bookrandom Chapter 1416 Pursuit
Chapter 1416 Pursuit
They made their move! Just as we decided to restart the Star Network Hub!
"Damn it! It must be those bastards!"
The axe-wielding bull was furious, and its giant axe slammed to the ground with a loud clang!
"Playing tricks! Your Highness, give me a squad of men, I'll go and chop them all to pieces, men and carriages alike! And bring that old dog Xiao Dingshan back!"
Han Da's eyes blazed with murderous intent: "Your Highness! This subordinate will immediately seal off the entire city! Activate the highest alert! Activate the energy scanning array! They're carrying a half-crippled metal lump; they can't have gone far! We'll definitely trap them within Mobei City!"
Wei Wuji had already moved silently to the door, his ghostly figure poised to strike: "Your Highness, the Ghost Squad is ready and can begin tracking! The enemy's methods are unpredictable, and ordinary soldiers may not be able to withstand them. This humble general requests permission to lead the team personally!"
All eyes were focused on Xiao Ce, and the air felt heavy and stagnant.
The abduction of Xiao Dingshan not only means that a dangerous intelligence source has fallen into enemy hands, but also that the remnants of the Creation Council have torn off their last pretense and announced their existence and capabilities in such an arrogant and bizarre way!
This was nothing short of a resounding slap in the face to Xiao Ce, who had just taken control of the situation and was preparing to launch the next phase of his plan. It was also an extreme act of contempt and provocation against the entire Mobei Royal Palace's defense system!
Xiao Ce slowly stood up.
His movements were slow, and he remained calm, unlike the others present who seemed to be in a hurry...
"An ordinary caravan... was able to easily break through the barrier reinforced by the residual energy of the Star Network Core..."
Xiao Ce muttered to himself, each word like an ice bead falling to the ground, clear and cold.
"Disguise...infiltration...precision strike...clear target...even capable of supporting a prisoner who is under strict custody and practically useless...good tactics, what a brilliant Creation Council!"
Just as Xiao Dingshan said, even a centipede, though dead, does not fall down; a few wisps of its soul can still stir up trouble!
He turned his head sharply, his gaze sweeping over Han Da and Wei Wuji: "Lock down the entire city? Activate the highest alert? No need."
"Your Majesty?!"
Han Da and Wei Wuji were both taken aback.
"Since they were able to sneak up to the entrance of the Prince's Palace dungeon without anyone noticing and deceive the guards by pretending to be a caravan, it means that their infiltration of Mobei City is far beyond our imagination."
Sealing off the city gates and conducting large-scale scans will only alert them, forcing them to act rashly and cause even greater destruction within the city.
Xiao Ce's voice was resolute, carrying an unquestionable determination.
"Moreover, their objective is clear: to rescue Xiao Dingshan. After succeeding, given the strange abilities they have demonstrated, they must no longer be in the city, or have left through a secret path we cannot imagine. A large-scale search would be futile and would only disrupt our plans."
"Could it be...could it be that we just let them get away like this?!" Axe Bull roared unwillingly.
"run?"
Xiao Ce's lips curled into an extremely cold smile. There was no anger in that smile, only a calmness that saw through the conspiracy and controlled the whole situation!
And... a hint of contempt.
"They went to great lengths, risking their lives and exposing themselves, to carry out this risky move in the heart of the Prince's mansion, just to rescue a worthless, barking, scrap metal puppet? Xiao Dingshan has already revealed everything he knows. His only remaining value is—'the key'."
"The key?" Yin Pan'er's mind raced, and she immediately realized what it meant!
"Your Highness means... the core control key for the Creation Ship?!"
"Not bad!"
A cold glint flashed in Xiao Ce's eyes as he said, "Xiao Dingshan's last plea before his collapse mentioned that he knew where the key was! These remnant souls of the Creation Council have been trapped in the base for thousands of years, like caged beasts."
They rescued Xiao Dingshan not to rekindle old friendships or out of compassion.
The only explanation is that Xiao Dingshan is the final key to unlocking the treasure vault of the Creation Ship!
They need him to acquire the world-changing power, to control the remaining weapons and technology of the Creation! To fight against us, or... to face their so-called 'Seventh Fleet'!
"However, it doesn't matter. With Xiao Dingshan's stupidity... I was actually considering killing him and letting him be reborn if they hadn't come to rescue him... Now that he's been rescued, it's resolved a very puzzling matter for me..."
He looked at Yin Pan'er, their eyes met, and they instantly reached a consensus.
