19: Chapter 19: Sudden Wealth Through Points, and a Challenge from an Uninvited Guest

The early morning at Dawn Base (formerly Feifan Park) was unusually peaceful.

In the past, the air at this time would have been filled with the nauseating stench of spoiled food and blood, and the air would have been filled with the overseers' cursing and the sound of belts striking flesh. But today, the wind carried the scent of freshly steamed buns, and the sound of rhythmic slogans even drifted from the distant playground.

Zhang Cheng stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the newly repaired and reinforced command center, holding a cup of hot tea as he watched the Security Team drilling below.

The hundred-plus young men selected for the team had changed into uniform gray training fatigues. Under the leadership of several Death Soldier instructors, they were practicing goose-stepping and combat. Although their movements were still a bit stiff, their spirit was worlds apart from the 'pigs' who used to shrink their necks and take beatings.

Li Lanzhi was directing the logistics team to move boxes of cleared supplies into the warehouse. She held a ledger in her hand and would occasionally look up to shout instructions; her efficiency gave her quite the air of a head housekeeper.

“Now this looks like something,” Zhang Cheng muttered, taking a sip of tea as the tension that had been tightly wound in his heart relaxed slightly.

Just then, a crisp electronic chime rang out deep in his mind, followed by a series of pleasant sounds like gold coins falling into a bag.

[Ding—Daily settlement complete. 1,000 fixed daily points have been credited.]

[Ding—Detected that the host has completed a special achievement: Destroy a large-scale criminal organization (Kokang Feifan Park) and rescue 3,215 imprisoned personnel.]

[Rating: S-rank Perfect Clear.]

[Special Reward Points: 3,000 points!]

[Current Total Points: 4,515 points.]

Zhang Cheng's hand holding the teacup jerked violently, nearly spilling the scalding tea onto himself.

“Four thousand five hundred... that’s forty-five million in purchasing power...” Zhang Cheng calculated rapidly in his mind. “How many good things can I exchange for? Mortars? Heavy machine guns? Or even... vehicles?”

Before he had a chance to open the exchange list and indulge in his fantasies, a series of hurried yet steady footsteps echoed behind him.

“Sovereign.”

Old K appeared at the door like a ghost. His expression remained that of a dead man, but his tone carried a rare hint of gravity. “The peripheral 'Ghost' sentries have sent back emergency intelligence.”

The smile on Zhang Cheng's face vanished instantly. He set down his teacup and turned around, his gaze becoming sharp as a blade. “Speak.”

“To the southeast, coordinate 32, approximately thirty kilometers from our defensive zone.” Old K walked to the massive military map on the wall and drew a heavy circle with a red pen. “A large-scale armed convoy has been discovered, advancing rapidly toward us along the dirt road.”

“Scale?”

“Roughly one thousand personnel. Over forty vehicles, including jeeps, troop transport trucks, and...” Old K paused, his eyes turning cold, “a large number of technicals mounted with heavy machine guns. Additionally, scouts spotted towed 82mm mortars at the rear of the convoy.”

“Under what banner?”

“They are flying the banner of the ‘Kokang Allied Army Remnants — Brigadier General Yang’.”

“Yang Maoliang?” Zhang Cheng sneered, walking to the map and tapping the red circle with his finger. “I knew they’d come. You hit the small one, and the old one shows up. This Feifan Park used to be the Yang family's purse. By taking it down, I’ve cut off his revenue stream—hell, I’ve practically dug up his ancestral grave. It would be a miracle if he didn't react.”

“Sovereign, the opponent is coming with aggressive intent; they have clearly deployed their main force,” Old K analyzed. “A thousand men equipped with heavy firepower is already a significant force in this region. If we rely on the park for defense, we could win, but the newly established order would be shattered, the new recruits might panic, and...”

Old K glanced out the window at the survivors who had just begun to lead stable lives. “There are too many civilians in the park. Once shells start falling, the casualties will be immense.”

Zhang Cheng nodded. This was exactly what he was worried about. This was now his base of operations, his 'home.' It could not be allowed to turn into a meat-grinder of a battlefield.

“Thirty kilometers... at their marching speed on these wretched roads, they’ll arrive in about three hours.” Zhang Cheng narrowed his eyes, his brain working at high speed. “Since they want to come and eat meat, we’ll flip the table and set the battlefield outside!”

His finger moved slowly across the map, finally stopping at a narrow pass with steep mountains on both sides.

“Here.” Zhang Cheng pressed his finger down hard. “Wild Wolf Valley.”

“Fifteen kilometers from the park, it’s the only way for them to get here. Both sides are high slopes with dense forest, and the middle is just a dirt road less than ten meters wide. It’s a natural ‘pocket’.”

Zhang Cheng turned to look at Old K, a crazed yet confident light flashing in his eyes. “Old K, do you dare to pull off something big with me? We’re not defending; we’re going on the offensive! Right here in Wild Wolf Valley, we’ll prepare a ‘greeting gift’ for this Brigadier General Yang!”

“The Sovereign’s will is my mission.” Old K stood at attention, a faint red light glimmering in his eyes. “But our side currently lacks heavy firepower. If the enemy charges with force...”

“Heavy firepower?” The corner of Zhang Cheng's mouth curled into a mysterious smile as he tapped his own head. “I have money now. I can have as much as I want.”

“Pass down my orders!”

Zhang Cheng’s voice suddenly rose, carrying the murderous aura of iron and blood:

“The first and second echelons, a total of 350 Death Soldiers, assemble immediately! Carry all individual equipment, march light and fast—target: Wild Wolf Valley! You must seal that pocket tight for me within two hours!”

“The third echelon of 150 men will stay to guard the base. Initiate Level 1 combat readiness. Any unidentified armed forces approaching the park are to be killed without mercy!”

“Yes!” Old K saluted and strode away, his back exuding a bloodthirsty excitement.

Zhang Cheng looked out the window again. The distant mountains loomed in the morning mist like crouching giant beasts.

“Brigadier General Yang... Hmph.”

He sat back in his chair, his consciousness sinking into the system as he looked at the point balance of 4,515.

“Since you’ve delivered yourself to be my stepping stone, I won’t be polite. Today, I will use your blood to consecrate this iron army of mine that is about to be born!”