The stronghold's machine guns and grenade launchers immediately turned their aim and fired at the rapidly approaching Thorn.
Seeing this, Gordon immediately understood that the Thorn was friend, not foe. He shouted, "Flanking convoy, make way for that uninvited guest!"
The Gordon convoy shifted formation, opening a path straight to the main gate of the Rose Arms stronghold, allowing the Thorn to charge through.
Xiao Han was alone on the Thorn. He had lured the Ghost Fox squad to their deaths a few hours earlier, returned to the Farian stronghold to repair the Thorn, and now set out alone. The other factions in the Somar Desert would not miss the opportunity presented by Rose Arms' depleted strength. He had tipped off Gordon to stir the pot, making it easier to fish in troubled waters.
The Thorn's grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, and small missile launchers were all controlled via a sight next to the dashboard. He actually had to aim manually, which showed that a fire control system had not been installed.
Many shells were coming his way. He dodged what he could, and what he could not dodge, he let the external armour tank. Xiao Han aimed at a gun emplacement on the stronghold wall and triggered the weapons. The vehicle shuddered, and several small missiles and grenades streaked with white smoke towards the wall, exploding in a burst of dazzling fire.
The gun emplacement was blown to pieces, its remains spiralling skyward.
Inside the stronghold, Luo Qing's face was ashen. She had a feeling the stronghold would be difficult to hold. She called Su Li over and whispered, "Take five people. We'll withdraw through the secret passage. Abandon the stronghold."
Su Li nodded without objection.
The mercenaries left behind in the stronghold were sacrificial pawns. Without a word, the group quietly slipped away through the secret passage. As long as they survived, they could get as many mercenaries as they wanted. Their backer would send more.
The mercenaries still fighting off the external attack did not yet know they had been abandoned. They dutifully manned the gun emplacements, repelling the Gordon convoy and the Thorn. Their ears were filled with gunfire. Their vision was obscured by smoke and flames. They could not even hear their comrades shouting. Each of them fought alone, like rocks battered by waves.
"Boom——"
A volley of more than a dozen grenades and rockets struck. The battered metal gate finally gave way and was blown aside. The entrance was wide open.
"Charge in!" Gordon was overjoyed.
The convoy poured in. Gordon's mercenaries swept through the stronghold with submachine guns. The Rose Arms mercenaries could not mount an effective counterattack. The moment they rushed away from their gun emplacements, they were riddled with concentrated fire.
Xiao Han drove the Thorn inside, then drew his Twin Eagles and moved off on his own. Gordon's men glanced at him but did not stop him.
Xiao Han moved quickly. His black trench coat fluttered behind him like a cape as he moved. He was like a black ghost roaming the battlefield. He quickly traversed the entire Rose Arms stronghold. Two Rose Arms mercenaries he encountered had their heads blown off by his pre-emptive shots. One of them had been quite pretty. In a bikini, she probably would have been a stunning sight on the beach. Xiao Han secretly regretted it. He should not have shot her in the head.
After searching the area, he did not see the leader of Rose Arms. Xiao Han frowned. He sensed something was not right.
"There's probably a secret passage."
With daily firefights in the Somar Desert, it was not surprising that Rose Arms had left themselves an escape route.
Xiao Han quickly spotted something unusual. Luo Qing and her group had left in a hurry, leaving footprints. He followed the footprints to a cellar concealed in the floor. It was pitch black inside and smelled damp, with a hint of water.
"Underground river?"
Xiao Han tossed in a lighter. The depth was about five metres. Confirming there was no danger, he jumped down.
Beneath the Rose Arms stronghold was a massive rock formation. The cellar led to a dug-out tunnel, like a mine shaft. Wooden frames supported the rock walls. The passage ahead was pitch black with no light source. Clear footprints in the sand on the floor led forward.
Xiao Han reached out and touched the rock wall. It felt cool and damp. There might be an underground river nearby.
