Chapter 104: Ambush in the Rainy Night

The torrential rain in Jingnan continued into the night, showing no signs of easing. It was, arguably, the most severe flood disaster in years, with rainfall levels far exceeding historical averages.

The road leading into this devastated region had been blocked repeatedly. After hours of arduous effort, it was finally cleared, allowing military convoys to arrive with disaster relief supplies. The sound of heavy-duty military truck engines began to echo through the rain.

Lu Shiwu paused in his tracks. He looked up and was startled to see dozens of military trucks rolling in. His brows knit together. "The insignia on those... are they from the First and Second Military Districts?" The speed of their arrival was astonishing. "What is going on?"

It was the first time Lu Shiwu had witnessed such a scene. In the pitch-black night, beneath the relentless downpour, he watched as truck after truck rumbled past them, wading through the muddy, pitted road. They came to a halt on a flat slope in the distance, and soldiers immediately poured out, carrying tools and supplies on their shoulders.

A vast, dark mass of them. They were all soldiers from the First and Second Military Districts, clad in crisp uniforms, standing ready for action.

"Orders from the Commander!"
"Do you all understand?"
"Move out!"
"Yes, sir!"

Following the command, they surged into rescue operations. From the moment they disembarked to the captains issuing orders and the troops assembling, it had taken less than three seconds. Lu Shiwu was stunned. He watched as the troops from the First and Second Military Districts mobilized toward the heart of the disaster zone. A sea of men, just like the rescue workers already on the scene, braving the storm and marching against the rising waters. What they carried on their shoulders was not just supplies, but duty and mission.

***

Meanwhile, in Tongshan Town, in the northern part of Jingnan, the rain did not let up. It lashed against the windshield in the dark, rainy veil until the car was forced to a sudden, jarring halt.

"Commander, someone has blocked the road."

Shen Zhaoxi raised her eyes. A hint of mist clouded her dark pupils, mirroring the downpour falling before her. In the distance, dozens of figures in black emerged from the rainy night like a cold wind across the wilderness, looking ominous.

Shen Zhaoxi stepped out of the vehicle. She said, "You go first."
"Commander?!"
"Go."

She slowly closed the car door, turned back, and looked at the soldier behind the wheel. "Go and rendezvous with Xiao Xiao and the others."
"But..."

The soldier’s face was etched with worry; leaving the Commander alone here in such a situation was dangerous. But Shen Zhaoxi cast a cold, impatient glance at him. "Obey the order!"

"..." There was no choice. The soldier started the engine and began to turn the vehicle around. "Yes, ma'am!"

Once the soldier had left, Shen Zhaoxi’s cold eyes seemed to contain fragments of freezing mist. She looked ahead as the rain drenched her. An ambush in the rainy night? She raised an eyebrow slightly and curled her lips into a smile.

"Eldest Miss, long time no see!"

The young woman in the black trench coat was none other than Zhou Zhou, who had infiltrated the new recruits at the Jingnan Military Base training camp. She wore heavy makeup, a stark contrast to the timid, cowardly girl she had played before.

Shen Zhaoxi smiled, tilting her head slightly. Her gaze seemed distant as she looked at the dozens of black-clad figures blocking her path. "Not long at all. We just met."

"I truly didn't expect you to make it out from the bottom of the mine," the woman said, her red lips curling as if in mock regret. She had hoped the mountain collapse and the structural failure of the mine would crush Shen Zhaoxi to death. It was a pity it hadn't. She had been at the mine that afternoon, even following Shen Zhaoxi into the depths to engage her, but the presence of military personnel made it difficult to act openly. She had left a "gift" for those at the bottom of the mine before retreating. It was just a shame these people were so hard to kill.

"Eldest Miss, you shouldn't blame us. After all, those with different paths cannot make plans together," the woman continued. "You want to be the hero, but did you ever ask for our opinion? The Wufeng organization is hell. How could anyone in hell ever find a new beginning?"

Hearing this, Shen Zhaoxi’s eyes, which held a mocking glint, narrowed slightly. Her expression was cold, filled with undisguised disdain. She wasn't afraid. With a smile that hid a blade, she stared at the dark mass of people before her. "So, Wufeng sent you to kill me."

"Yes. And no." The woman laughed triumphantly, her red lips appearing stained with blood as she locked eyes with the girl. "The Fourteen Continents has a deal with Jingnan. You insisted on interfering. To protect our interests, we have no choice but to take your life."

Tonight, Shen Zhaoxi was destined to die here. She would not leave alive.

"Is that so?" Shen Zhaoxi replied.

In the gloomy, rainy screen, the atmosphere was silent; the sound of the rain was clear, yet eerie. Rain soaked Shen Zhaoxi's clothes. She arched a brow, her deep, unfathomable gaze seeming to say: *You want to kill me? Come and try.*

The woman’s expression shifted abruptly. She frowned and shouted, "Kill her!"

A cold wind blew, brushing against Shen Zhaoxi’s pale, exquisite face, which was wet with rain. She stood still. Yet, in the darkness, a flash of playfulness crossed her cold eyes. She seemed like a different person compared to the one at the military base.

As the dozens of men in black rushed toward her, Shen Zhaoxi smiled slowly. Her slender, porcelain-white fingers reached up and snapped the cord hidden beneath her collar. She removed the cold jade ring from it, and with a calm expression, slid it onto her finger. She rubbed her thumb against the ring lightly.

It had indeed been a long time since she had killed anyone.

The rain dripped before her eyes. The wind went quiet, and a sudden, sharp killing intent descended. The men in black surrounded her in an instant. Standing in the downpour, Shen Zhaoxi’s eyes turned icy. She could see the daggers in their hands, reflecting a cold, chilling light in the darkness of the rainy night!

The danger was closing in. If those daggers landed, her throat would be slashed open, and she would die on the spot.

*Heh. Ants, daring to act.*

Shen Zhaoxi let out a low laugh. Just as the danger reached her, she spun suddenly, evading the fatal strikes of the men in black and weaving between them. In the dark, rainy screen, her slender figure moved with a speed that was ghost-like, terrifyingly fast.

At that moment, a dull rumble of thunder rolled from the mountains, followed by a flash of lightning that illuminated the girl in the darkness. The men in black felt their pupils contract as they met her gaze. She was smiling, and killing intent seemed to overflow from her eyes.

Her slender fingers slashed across the throat of the nearest man. Warm blood splattered onto her face, but she seemed not to notice, as if it were just more rain.

Shen Zhaoxi, who had been looking down, suddenly lifted her gaze! A crimson mist began to bloom before her eyes.