Chapter 8: A Thousand-Mile Battle

On the afternoon Torea was killed, Mels had Lex return to military headquarters to present a new demand to Lubit: he must provide them with a brand-new, high-speed Float Car equipped with heavy weapons, and extend the deadline from ten days to one month. If Lubit couldn’t meet their demands, Mels would call off the mission.

If the brocade box in Mels’s hands truly contained something important, he would never dare to make such an unreasonable request. But now that they had confirmed Lubit was using them as bait, Mels could be certain that, under the current circumstances, he would be a very useful pawn to Lubit—one that Lubit would be unwilling to discard.

Sure enough, when Lubit heard Lex’s message, although he was furious enough to want to tear Mels and the others limb from limb, he betrayed no sign of displeasure. Not only did he immediately agree to arrange a vehicle for Mels and his group, but he also repeatedly urged Mels to set off as soon as possible to avoid any unexpected trouble. However, Lubit didn’t insist that Mels reach the capital within ten days, which amounted to agreeing to Mels’s request for an extension.

In truth, the decision Mels and the others made was a real gamble. If Lubit hadn't been in such a rush to eliminate Torea, he might have abandoned Mels and his group, turning to other trusted subordinates to serve as the smokescreen instead. But now that Torea was dead and the message about creating chaos had already been sent out, it was impossible for Lubit to change his plans. That’s why he had to swallow his pride and repeatedly tolerate Mels’s unreasonable demands. For Lubit at this point, as long as Mels and the others followed his orders and left Yaksai City, his plan could be considered a success. So he didn’t really mind giving Mels and his group some assistance.

After Lex returned to the hotel and informed Mels that Lubit had agreed to their demands, Mels allowed a meaningful smile to touch his lips. Over the next few days, instead of quickly driving the military Float Car out of Yaksai City as Lubit had expected, Mels stayed in the hotel all day, busy with who-knows-what.

In fact, during these days, Mels was acutely aware of how dangerous his own complete ignorance of technology was. So he took advantage of this rare opportunity to constantly ask Lex and the other Bear Clan tribesmen to teach him and his companions. After a few days, not only had everyone become familiar with basic items like televisions, telephones, and postal services, but through teamwork, they had even gradually learned to operate the military Float Car and use energy beam weapons. They owed their success not only to Lex and the others’ dedicated teaching but also to the mysterious Green Hair, who was always there to steer them away from common pitfalls. Combined with Mels and his group’s natural intelligence and eagerness to learn—and the fact that this was a critical, urgent moment—everyone’s learning speed was exceptionally fast.

Seven days later, although everyone had only a preliminary understanding of the Bear Clan’s technological products and didn’t grasp their underlying principles, they had at least learned how to use advanced tech like the Float Car. Confident they were ready, Mels asked Tuck for a map to the capital and then tactfully declined Lex’s suggestion to accompany them. That night, under the cover of darkness, the group quietly left Yaksai City through the north gate and headed toward the Bear Clan capital.

Lubit had been on edge these past few days. He knew that the longer time dragged on, the worse it was for him. Although he had sent people several times to urge Mels and the others to set off, Mels had consistently avoided meeting them. Just as Lubit was frantic with worry, the spies he had stationed near the hotel finally brought news that Mels and his group had left Yaksai City. This made Lubit let out a long sigh of relief, his body relaxing.

Waving the spy away, Lubit walked to the window, gazing at the three strange moons that had just risen in the sky, and muttered to himself, “Don’t blame me. I’m doing this for the future of the Bear Clan! If you unfortunately die in a foreign land, I hope you find peace in the Western Paradise!”

While Lubit believed Mels and the others were heading into a death trap, Mels was actually enjoying the thrill of driving the Float Car at high speed. In fact, over the past few days, Mels and his companions had already considered various possibilities. Although they knew that leaving Yaksai City might lead to enemy attacks, they had too little information to go on. In this world, they were like blind men or puppets being manipulated. To leave themselves a way out in the face of unknown dangers, the only thing they could do was “act unpredictably” and surprise everyone!

The countries built by Sub-Humans were quite strange, perhaps due to their leapfrog technological development. In human nations, roads were like milestones of a country’s development—the more prosperous the nation, the more roads it built, and the higher their quality. However, in the world of the Bear Clan Sub-Humans, although cities were exceptionally prosperous, well-paved roads simply vanished less than ten kilometers outside the city, as if Sub-Humans had no use for highways. No wonder Mels and the others had gotten lost on the grasslands when they had first escaped the Lonely Prison, unable to find any proper roads.

Looking at the distance indicator on the crystal screen, Mels knew it was time to put their plan into action. He switched off the autopilot system, then made an emergency U-turn, heading south toward Yaksai City at three times their original speed.

