The feud is over

Volume 4, Chapter 5

Area Three, an unnamed valley on the map, has now become a meat grinder. The remnants of the besieged Brother Division, relying on the treacherous terrain and rudimentary fortifications, are putting up a desperate yet heroic resistance against the surrounding American forces. The deafening roar of gunfire fills the air with a thick stench of smoke and blood.

Gu Tieshan led the remaining twenty-odd soldiers of the elite detachment, moving like ghosts along the edge of the artillery-saturated area. They avoided the enemy's main blockade line, relying on Gu Tieshan's exceptional battlefield instincts and the keen environmental perception of a Xingyi Quan master, they quietly infiltrated the steep flank cliff using ropes.

Their mission is not only to ascertain the situation, but also to find the possible source of the communication interference, or... to find the person who created it all.

Chaos reigned in the valley. Gu Tieshan ordered his soldiers to scatter and search for clues, while he moved stealthily like a cat, his sharp eyes scanning every corner, searching for any unusual signs. He examined the abandoned walkie-talkies, observed the distribution of shell craters, and tried to find the venomous snake hidden in the shadows amidst the chaos.

Near a relatively secluded, partially collapsed mine shaft overlooking part of the valley, Gu Tieshan stopped. The place was too "clean," clashing with the intense fighting around him. The entrance showed signs of deliberate concealment, and he caught a faint, distinct smell—unlike the smoke of battle—of burning electronic components.

He gestured for the two soldiers behind him to flank him from the left and right. He took a deep breath, slung his submachine gun behind his back, and pulled out the blood-soaked, dulled broadsword with his other hand, quietly placing it on the snake-shadow bracelet on his left wrist.

Like a cheetah hunting its prey, he stealthily crept into the mine. The mine was dimly lit, with the faint beeping of a radio signal coming from deep within, along with a low, smug, and hurried voice.

"...Eagle's Nest, Eagle's Nest! This is Lone Wolf! The target has been successfully lured into the trap, coordinates correct, repeat, coordinates correct! They're finished! Requesting confirmation of the next backup..."

That sound!

Despite the distortion from the radio broadcast and the passage of so many years, the chilling and slippery undertone in that voice, like the deepest nightmare, instantly shattered Gu Tieshan's memory! It was him! The one who sat with Commander Pan Shi at the Fourth Field Army headquarters! The traitor who betrayed Lan Jun, codenamed "Black Fox"!

Years of pent-up hatred, the pain of losing loved ones, the worry about the whereabouts of the children, and the grief and indignation over the sacrifice of countless comrades... all erupted like ignited explosives at this moment!

"Black—Fox—!"

Gu Tieshan let out a heart-wrenching roar, no longer concealing himself, and charged towards the source of the sound like a raging rhinoceros!

The shadowy figure deep in the mine was clearly startled by the sudden roar, and the radio call abruptly ended. He reacted swiftly, turning sharply and raising his hand to unleash a flash of cold light—a poisoned dart!

Gu Tieshan neither dodged nor evaded, his broadsword drawing an arc in front of him, deflecting the dart with a clang. Without stopping, he used the "horse stance" of Xingyi Quan to close the distance instantly!

Using the dim light filtering through the cave entrance, Gu Tieshan could see the man's face clearly. It was a seemingly ordinary middle-aged face, but one that appeared sinister due to his long period of lurking in the shadows, his eyes filled with horror and malice.

"It's you?! Gu Tieshan! You actually came here!" Black Fox hissed, clearly recognizing him as well.

"How dare I die if you don't die!" Before Gu Tieshan finished speaking, his broadsword, accompanied by a piercing whistle that seemed to tear through the air, came crashing down with a powerful "chopping fist" strike! It was so forceful and heavy that it seemed intent on splitting him in two!

Knowing the terrifying strength of Gu Tieshan, Black Fox dared not meet it head-on. His body slid backward like a ghost, while his hands formed claws, aiming straight for Gu Tieshan's wrist and neck where he held the knife. It was the vicious Eagle Claw Kung Fu! The cave was narrow, and his agile movements gave him the advantage.

"Xingyi - Drill Fist!" Gu Tieshan changed his sword stance, from slashing to thrusting, the tip of the blade like a poisonous drill, pointing towards Black Fox's palm.

