A salamander was parked at the entrance of the inn, with two young gunners, Grael and Murenz, who had driven the salamander armored vehicle here.
Yugen, our old driver, quickly jumped into the vehicle and started the engine again.
The sky was overcast and rainy, and Li Feng had already improvised a waterproof canopy with tent canvas and iron poles over the salamander armored vehicle's hatch, so he wouldn't have to worry about his clothes getting soaked after sitting on top for several hours.
Everyone got into the salamander, but Li Feng didn't notice any smell.
Commissar Cain was already used to it, while Xiao Ge and Xiao Mu were almost suffocated by Yugen's body odor.
However, they could only endure it, unless they wanted to go out and take a cold shower in 1-4 degree weather.
Half an hour later, the vehicle was driving through the muddy jungle.
"How much further?" Cain asked Yugen in the driver's seat.
"It's about 30 kilometers until we reach the next reconnaissance outpost," Yugen said, clearly unaffected by the weather and muddy roads.
At this moment, Li Feng leaned back in the salamander armored vehicle's seat.
He had been in this warhammer world for over a month now, and as a human, the most adaptable creature, Li Feng had already adjusted to this world.
He no longer complained about the unappetizing food, nor did he complain about polishing the cannon every day.
Although he often thought of his home on the distant blue Kharon, his family, and that beautiful girl, all he could do now was leave it to fate.
This past month, Commissar Cain had guided him through the various rules and regulations of the Imperial Army, and Yugen had taught him how to be an Astra Militarum Soldier, showing him hand-in-hand how to perform the Imperial Aquila Salute and tie his gear.
Regarding saluting, Li Feng was still accustomed to the conventional military salute of his original world.
With their help, Li Feng's home had become that backpack, the waterproof military blanket on it, and the sleeping bag hanging below the backpack.
Only the clothes in his bag, the dead Apple phone, and the Apple computer constantly reminded him that he did not belong to this world.
However, Li Feng looked at Commissar Cain, who was chatting with the two Soldiers, Xiao Ge and Xiao Mu, and felt a sense of relief.
At least the first person he met when he came to this world was the heroic Commissar Cain, arguably the best Commissar in Imperial history.
Suddenly, the vehicle's speed slowed down.
The four people in the cabin looked at Yugen in the driver's seat, and Cain asked directly:
"Yugen? Why are we slowing down?"
"There's a roadblock ahead, Commissar.
It looks like a Kharon unit's garrison."
Li Feng had seen the Kharon people at the assembly point a while ago.
These tough men from the death world of Kharon were all like Rambo from "First Blood."
On Kharon, every plant and every animal was a deadly existence.
It was said that a Chaos Space Marines warband once air-dropped onto that Kharon, only to be completely wiped out by the Kharon's flora and fauna.
Even Tyranids fleets avoided that Kharon, which showed how terrifying it was.
The moment Li Feng saw the Kharon people, he knew they were tough guys, all muscle-bound, wearing tank tops in near-zero temperatures, and many even shirtless.
At this point, Cain and Li Feng got out of the salamander and approached the roadblock.
It was already deserted, but there were many shell casings on the ground.
Li Feng found a catachan dagger on the ground...
"Commissar! Be alert!"
Hearing Li Feng's words, Cain immediately crouched down, and even Xiao Ge, who was operating the heavy bolter on the salamander, became alert...
Cain tiptoed closer to Li Feng.
"What's wrong? Did you find anything?"
Li Feng picked up the catachan dagger from the ground and showed it to Cain, whose expression immediately changed.
Kharon's daggers and combat knives were some of the few "specialties" of this death world, besides the Kharon warriors.
These sharp and exceptionally hard blades were not forged from metal, but polished from the fangs of fierce beasts native to Kharon.
Every dagger and combat knife was a coming-of-age ritual for the Kharon people.
If a Kharon person lost his blade, it meant...
"You suspect these Kharon people are dead?" Cain said, seeing Li Feng put the catachan dagger into his bag.
For Li Feng, this dagger was already a collectible, after all, he "found it on the road."
The size of this dagger was almost as big as a regular short sword.
Soon, a squad-sized group appeared in the distance, spread out in a fan across the road, each carrying weapons.
However, their attire was clearly not the "tank tops" of the Kharon tough guys.
Li Feng quickly made a gesture, and Yugen in the driver's seat saw it and immediately started the engine again.
He braked the left track, and the salamander armored vehicle immediately turned around, facing the direction they had come from.
Grael and Murenz were both lying in the vehicle, startled by this sudden change.
Li Feng and Cain also quietly returned to the salamander, holding onto the handrails, ready to face the storm.
Several Las-fire shots hit the armored vehicle's iron plating, and the ambushers realized the other side was trying to escape, curses rising almost simultaneously.
"By the Emperor's balls!" Cain yelled, then turned his heavy bolter and fired a random burst at the pursuers.
Li Feng, hearing what Cain shouted, frowned...
