Chapter 27: Chapter 27: A Thunderclap Resounds, the Rabbit Makes a Shining Entrance (Part 1)
Lin Li took the form handed to him by Lin Ziming and examined it carefully, his gaze suddenly sharpening:
"Colonel Lin, why is there record of a group disappearance incident here?"
Lin Ziming replied:
"Yes, among the six missing people mentioned, four disappeared individually.
Ruan Guangtian and Cheng Shiqing, however, are linked to two group disappearance incidents.
Village cadre Ruan Guangtian went missing on X month X day in 1984, when he and three others from the same village went to the town for a market, and then were never heard from again.
Ruan Guangtian’s village is a poor village in the depths of the mountains, requiring passing through several valleys to get to the town, with extremely complex terrain conditions.
After the four disappeared, local rescue teams were sent out, but you know... the search and rescue conditions at that time were very undeveloped, so the teams never found the remains of these four people.
The final report of this incident was that the vehicle had an accident and fell off a cliff, legally declared dead four years later, but the main file was classified as missing.
This time, the handwriting of Ruan Guangtian was appraised by the headquarters, and the brush strokes of the character "康" showed some similarity with Ruan Guangtian’s writing habits, so Ruan Guangtian was listed as one of the six core targets."
Wang Qiang listened with great interest from the side, and couldn’t help but interject: "Colonel Lin, what’s the other group disappearance incident about?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Ziming displayed an exceedingly rare hint of hesitation:
"The second group disappearance incident is more mystical.
Back then, a tour bus suddenly disappeared in a certain area, and another missing person, Cheng Shiqing, along with his wife Wang Meifang, were on that bus."
Wang Qiang gasped in surprise, eyes widened: "Eh? Strange, such a big incident like a bus disappearing, how come I’ve never heard of it?"
Lin Ziming looked at her and hinted:
"Think carefully about the time and place?"
Wang Qiang immediately started counting on her fingers:
"It’s 22 now, so 14 years ago would be 08, and that year....."
Lin Ziming answered crisply:
"That’s right, it’s what you’re thinking of, although the bus disappeared several hours earlier.
The bus lost contact on a mountain road, and before the rescue team could arrive, that disaster occurred. Afterwards, the area became a landslide lake, and once the disaster’s effects subsided completely, the terrain and landscape of the entire area changed drastically.
The rescue team had conducted several rounds of searches but all ended in failure."
Lin Li showed a moment of sympathy in his eyes, and then his brows furrowed:
"For these missing persons and their relatives, I personally express regret, and hope they can survive after their disappearance.
But let’s stick to the facts.
If indeed many people collectively transmigrated to this world, then the overall situation could become much more complex..."
Then he asked Lin Ziming:
"Colonel Lin, are the professions of the two groups of missing people complex?"
Lin Ziming thought for a moment:
"The three people who disappeared along with Ruan Guangtian were all farmers, only one had received elementary education, making their professions and levels very distinct.
But the professions of Cheng Shiqing’s group were much more complex, considering it was a tour bus, there were people from all over.
Coders, retired workers, self-employed individuals.... there was even someone who gave out loans, oh and three active military personnel."
Lin Li was taken aback: "How come there are active military personnel? Why would active military personnel be out traveling?"
Lin Ziming shook his head and said:
"These three soldiers weren’t out traveling, they originally took a leave over the weekend to visit former comrades.
They hitched a ride on this tour bus at a tourism diffusion center to save money, planning to transfer to a rural bus at the next center.
You know how things were in the early 2000s, tourism companies weren’t as regulated as now, hitchhiking was common practice, these three..."
Just as Lin Ziming was about to continue, Communications Squad Leader Wang Yaohua suddenly rushed in:
"Report!
There’s a change on the central battlefield, an Extraordinary with sword control has reportedly lost life signs!
The forward regiment headquarters has entered Level One combat readiness, ready to strike at any moment!"
.....
Eighteen kilometers outside the camp.
As Wang Yaohua mentioned, after a prolonged stalemate, the high-altitude battlefield outside the city finally reached a conclusion.
The elderly man in green robe was in utter decline amidst the siege of two giant serpents.
Coughing up a mouthful of blood fiercely, the elderly man’s eyes flashed with determination.
Precise, he swiftly cast a spell, the mirror in his hand suddenly shone brightly, quickly flying towards one of the giant serpents.
When it was less than a half-foot away from the serpent, the elder roared a syllable, the spirit of the magic mirror wailed in anguish and blew itself up!
Boom—!
The power of the self-detonation instantly injured that giant serpent, but in the same breath, the light flames of the other giant serpent struck the old man’s chest mercilessly.
The old man plummeted straight from the sky, just before landing, his body was enveloped by a cultivator’s light, life or death unknown.
High above.
Two other elders showed sorrow, among them the one with a purple robe and a goat beard shouted painfully, mustered every effort cutting a head off a two-headed cow.
But in doing so, suffered a blow on his side, losing his right arm instantly.
The two elders exchanged glances, each seeing the resolve to die in the other’s eyes.
They rapidly closed ranks, preparing for an all-out effort.
Simultaneously, the beasts on the ground under the lead of a commanding giant creature, forcefully broke through the barrier of the light curtain.
Both battlefronts plunged into dire straits!
The first to rush to the city walls were dozens of giant creatures, only three or four meters shorter than the walls, they continued pounding on the walls with brute force, seemingly immune to pain.
Each strike caused loads of wall bricks to crumble and shatter.
What’s more terrifying is that the bodies of these giants formed a natural ladder.
Countless giant serpents climbed onto higher ground along the giant bodies, coils spring-like, then launching with force from their tails, soaring up to the city walls.
On the walls, the defending army made their final stand.
The soldiers yelled, spears thrust forth decisively.
In an instant, dozens of giant serpents were pierced mid-air.
The civilians behind continued pouring golden liquid, throwing stones and other objects.
The scalding golden liquid burned one serpent red-hot, followed by a stone falling, smashing it into gore.
The defenses were swift and strong, but the sheer number of serpents was too overwhelming.
In less than a few minutes, serpents managed to scale the walls.
Serpents stretching on the ground were frightening indeed, a swipe of their body knocked several people flying with massive force.
Some suffered broken limbs, others fell unconscious.
Yu Lian, along with a few guards, helped slay a serpent, when suddenly Yan Shaohua’s voice came through his earpiece:
"Squad Leader Yu, can you hear me?"
Yu Lian quickly moved to a corner: "Captain Yan, this is Yu Lian, signal is stable."
Knowing the urgency of the wall’s battle, Yan Shaohua wasted no time: "Squad Leader Yu, how many bullets do you have?"
Yu Lian checked his pockets: "I’ve not yet used my 92-style pistol or the two magazines, thirty rounds in total."
Yan Shaohua said:
"Good.
Squad Leader Yu, now move towards the southern side of the wall.
Ensure your safety first, then try to protect that middle-aged man holding a cauldron.
The staff from the strategic analysis department determined that his status is very high, with a strong likelihood of being a descendant of a Huaxia Transmigrator.
Through a series of behavioral and other scientific analyses, the command assigned him as the best contact target.
If you can get in touch with him, it could greatly assist our engagement with the alien civilization.
So, be sure to keep him safe, if facing special situations... firearm usage is authorized.
My regiment will launch an assault in five minutes!"
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