He had no idea what lay ahead. He reached into his trench coat and pulled out a spider scout droid he always carried. He placed it on the ground and used his tablet to activate it. The little mechanical spider snapped to attention like a soldier awaiting orders.
"I'll call you No.1 Spider."
After giving it a splendid name, as usual, Xiao Han controlled No.1 Spider deeper into the passage. The images from its camera appeared on his tablet. The droid's camera had night vision.
After controlling No. 1 Spider for a while, it suddenly bumped into a rock wall. It had reached the end of the passage.
Confirming that the passage was safe, Xiao Han pulled out a torch and quickly walked to the end of the passage. Sure enough, there was a hidden door above him. When he pushed it open, sand fell down.
Xiao Han poked his head out. Outside the cellar was a sloping cave. Sunlight streamed in through the opening at the top of the slope. There were tyre tracks on the ground.
He took three steps out of the cave in one stride. The view opened up before him. He was in a field of weathered rock formations. In the distance, he could still see the outline of the stronghold. Two sets of tyre tracks led away in another direction, leaving marks in the desert.
"The remaining Rose Arms people have fled in vehicles. I need to chase them."
With that thought, Xiao Han put away No. 1 Spider and hurried back through the passage to the stronghold, ready to drive the Thorn in pursuit.
In the stronghold, Gordon had already wiped out all the Rose Arms mercenaries and was disassembling various supplies to take away. When he saw Xiao Han emerge, everyone slowed down and focused their attention on him, with a guarded look. Xiao Han's heart sank.
Gordon and a group of mercenaries were gathered around the Thorn. Xiao Han quietly touched his gun, walked over, and said in a low voice, "Move aside."
"Who are you?" Gordon looked Xiao Han up and down thoughtfully.
"Not important. Please step away from my vehicle."
"Your vehicle?"
Gordon glanced at the Thorn and smiled meaningfully. He gave a signal, and the mercenaries around him subtly closed in, as if ready to draw their guns at any moment.
Gordon chuckled and repeated his question, staring at Xiao Han. "Is this your vehicle?"
The threat was obvious.
It was as if, if Xiao Han did not read the situation, Gordon would rely on his superior numbers to jump him.
"Whoosh——" Xiao Han acted without a word. In an instant, he slid forward three metres. The Twin Eagles came out like long swords, pressing against Gordon's forehead. Swift as a sea swallow, a flash of black lightning.
"So fast!" The mercenaries nearby were startled. They quickly raised their guns and aimed at Xiao Han. The ghost-like speed he had just displayed made them nervous. Moreover, their boss had a gun to his head, so the mercenaries dared not fire. The situation became deadlocked.
With a gun to his head, Gordon did not panic or show fear. He was a hardened man who had lived on the edge of a blade. He sneered, "If you are trying to make me tell my men to lower their guns, save your breath."
Ignoring the guns around him, Xiao Han said calmly, "You can guess my identity. Your backer would not want to harm a mutual ally."
This statement made Gordon's expression change slightly. He frowned and thought for nearly a minute. Just as the tension was reaching its peak, he suddenly waved his hand, signalling his men to lower their guns. He forced a smile. "It seems this really is your vehicle."
Xiao Han remained motionless, his Twin Eagles still raised.
Seeing this, Gordon stepped aside and cleared a path.
Only then did Xiao Han move. He brushed past Gordon and got into the Thorn. He raised an eyebrow. "Nice try. Nice try."
He hit the accelerator and sped off.
Gordon watched the departing vehicle, his smile fading. He turned and saw his men looking at him expectantly. He snapped, "What are you looking at? Keep loading the supplies."
The Thorn had made him envious, but he was not willing to risk angering his backer over it. Gordon guessed that Xiao Han was a bounty hunter, which made him somewhat on the same side. Since Xiao Han had called him out, he could not act. If he ruined his backer's big plans, his fate would be dire.
Moreover, Xiao Han himself was a killer of unknown capability. After considering it, Gordon decided to suppress his greed and let the matter drop.