The Bear Clan capital was far to the north of Yaksai City, so why were Mels and the others heading south? Did they not intend to carry out Lubit’s mission? Had Mels and his group already given up on obtaining the pass to the Eagle Clan and instead planned to use their Float Car to break through the Eagle Clan’s defenses?

No one knew what Mels was planning, but his actions left the enemies who had hidden along the main road to the capital, waiting to ambush them, their efforts were wasted. However, there were always exceptions. Two elite forces from different nations, along with the Wolf Tribe Bandits Mels had encountered a few days earlier, seemed to have foreseen everything and had already spread their nets, waiting for their prey to charge right in.

The night deepened, and the strange light from the three moons in the Sub-Human sky cast a silvery-white glow over the land. Under the moonlight, the Float Car driven by Mels sped forward, while Sol, Kaslo, and Sha Luo sat beside the three anti-gravity cannons at the rear, poised to engage any enemy that might appear. Akafir sat beside Mels, operating some strange machinery under Green Hair’s guidance. Looking at Akafir’s focused expression now, no one could have imagined that just seven days earlier, Mels had to threaten to withhold his meals to force him to learn how to operate the defense system.

In truth, Mels’s plan was simple: take the path of least resistance, catching the enemy off guard! From a general military tactics perspective, in a situation where they lacked information and didn’t know the enemy’s exact numbers, engaging the enemy head-on would be difficult to win.

However, Mels and his group had their own advantages: they controlled when they would depart. Additionally, the enemy surely knew their destination was the capital, so it was likely that most of the enemy forces would position their attack power near the valley entrance about a hundred kilometers from Yaksai City. That area was not only the route one had to take from Yaksai City to the capital but also about a hundred kilometers from the city. Even if Mels and the others tried to flee back to the city after being attacked, the hundred-kilometer distance couldn’t be covered quickly, giving the enemy ample time to pursue.

Understanding these points, Mels and the others discussed and decided to abandon the direct route through the valley to the capital. Instead, they would circle around Yaksai City, cross through the southern mountain range’s fracture zone, and then head north toward the capital after passing the mountains. Although this route was longer, it would avoid significant danger.

Thanks to the Bear Clan’s advanced technology, even with the detour, the Float Car’s speed left horse-drawn carriages in the human world in the dust. Moreover, once they passed through the mountains, the terrain ahead would be flat plains, making it a hundred times harder for enemies to ambush them. This greatly increased Mels and his group’s chances of survival.

Although Mels’s plan was sound, Green Hair believed not everyone would be foolish enough to set up an ambush in the valley. Mels had already considered this, but without better options, they had to take the path of least resistance. Even if some enemies guessed their intentions, they would likely be few in number, at least preventing Mels and the others from being surrounded. However, Mels never expected that their plan would still be laughably simple. The three largest forces were already smiling as they watched Mels and his group charge into the traps they had set.

Yaksai City was surrounded by mountains about a hundred kilometers to the east, south, and north, while the west side consisted of low shrub forests. The land near Yaksai City was mostly flat plains. At this moment, Mels was circling around Yaksai City from the shrub forests to the west, then heading toward the southern mountain fracture zone to cross the mountains.

Yet, in this dark shrub forest, over thirty fully armed Wolf Tribe bandit Float Cars, led by their leader “Blood Wolf,” were waiting for Mels’s arrival.

“Boss, do you really think those little brats will come this way? If it were me, I’d head straight for the capital through the northern valley! That route is shorter and less troublesome. Who would deliberately take a detour with something important?” a wolf-headed, human-bodied Sub-Human with a brutish face said to the slightly slender Blood Wolf beside him.

“Screw you! If everyone were as dumb as you, they wouldn’t be guarding anything!” Blood Wolf cursed. Then, lowering his voice, he said, “Fire Wolf, let me tell you, I heard those Lion-Tiger Clan brats are protecting something related to the Bear Clan chief’s bloodline certificate. If we get our hands on it, someone will pay any price for it. But I’ve always found it strange—why would something so important be entrusted to these kids? Do they have something special about them?

To be honest, these past few days, I ordered the entire Wolf Tribe to search for information on those brats, but we found nothing. It’s like they suddenly popped out of a rock—really bizarre. But judging by how they delayed leaving Yaksai City for days, it seems the rumors aren’t false. However, if those brats head straight for the valley, heh! Then the item definitely isn’t with them!”

“Boss, I’m dumb. Can you explain it more clearly? Why wouldn’t the item be with them if they take the shorter route?” Fire Wolf wasn’t bothered by Blood Wolf’s scolding and instead looked at him with a questioning expression.

