Inside the interrogation room, Xin Xiaoming turned ashen and his legs trembled when he saw the deputy team leader. He didn't know exactly what was happening outside, but he could sense what he was about to face.

"Traitor! Embezzler, scum!!"

The deputy team leader cursed Xin Xiaoming furiously, raising his arm and pointing the gun.

"Deputy team leader, don't... you can't kill him. He can be used as an example. It's best to send him back to District One... to the Regional Council..." An officer ran over from behind, desperately grabbing the deputy team leader's gun-wielding arm.

"Get out of the way!!" The deputy team leader pushed the officer away. "I'm going to waste him!"

"If you waste him, what will we give the council?!" the officer shouted rationally. "What has been your job description since we got here? Dragon City is in such a mess, we haven't found anything, and now we've killed someone. How do we explain this?"

Hearing this, the corners of the deputy team leader's mouth twitched, and his hand gripping the gun trembled.

"Listen to me, we'll use him as an excuse. At least that way we'll have something to say!" the officer continued to persuade. "It's too chaotic right now. Many people will pay for this."

The deputy team leader slowly lowered his arm, his expression blank, muttering dejectedly, "How... how did it turn out like this!"

On the iron chair, Xin Xiaoming's lips were purple, his whole body trembled, and his crotch was already wet.

"Ah!!! Kill me!" Xin Xiaoming roared hysterically, disguising his inner fear with anger.

The deputy team leader glanced at him. "You will die, but not now."

With that, the group left the interrogation room.

The investigation team's trip to Dragon City was even more disastrous than the Qingyi Society's. Not only did they fail to complete the task assigned by their superiors, but they also plunged Dragon City into complete chaos.

Who would bear this responsibility?

Those dead investigation team members, garrison soldiers, and Zhang Hao and others, how would they be remembered? Would they be commemorated... or gradually forgotten?

...

Near the border.

Su Tianyu and the others did not leave with the Third Division's troops. Instead, they detoured around the border and entered the Sinaloa region.

The convoy drove towards the town of Slanka for more than half an hour before stopping in a large wasteland.

Everyone got out of the car, built a pile of combustibles, and placed Zhang Hao on top.

Su Tianyu and the others could not bring Zhang Hao's body back through normal channels, nor could they hold a large-scale funeral at this border crossing.

The old people said that those who died violently could not be buried in the ancestral坟 (fén - grave) or even have their bodies kept at home, as it was unlucky.

Su Tianyu and Su Tianbei certainly didn't believe this. They really wanted to hold a funeral and send Brother Zhang Hao off, but they couldn't...

In life, there are always too many things that go against our wishes, too much powerlessness.

The group stood beside Zhang Hao's body, silent for a long time, before Su Tianyu took out a lighter. "Little brother, go home...!"

"Shua!"

With that, Su Tianyu squatted down and lit the gasoline-soaked combustibles.

The fire flared up instantly, and various branches and clothes crackled and popped as they burned.

Seeing Su Tianbei silently shedding tears, Fei Pingsheng reached out and patted him on the shoulder in a gesture of comfort.

"Boom boom boom...!"

Standing in the wasteland, everyone suddenly heard artillery fire in the direction of Slanka.

Immediately afterward, a bugle call echoed across the land. Su Tianbei looked back and saw the Chi Army's vanguard rushing back to the defense zone along the highway, launching an attack on the 125th Army, which had just occupied the outskirts of Slanka.

Zhao Weihu's military plan was full of the wildness of a grassroots figure. He had previously left an empty city, frightening the 125th Army for half an hour, and when the 125th Army reacted and began to attack Slanka, the Chi Army had already rushed into the Dragon City border to meet the Third Division, which was breaking through.

The two sides met, and the Chi Army's logistics保障 (bǎo zhàng - support)部队 (bù duì - unit) turned into the vanguard. They rode in a large number of vehicles and, without seeing the Third Division's men, drove straight back to Slanka.

It was that half hour of the Empty City Stratagem that directly resulted in the 125th Army seeing the Chi Army's troops returning to aid just as they had occupied the outskirts of Slanka. And at this time, if they wanted to completely withdraw on a large scale, it would obviously take time.

It was also this extra half hour that the Chi Army's vanguard returning to aid held up two entire regiments of the 125th Army.

Immediately afterward, more and more of the Chi Army's reinforcements arrived, fighting more and more bravely. Even the Third Division's mechanized团 (tuán - regiment) arrived in Slanka and immediately went from a breakthrough state to an engagement state, annihilating two regiments of the enemy's 125th Army under the guidance of the Chi Army, and capturing an entire连 (lián - company)'s worth of mechanized vehicles, not to mention firearms.

This was Zhao Weihu's awesomeness. He came from a基层 (jī céng - grassroots) military officer background and had been fighting in the Old Mexico region for more than ten years. His command ability in battle was definitely among the best of his peers!

Why was this so?

Because if the Chi Army could not win battles and had no use, then there would be no space for survival and they would starve to death.

Actual combat forges experience. Many things you will not understand the essence of until you have tried them a hundred or a thousand times.

The second battle for Slanka not only successfully met the Third Division, but also used the Third Division's mechanized团 (tuán - regiment) to eat two enemy regiments.

Not only was the job done, but they also had a hot meal.

This kind of wild command from a grassroots officer is rarely seen in graduates from military academies.

In the great wilderness.

Seeing the炮火 (pào huǒ - artillery fire) rising in the Slanka阵地 (zhèn dì - position), Fei Pingsheng said softly, "It's over."

In the crowd, Su Tianbei looked at Zhang Hao's burning body, his emotions collapsing completely, "...You fucking... how am I supposed to explain this to his family!"

...

District One.

Huagong Association Branch.

Sitting in his office, Su Tiannan said to his superiors, "The Dragon City matter is basically over, but the finishing work is not easy."

"Someone has to take the blame, and Lao Li might also be implicated to some extent." The superior interjected, "However, it won't be too serious, because the bastards in the Regional Council, no matter how stupid they are, can see that Dragon City is currently out of control. If they move anyone, something big might happen."

"Yes!" Su Tiannan nodded.

"You've been doing well lately. The higher-ups are considering promoting you."

"Thank you, leader!" Su Tiannan replied.

"Alright, go ahead."

After the two finished communicating, Su Tiannan stepped out of the office.

The leader sat behind the old desk and reached for his cigarette pack.

"Do you think Lao Li and the Su family can eventually go down this path?" A middle-aged man next to him asked, "We even sacrificed the Hongfang Group, which we've been operating for a long time, to give the Chi Army a platform to take off... Districts One, Two, and Three are in the same boat, and such a big thing happened in Dragon City. The Hongfang Group is probably going to get a beating."

"I think they can!" The leader frowned and said, "The opportunity in Dragon City is already showing signs of emerging. It's no longer as solid as iron. In a chaotic world, someone will always stand up...!"