Yin Pan'er nodded vigorously: "Your Highness is wise! This is their last desperate gamble! To save Xiao Dingshan, retrieve the key, and activate the Creation Ship wreckage! That is their true purpose! The timing of their rescue was so precise, just as we decided to restart the Star Network Hub and were about to leave the palace, they wanted to catch us off guard and buy us time!"
"However, they probably won't be able to activate it later."
"That's exactly right. If it could be activated, it would have been activated long ago..."
Xiao Ce sat back down in the main seat, paused, and then remained silent.
He didn't speak, and the people next to him didn't interrupt him!
It was as if they were calculating the enemy's next move. "They're gambling, gambling that we'll be thrown into chaos by Xiao Dingshan's abduction, gambling that we'll go all out to hunt them down. In that case, our plan to restart the Star Network Hub will inevitably be put on hold, and we might even be led astray by them, falling into their pre-set trap."
Yin Pan'er nodded: "Could it be that Xiao Dingshan still has a way to contact us? He..."
Xiao Ce interrupted Yin Pan'er, saying, "Who knows... this is just my guess!"
He raised his head and glanced at the generals. His composure, as if Mount Tai had collapsed before him, instantly infected everyone. Even Han Da, a fierce general with a fiery temper, forcibly suppressed the anxiety in his heart.
"Therefore, we must not lose our composure, nor should we let them lead us by the nose."
Xiao Ce's voice was like a stabilizing force: "The abduction of Xiao Dingshan is certainly a loss, but it also exposes the remaining cards and movements of the Creation Council! They're panicking! They're afraid we'll restart the Star Network Hub! This proves that our plan has hit their weak spot!"
"Furthermore, we need a foolish opponent. If Xiao Dingshan dies, replacing him with someone we don't understand won't be a good thing for us..."
"After fighting Xiao Dingshan for so long, we've come to realize that he's a complete waste... It's good to have a waste as an opponent!"
He suddenly stood up, and a vast and resolute aura erupted from him:
"Han Da, Wei Wuji, and Fu Niu, listen to my command!"
"Your subordinate is here!" The three men immediately straightened up, their killing intent gathering again, but it was no longer blind anger!
"Han Da! Immediately dispatch your elite 'Dragon Fang' squad to form a joint tracking team with Wei Wuji's Ghost Squad. Target: Find any clues to the escape of that 'caravan'!"
Remember, your mission is not to storm the enemy, not to intercept them! It's to track them! It's to lock onto them!
With sharp eyes, Xiao Ce continued to instruct, "They brought Xiao Dingshan with them, their target must be the core area deep within the Creation Base! I need you to be like the most patient hunters, using every means at your disposal!"
"Residual energy, spatial disturbances, any inhuman traces they might leave behind—keep a close watch on them! Determine their final destination! But do not act rashly or alert them! Once the target area is located, immediately establish remote monitoring and await my next instructions!"
"Your subordinate obeys! I will certainly not fail in my mission!"
Han Da and Wei Wuji responded in unison, their eyes gleaming with the sharp glint of hunters.
"Axe Bull!"
"I'm here!"
"You are in charge of the defense of the Prince's Palace and Mobei City! Strengthen vigilance, but maintain a relaxed exterior while keeping a tight grip on the interior. Conduct more rigorous checks, including deep energy scanning, on all personnel entering and leaving, especially caravans."
At the same time, closely monitor all energy anomalies within the city, especially any undiscovered secret outposts or passageways of the Creation Council! If any unusual activity is detected, suppress it swiftly and decisively!
"Yes, Your Highness! Rest assured! My axe has been itching for a long time!" Axe Ox patted his chest, his voice booming.
"Prime Minister Yin!" Xiao Ce looked at Yin Weiyong.
“This old minister also requests permission!” Yin Weiyong immediately bowed.
"As always, I entrust all matters in the rear to you. Domestic affairs, people's livelihood, resource allocation, and intelligence gathering! Tell the Tianji Academy that they can explore and study ores with special energy, ensuring absolute success! If any of those ores are discovered, no matter how small, notify me immediately!"
Xiao Ce said in a deep voice.
"This old minister will dedicate himself to the cause until his dying breath!"
Yin Weiyong solemnly agreed.
Finally, Xiao Ce's gaze fell on Yin Pan'er, his resolute expression revealing unwavering determination: "Pan'er, let's proceed according to the original plan! Set off immediately for the outer sea! Reactivate the Star Network Hub!"
