The second attack team, led by Yao Yao and seven other demons, was to lie in ambush on the mountaintop. They were to remain still until Diana launched her attack. Once the enemy formation inevitably shifted, Yao Yao and her team would charge out amidst the chaos. Utilizing their intimate knowledge of the surrounding terrain, they would attack the enemy in a clockwise direction. They were to fight if they could win, but retreat if they couldn't, aiming to eliminate as many enemies as possible without sacrificing themselves.
The third attack team, or rather, the decoy team, comprised of Chu Qi and myself. We were to drive around Juhua Mountain, feigning pursuit of the reinforcements. We would engage the enemy within the encirclement and signal at the opportune moment.
Once I gave the signal, Diana would commence her attack, followed by Yao Yao's team.
The remaining few, led by Chen Ke, were to remain at the foot of the mountain on standby.
Although Yao Yao was concerned about my predicament, after careful consideration, she deemed this plan to be the optimal solution.
Chu Qi and I descended the mountain and drove rapidly around to the entrance of Fanshen Village. Here, the Qi manipulation arts were completely unrestricted. I even observed individuals who were not of the Zi Qi level pretending to fix their broken-down cars or posing as foreign tourists admiring the scenery along the roadside. After our car drove past, I glanced in the rearview mirror and saw them using their vehicles to block the road, preventing anyone else from entering.
The Cangjing Group was still unfamiliar with the terrain. They were unaware of the narrow sheep path on the back of the mountain. They had underestimated us, the Juhua Mountain natives who had resided here for four hundred years.
"You still haven't told me exactly what you need me to do," Chu Qi asked as we neared the village entrance.
"You're a headquarters instructor, likely at a similar level to Lin Xi, aren't you? How could I possibly instruct you, my little master!" I chuckled.
"...Let's be serious."
"There's truly nothing to explain. Just act with me. The main point is, if I went alone, the enemy might suspect an ambush elsewhere. If you accompany me and display your martial prowess, the enemy might assume you're a super expert I've hired. Their attention will be solely focused on you, and their formation will change, preparing to descend the mountain to deal with you. That's the role – of course, I assume you can easily defeat two Zi Qi experts. I'm not overestimating you, am I?" I said with a smile.
"Overestimating?" Chu Qi pouted. "We'll see when the time comes."
"So, you're saying I'm underestimating you?" I couldn't quite gauge her strength.
"I'm not like your Yao Yao, who likes to brag. I prefer to let facts speak for themselves. Which do you prefer?" Chu Qi asked.
"Me? I prefer facts too."
"I'm asking, between Yao Yao and me, who do you prefer?" Chu Qi asked, half-jokingly.
"Heh, only children make choices!" I floored the accelerator, driving directly into the former ruins of Fanshen Village, which had been smashed into a large plaza by Long Yue. I braked sharply beside the enemy's minivan.
Perhaps they were confident of victory, so they no longer bothered to conceal themselves. Two Zi Qi experts, holding handguns, had their side car door open. Zheng Bingbing was bound inside the seat, her mouth gagged and her eyes covered with a bandage. However, the bandage seemed rather thin and flesh-colored, likely her stocking, which was translucent enough to see us.
Beside Bingbing, propped in the other seat, were two assault rifles, identical to the ones that had fired at us on the overpass last time – American-made.
As I got out of the car, the two opponents immediately surrounded our sedan, front and back. They even opened the trunk, only to find Chu Qi and me. Chu Qi remained seated in the passenger seat, completely still, not even having unbuckled her seatbelt.
Expert A poked Chu Qi's temple with his gun. "Get out! Squat down by the car!"
His tone was harsh, with a distinct "baka" accent.
Expert B, about three meters away from me, also pointed his gun at me and frowned. "Why are there only two of you?"
"You're the one who's two. In our language, we say 'two people'," I corrected him.
"Less Japanese nonsense, where are the others?" Expert B glanced in the direction of the village entrance.
"There are no others, just the two of us. Enough to deal with the two of you and rescue the person," I replied in short sentences, to ensure he understood.