Li Feng was now unsure of his relationship with that person, after all, that woman had once snuggled with Li Feng under the covers, flirting and saying:
"If you ignore me for a week, I'll assume we've broken up~"
Xiao Ge and Xiao Mu stared dumbfounded at Cain operating the heavy machine gun, clearly shocked by the living hero Cain before them.
Cain grabbed Xiao Ge and had him take over the weapon.
Then Cain swiftly returned to the cabin, picked up the radio hanging inside, and shouted:
"Cain to Command! We've encountered enemies on the forest road, coordinates are..."
Li Feng rummaged through the map board and quickly rattled off the coordinates:
"28194-10256."
"Coordinates 28194-10256! Estimated not more than a platoon..."
"They have more people ahead," Yugen interjected.
"Command, wait a moment," Li Feng cautiously peered over the edge of the crew compartment.
Another squad of Soldiers emerged from the woods by the roadside, then another, and another...
At least five people, perhaps more, were scattered in cover on the other side of the road.
"It's company-sized, possibly their entire force!"
"Confirmed, Commissar," Mostru's voice came through, as calm as ever.
"Commencing targeting, two-round salvo."
"What?"
At this moment, the communication was cut off, and Li Feng understood the meaning of Old Mo's words: artillery shells were about to rain down on their heads.
Li Feng immediately shouted, "Yugen! Get off the main road!"
"Yes, sir."
The salamander armored vehicle swayed violently again, now taking Laser Gun fire from all sides, shaking like beans in a barrel.
The ride was uncomfortable as the smooth highway had been replaced by an uneven forest path.
As they pulled away from the pursuers, their firepower weakened, with only a few Las-fire shots hitting the front armor with no effect.
Li Feng risked another glance over the armor at the figures scattering ahead.
Several who weren't fast enough were quickly crushed under the tracks.
The salamander armored vehicle jolted again, accompanied by the sound of breaking bones and a putrid smell.
The odor was so bad that even Commissar Cain thought Yugen's body odor, in comparison, smelled like a lavender field.
"Who are these guys?" Xiao Mu yelled, while using his lasgun to finish off the bodies on the ground.
"Guess?" Cain drew his chainsword and told a bad joke, because everyone in the vehicle heard an enemy starting to climb onto the vehicle.
Soon, Li Feng saw a bloated, festering creature lift the rain shield...
Even at this moment, Li Feng, despite having seen a lot, was still shocked and disgusted.
The thing's face was swollen from infection, pus constantly oozing from its wounds, and its limbs were bloated and stiff.
Despite this, it was inhumanly strong.
Even an Ork would think twice before trying to climb onto a vehicle moving as fast as this one.
Li Feng was dumbfounded, and Commissar Cain let out incoherent screams, while the two gunners, Xiao Mu and Xiao Ge, mistook Cain's screams for a hero's battle cry.
Li Feng quickly pulled out the catachan dagger he had just "found" and cut off the creature's head.
Filthy matter, like swill, sprayed out from its body like a fountain, thankfully in a direction away from the salamander armored vehicle.
The smell almost made Li Feng vomit.
Just then, Li Feng heard the sound of incoming artillery shells.
The deafening roar of artillery exploded near the armored vehicle, shattered trees flew everywhere, hitting the armor plates.
Yugen drove briskly deeper into the woods, and the noise gradually faded away.
Xiao Ge and Xiao Mu were watching the fireworks and flashes of the shelling.
As forward observers, they should have been accustomed to observing artillery fire at close range.
However, for Li Feng, this was a novel experience, and he was now like a child watching a fireworks display.
"Commissar, what do we do now?" Yugen asked, slowing the vehicle to a less lethal speed as the sound of artillery fire behind them grew more distant.
Cain shrugged, considering the possibilities.
"Well, we can't go back; the road is impassable."
A few simple words on the communication channel confirmed Cain's suspicion: the area was so ravaged that the regimental headquarters was sending a patrol to confirm the results on foot.
Li Feng and Cain picked up the map board again and looked at it.
This forest now seemed unusually large, and the rain was falling harder.
Rainwater gathered on the leaves into large, cold drops, falling into the open cabin from where the rain shield had been lost.
"There's nothing here but trees."
A faint line possibly marked the forest path beneath their feet.
Li Feng turned to Yugen and showed him: "I think we're probably here."
Yugen nodded: "Should be, sir."
Then he turned on the vehicle's headlights.
Now the winding path looked much clearer, but in contrast, the surrounding trees appeared darker and more treacherous.
Cain traced the thin line with his finger: "If the direction is correct, it eventually leads to the main road to the north."
Li Feng then asked, "Commissar, as a senior officer, don't you have a global navigation device like GPS?"
Cain, already accustomed to Li Feng often spouting unheard-of terms, merely said:
"I think it's a waste of your talent not to write science fiction novels."
Although it would be a long and arduous journey, Cain even considered turning back and trying his luck on that shattered road, but it was impossible.
The salamander armored vehicle's suspension system couldn't handle it, and there were certainly surviving enemy Soldiers hidden in the woods.
As the highest-ranking person here, he could only give such a risky order, as it was the only reasonable option left.