The two engaged in a fierce, life-or-death battle in the dimly lit mine! Blades flashed, claws clashed, and the wind howled. Gu Tieshan's swordsmanship was expansive and unparalleled in its power, each strike imbued with a deep-seated hatred; Black Fox's claw techniques were cunning and ruthless, targeting vital points with unpredictable movements, attempting to win through skill. Debris flew through the cave, and the radio equipment, struck by the force of the blades and claws, hissed and sparked.

The sounds of gunfire outside seemed to provide accompaniment to this personal feud. Gu Tieshan's old wounds ruptured due to the strenuous activity, and blood stained his military uniform, but he seemed oblivious, his eyes fixed only on the twisted face of his enemy.

"Lan Jun...you killed her!" Gu Tieshan roared, forcing Black Fox back with a single slash.

"Hmph, ignorant of the times, you deserve to die!" Black Fox sneered, and slashed at Gu Tieshan's face with a claw.

Gu Tieshan dodged to the side, switched the knife to his left hand, and his right hand shot out like lightning, which was actually the Xingyi Quan close-range strike "Close Body Lean"!

"Bang!" The shoulder and elbow struck the black fox's chest like a heavy hammer.

The black fox grunted, blood trickling from the corner of its mouth, a flicker of panic in its eyes. It hadn't expected Gu Tieshan to possess such fighting prowess despite his severe injuries. It feinted with its claws, then leaped forward, attempting to flee the cave entrance!

"Where do you think you're going!" How could Gu Tieshan let him escape! He suddenly swung his left wrist!

"Click!"

The dragon scale bracelet mechanism snapped open, and a dark light flashed! The eight-inch short pen, like a harbinger of death, shot straight at the black fox's back!

Hearing the ominous wind behind him, Black Fox desperately twisted and dodged. The short pen grazed his ribs, leaving a trail of blood, and embedded itself deeply in the cave wall!

This sudden obstruction gave Gu Tieshan an opportunity! He lunged forward, abandoning his knife, his arms like iron hoops, tightly embracing Black Fox and slamming him to the ground! The two rolled and wrestled on the muddy ground, like two wild beasts locked in a life-or-death struggle.

The black fox's sharp claws scratched deep, bloody marks on Gu Tieshan's face and neck. Ignoring them, Gu Tieshan used all his strength to lock his grip on his opponent, his iron fists raining down like bullets!

"This punch! For Lan Jun!"

"This punch! For our fallen comrades!"

"This punch! For the comrades you killed!"

Each punch landed squarely, the sound of bones cracking clearly audible. The black fox initially struggled, but soon all that remained were weak twitches.

When the soldiers outside the cave dealt with the accomplices Black Fox had left to guard the entrance and rushed in, this was the scene they saw: their company commander, Gu Tieshan, was covered in blood, kneeling on the ground, with the traitor codenamed "Black Fox" beneath him, his face unrecognizable, and he was dead. Gu Tieshan's fists were still clenched tightly, trembling slightly.

Inside the cave, the jammer that was still emitting jumbled signals was smashed to pieces by Gu Tieshan, who picked up a stone at random.

The grudges have finally been settled.

Gu Tieshan staggered to his feet, not even glancing at the corpses on the ground, and walked out of the cave. The gunfire in the valley was still intense, but without internal interference and misdirection, the remnants of the besieged Brother Division seemed to be reorganizing and attempting to break out.

He gazed at the sky, now stained gray with the smoke of battle, and exhaled a long, pent-up breath. His revenge was complete, yet he felt little joy, only endless emptiness and weariness, and a deeper, more enduring longing.

He raised his left wrist; the dragon scale bracelet was stained with blood. He gently wiped it, as if wiping away a painful memory.

"Lan Jun...I...have avenged you..."

He muttered to himself, his voice so soft it seemed it might dissipate in the wind at any moment. Then, he picked up the broadsword from the ground and hissed at the soldiers who had followed him:

"Let's go! Help our brothers... fight our way out!"

His figure once again merged into the battlefield of blood and fire, but in that silhouette, there was less of the suppressed madness and more of the calm and resolute spirit of rebirth from the ashes.