Yin Pan'er nodded emphatically without hesitation, her eyes filled with unwavering support and trust!
"Your Highness, I am ready! The Creation Council's desperate actions only prove that our choice was correct! We must activate the signal and seek the Guardians' assistance before they activate the Creation Ship or the Seventh Fleet actually arrives! Delay will only lead to unforeseen circumstances!"
"it is good!"
Xiao Ce's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and without the slightest hesitation, he said, "Then everyone, take your positions..."
The order was like a mountain, passed down instantly.
The entire Northern Desert Royal Palace, like a sophisticated war machine, resumed operation with astonishing efficiency after a brief period of chaos.
Han Da and Wei Wuji immediately gathered their men, equipped with the most advanced tracking equipment and several guards who had experienced the attack firsthand, and shot towards the dungeon like arrows, beginning to search for traces left by the mysterious "caravan" that were difficult for ordinary people to detect.
Axe-Bull strode out of the council hall, his roar shaking the heavens, and he commanded his troops, issuing a series of strict orders that echoed throughout the city's defenses.
Yin Weiyong took a deep breath and quickly summoned his staff to begin making arrangements for maintaining stability and monitoring the rear.
...
At this moment, on a small path on the other side.
The cold wind, carrying sand and gravel, lashed across the desolate Gobi Desert like an invisible whip.
The hazy fog, like the foul breath exhaled by a dying beast, pressed low over the ground, further fragmenting the already barren view.
A strange team of ten people is moving silently through jagged rocks and low, withered trees at a speed far beyond that of ordinary people.
Their movements were fluid and swift, with an inhuman coordination, and the sand and gravel beneath their feet made almost no sound.
At the heart of the group was Xiao Dingshan, who was carried on the back of an exceptionally burly man with muscles like cast iron.
His broken metal body made a slight but grating "click" sound as it was jolted, and the broken energy lines occasionally burst out with faint blue-purple sparks, illuminating half of his distorted metal face and his single eye that flickered with the embers of madness.
But at this moment, that single eye no longer held despair and humility, but burned with an almost scorching excitement and ecstasy.
He stared intently at the short, wiry figure at the very front of the group, whose movements were as swift as a ghost.
The figure was wearing a dusty, unremarkable linen jacket and a tattered felt hat. It was the same person who had disguised himself as an "honest coachman" at the dungeon entrance and instantly pierced the chests of two guards.
"Corrosion...corrosion of bones?!"
Xiao Dingshan's voice was hoarse with a metallic scraping quality, filled with disbelief and the excitement of surviving a close call, "It's...it's you, kid? You're not dead?! How could you...be here!"
The figure ahead, known as "Bone-Eating," paused slightly upon hearing the sound, maintaining its speed but turning its head slightly to the side.
Beneath the shadow of the tattered felt hat was not a human face, but a half-mask covered in dark silver metal. The edges of the mask were roughly sewn to real skin, and the exposed eye gleamed with a cold red light.
He grinned, revealing teeth and gums also covered in metal, and gave a hoarse laugh.
"Hehehe... Your subordinate, Shigu, respectfully welcomes the Speaker's escape!" His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling mix of loyalty and ruthlessness: "Speaker, didn't you tell me to wait for reinforcements? I've been waiting on the open sea, but after hearing some news, I guessed you might be in danger..."
After hearing Shi Gu's words, Xiao Dingshan nodded and then said, "Good, you did very well..."
Shi Gu said he wasn't surprised, and then said to Xiao Dingshan, "Speaker, shall we continue our journey back?"
After hearing Shi Gu's words, Xiao Dingshan narrowed his eyes slightly and then asked, "Where are you going?"
Shi Gu said to Xiao Dingshan, "I'm going to kill that Xiao Ce!"
Although Xiao Dingshan remembered how despicable Xiao Ce was, he still waved his hand, "No need... going back now is more important..."
The group nodded and then continued on their way.
As the ten-man squad led by Shigu carried Xiao Dingshan on their backs, they sped through the dust and rocks of the Gobi Desert like ghosts, rushing towards the sea!
About two miles behind them, several figures, almost blending into their surroundings, were following them with astonishing patience and skill.
This is the most elite member of the joint tracking team dispatched by Han Da and Wei Wuji.
They wore the latest model of lightweight mechanical exoskeletons, the surface of which was covered with an optical camouflage coating that could adapt to the environment, making them look like flowing sand.
He gripped the "Bee Sting" energy rifle tightly, its energy core emitting a barely audible hum...