the enemy. Clearly, Chen Gen had spotted the Five-Star Brigade.

They had arrived faster than expected.

Gu Ning, hidden in the grass, held her breath. The mysterious Five-Star Brigade was about to reveal themselves, and she couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement. Despite her excitement, she carefully adjusted her gun, waiting for them to come into view.

First, she heard faint footsteps, so light that only someone with her keen hearing would notice. The sound was close, and Gu Ning felt a wave of tension.

From her vantage point, the first thing she saw was a pair of slender legs in tight black pants, no more than five meters away. Gu Ning’s gaze traveled upward, and when she saw the woman’s face, even her calm demeanor faltered. She almost blurted out a name.

Zhuang Chen?!!!

The woman had bright red hair tied back in a ponytail and carried a custom-made gun. Gu Ning was stunned. She never expected to run into Zhuang Chen here, of all places, and certainly didn’t expect her to be part of the Five-Star Brigade!

Gu Ning swallowed hard, trying to steady herself. She glanced behind Zhuang Chen and was shocked again—another familiar face. Though they’d never officially met, Gu Ning remembered this person well. It was Yin Sang!

After seeing Zhuang Chen and Yin Sang, Gu Ning wouldn’t have been surprised if White Wolf showed up next. She peered through the grass again, but this time she saw two unfamiliar men.

Zhuang Chen was about 1.7 meters tall, but these two men were even taller.

One of the men, wearing camouflage, raised his hand, signaling the others to stop. They halted right in front of Gu Ning’s hiding spot, and she held her breath, quickly calculating whether she could take out all four of them in one go. The answer was no—they were too close, and she could only guarantee hitting one.

The man’s hat was pulled low, revealing only the sharp outline of his jaw. His senses were incredibly sharp, and his piercing gaze suddenly locked onto Gu Ning’s direction. Just as his eyes met hers, Gu Ning looked away. The man stared at the thorny bush for a moment, and Gu Ning felt a chill run down her spine. His gaze was filled with danger. Her finger hovered over the trigger, but after a tense moment, the man’s gaze shifted, as if he hadn’t noticed anything.

Gu Ning’s hiding spot was like a sealed space. If someone had entered from her side, the grass would have been trampled. But the grass in front of her was untouched, allowing her to escape detection.

Gu Ning was shaken. The man had clearly sensed her gaze. His awareness was on another level, and it was no wonder the third company spoke of the Five-Star Brigade with such reverence. She didn’t dare look again, staying perfectly still in the bush.

The footsteps gradually faded, heading in the direction of Zhang Xiaobai’s hiding spot. Gu Ning felt a pang of worry for them.

Then she heard a man’s voice. “That bird call was definitely a human imitation. They’re quick, but they’ve slipped away again.” He kicked at the grass. “They’re cunning, setting traps, but they’re too easy to spot.”

Zhuang Chen chuckled. “Well, the captain set the rules. Of course they’re going to hide. They know this place like the back of their hand, while we’re running all over the mountain.”

Gu Ning breathed a small sigh of relief. It seemed they had moved after detecting the Five-Star Brigade’s presence.

Yin Sang sounded impatient. “Let’s just finish them off quickly and get back to the hotel.”

Zhuang Chen’s voice turned cold. “You’re the one who insisted on coming from the Capital. No one asked you to.”

Yin Sang fell silent.

The man who had given Gu Ning such a sense of danger remained quiet. Gu Ning estimated the distance between them. It was far enough, but she still didn’t dare make a move.

Finally, the four of them left.

Gu Ning waited another ten minutes to make sure they weren’t coming back before crawling out of the bush. Her hands were scratched from the thorns, but she ignored the pain. She scanned the area but didn’t see any sign of Zhang Xiaobai and the others. Deciding it was better to follow them from a distance, she quietly trailed behind, ready to assist if needed.

She kicked at one of the traps she’d set up, feeling a bit annoyed by the man’s earlier comment. Then, with her gun at the ready, she carefully followed the direction they had gone.

After seeing Zhuang Chen and Yin Sang, Gu Ning’s earlier calm had turned to unease. She had seen Yin Sang’s skills firsthand—though she didn’t know about her marksmanship, her close combat abilities were impressive. As for Zhuang Chen, Gu Ning had never seen her in action, but she had a feeling Zhuang Chen was even more skilled than Yin Sang. And then there was that man whose gaze alone had filled her with dread, plus another unknown figure.

Gu Ning had always been confident in her abilities, especially after surviving the apocalypse, but the Five-Star Brigade’s strength was beyond her expectations.

Lost in thought, Gu Ning didn’t pay attention to her footing and accidentally stepped on a dry branch. The faint *crack* made her hair stand on end.

To an ordinary person, the sound would have been imperceptible, but to the highly trained Five-Star Brigade, even the slightest noise wouldn’t go unnoticed. Zhuang Chen turned on a dime, her red ponytail slicing through the air. Without needing to aim, she raised her gun and fired!