Based on the direction of the gunshot and the angle of the bullet hole, Li Juxu determined the enemy was on the left cliff, holding the high ground. This put them at a severe disadvantage. The left cliff, besides two large boulders, also had a patch of grass that could hide someone. Li Juxu dismissed the grass directly and focused his search around the two rocks.
He had to admit, the position of those two rocks was excellent. They supported each other, allowing for easy switching between positions under attack, making it hard to gain the upper hand.
Li Juxu was certain the enemy sniper was between those two rocks, watching their team's every move. But from his angle, he couldn't see the sniper unless the enemy fired and revealed a flaw. Suppressing his anxiety, he ignored Cao Gang's negotiation with the burly man and meticulously searched, inch by inch. He had to pinpoint the sniper's exact location; otherwise, the consequences would be severe.
In this desolate wilderness, the Interstellar Treaty had zero binding force. They had robbed other teams and been robbed themselves. At its peak, this team had over thirty members. Members came and went; team leaders had changed four times. He considered himself lucky, but he knew his survival wasn't just luck—it was because he was ruthless and cautious enough.
Robbery was just the first step, meant to lower the enemy's guard. The second step was eliminating witnesses. Those who did bad things feared being remembered. Killing all enemies was the safest approach. Regardless of the outcome of Cao Gang's negotiation with the burly man, it would ultimately come down to a life-or-death struggle. The enemy sniper would decide the final outcome.
Li Juxu searched back and forth several times but still couldn't spot the enemy sniper. Just as he was getting impatient, he suddenly recalled a faint, unusual sound mixed with the whistling of the wind—if the shot came from between the two rocks, the canyon地形 would create an echo. The unusual sound was the bullet disturbing the air, rustling the dry grass. Before he could verify this, the result of Cao Gang and the burly man's negotiation came through. For his girlfriend Wang Xiaoxin—though he'd never admit it, claiming it was for team safety—Cao Gang chose to lay down their weapons and accept defeat.
Li Juxu and the other team members now faced a choice: obey the team leader and surrender their weapons, or disobey and betray the team. Obeying meant a high probability of death—in this environment, being unarmed was almost a death sentence. Yet, the members put down their weapons without much hesitation.
While the Interstellar Treaty might be ignored, the pact within a team was a matter of honor. Losing credibility meant being unable to survive in this world. So, however reluctantly, they all laid down their arms.
"Thanks!" A weaselly-eyed man emerged from behind the burly man, tossed down a rope, slid down, and approached the team members. He confiscated all their weapons and even frisked them, taking all their supplies. Each time he looted someone, he grinned and said thanks, his expression shy, almost bashful. An outsider might think he was innocent, perhaps embarrassed to be doing this for the first time. But Li Juxu knew this was just a facade; the man was inwardly eager to finish them off.
However, their team consisted of experienced hunters. Though forced to disarm, each was positioned behind cover, capable of forming an encirclement at any moment. Unless the weaselly man was sure he could take them all down instantly, he wouldn't risk it—and he didn't need to. His side currently had the advantage. The team members were furious but had no choice but to endure. They couldn't risk it either; they were at a disadvantage. If the balance was broken, it would be a fight to the death, with a high chance of them being wiped out.
Everyone was looking for an opportunity, but none presented itself.
"We've done everything you asked. Now can you release her?" Cao Gang, suppressing his anger, stared at the burly man. True to his word, the burly man nodded to the member who had faked the injury.
"Beautiful lady, you're a truly kind person. I heard everything you said. If we lived in peacetime, you'd surely become a revered saint. But sadly, this is a chaotic world. Your kindness was born at the wrong time." The member's tone carried a hint of regret. He extended his tongue and licked Wang Xiaoxin's fair cheek vigorously, greed and reluctance flickering in his eyes. Wang Xiaoxin squeezed her eyes shut, her face pale with fear.
"Go on!"
The member suddenly shoved her hard. Wang Xiaoxin stumbled, losing her balance and heading towards the rocks. Cao Gang, who had been watching her intently, dashed out from behind cover like a leopard spotting prey, as fast as a shadow. An instant before catching her, he flicked his wrist. An egg-sized stone shot out like lightning, hitting the fake injured man square in the head.
Smack!
The man's head burst open. The fake injured member, sent as bait, collapsed stiffly. The force of the stone was terrifying. No more faking was needed—judging by the cracked skull and the blood oozing with brain matter, he was as good as dead.
Cao Gang had earned his position as team leader through real skill. He had taken multiple doses of strength serum and could easily lift 500 jin with his hands. His stone-throwing was his signature move—within thirty meters, he never missed, and the force could shatter six-centimeter-thick red bricks.
Cao Gang caught Wang Xiaoxin and rolled with her, lightning-fast, into the crevice between two rocks. Two sharp cracks sounded, and two dark bullet holes appeared in the rocks, sending碎石 flying.
The series of movements was blindingly fast. Before Wang Xiaoxin could recover from her shock, intense gunfire erupted through the canyon, mixed with a pained, desperate scream. It was Hound Dog. He and Monkey had gone to investigate the suspicious spots separately. Since they were on the cliff, both had climbed up unarmed. When the enemy launched their sudden attack, they were the most vulnerable—nowhere to hide, no room to maneuver.
The weaselly man who had confiscated their weapons sprayed a burst of gunfire, riddling Hound Dog with bullets. He tumbled down the cliff onto the rocks.
"You bastards!" Despite holding the absolute advantage, they had still lost a member. The burly man behind the shield was enraged. He pulled out a Type 38 submachine gun and sprayed the rocks wildly, forcing Cao Gang and the others to cower behind cover, not daring to show their faces. Not only were they unarmed now, but even if they had weapons, facing the enemy's suppressing fire from the high ground, they couldn't counterattack.
The Type 38 submachine gun was one of the most common weapons among hunters, known for its high rate of fire and cheap ammunition. Its drawbacks were high ammo consumption and short range—beyond 150 meters, accuracy dropped significantly. However, the Type 38 was mainly used for fire suppression through volume, so accuracy wasn't crucial, making this less of a flaw. In Cao Gang's team, Wild Boar carried a Type 38.