Looking at Fire Wolf’s expression, Blood Wolf shook his head helplessly. “Sigh… I told you to study more when you were young, but you never listened. Now, whenever you have free time, you just chase women. Can’t you be more useful? Let me explain: if those kids are just pawns, then the Bear Clan military leader would definitely order them to set off quickly to attract others’ attention and reduce the threat to the real item. But they’ve been dawdling in Yaksai City for days—this likely means they’re waiting for someone or preparing something. From this perspective, it’s more likely the item is with them. However, if after all this preparation, they still charge north as soon as they leave the city, that would only mean they’re still acting as decoys! If the item is truly with them, I’m certain that after leaving the north gate, they’ll turn around and circle here to the south, passing through the mountain fracture zone to reach the capital! Although the route is longer, once they cross the mountains, it’s open plains. There, not only would it be hard to ambush them, but even tracking their movements would be troublesome! So, if I were those little brats, I’d definitely choose this route!”

“So that’s how it is! No wonder you didn’t station anyone in the valley and brought everyone here!” Fire Wolf finally understood why Blood Wolf had brought his elite troops to this uninhabited forest for an ambush.

In truth, Blood Wolf was gambling. He knew too many organizations from various places wanted to seize the treasure near the valley. If he joined them, even if the treasure appeared, the fight would likely result in heavy losses on both sides, making it hardly worth it. So he preferred to come here and try his luck. His earlier explanation to Fire Wolf was mainly to calm his subordinates’ nerves, which was why he went into such detail.

However, even Blood Wolf didn’t expect that the Float Car driven by Mels would actually enter his line of sight. This made Blood Wolf extremely excited, but unfortunately, he didn’t know he had bitten off more than he could chew this time—his luck had run out.

“Boss, the target has appeared, flying from the northeast toward the south. It matches the model the scouts described.” The electronic walkie-talkie suddenly transmitted the voice of the Wolf Tribe bandit scouts, making Blood Wolf’s nerves jump intensely.

“They’re really here!” Blood Wolf muttered to himself, then immediately roared at the bandits around him, “Listen up, boys! Whether we feast or starve depends on tonight! If any blind idiot lets the target escape, I’ll skin him alive!” Amid the bandits’ thunderous responses, hundreds of bandits swarmed into over thirty Armed Float Cars, preparing to give chase.

On the other side, as the Wolf Tribe bandits’ Armed Float Cars started their engines, the alarm system in front of Akafir suddenly went off. Akafir immediately said nervously to Mels, “Boss, we've got trouble! About thirty high-energy Float Cars have appeared to the southwest. It looks like they were hiding in the nearby forest and only started moving when we showed up.”

“Damn it, they still found us!” Mels cursed angrily, then immediately began considering how to respond. “Hmph, I told you so, but you didn’t believe me. Now we’re in trouble,” Green Hair said as soon as the situation changed.

“Quiet! Be careful they don’t blast you into roasted bird meat!” Mels shouted, then said to Sol and the others behind him, “Stay calm, everyone. Thirty Float Cars are indeed a lot, but we’re not here to fight them. With their numbers, they can’t completely surround us. I’ll have Akafir send their data to your anti-gravity cannons. Remember, no matter if they’re civilians or not, fire as soon as they enter range!”

Mels’s words might have sounded ruthless, but everyone understood: what kind of civilians would be driving thirty Float Cars into a shrub forest in the middle of the night? So they all nodded firmly and began carefully operating their anti-gravity cannons, ready to teach those troublemakers a lesson.

Blood Wolf’s elite troops were still waiting for Mels and the others to enter their ambush range. Before leaving Yaksai City, Mels had wrapped the Float Car’s body in leather cloth, so Blood Wolf never expected that Mels was driving a tactical-level Armed Float Car specially equipped for high-ranking Bear Clan officers. He also didn’t expect that their movements couldn’t escape the new radar’s surveillance.

“Boss, they’ll enter our firing range in five minutes! They should have already detected our movements by now!” Fire Wolf informed Blood Wolf of the current situation via the walkie-talkie.

“Good! Everyone, remember: only aim for the lower part of their vehicle. If anyone blows it up, I’ll make you go in and find the treasure yourself!” Blood Wolf roared at all his subordinates. These Wolf Tribe warriors knew their boss meant what he said! Everyone knew Float Cars were powered by crystals—if one exploded, everything within tens of meters would be engulfed in flames. If the boss really lost his temper and ordered someone into the fire to search for the item, no one would survive. So the gunners simultaneously lowered the power of their magnetic cannons, believing that even if they accidentally hit the enemy vehicle, it wouldn’t explode.

On the other side, Akafir in the Float Car had already started counting down loudly. This was the calculated time until they entered firing range. The anti-gravity cannons had a longer range than magnetic cannons, so when facing a numerically superior enemy, launching a surprise attack first was crucial.

“Five, four, three, two, one! Fire!” With Akafir’s shout, Sol, Kaslo, and Sha Luo simultaneously pressed the red buttons in their hands. The three anti-gravity cannons instantly shot out red beams of light, streaking through the night sky like meteors and striking the three leading Armed Float Cars of the Wolf Tribe bandits.

The light flashed and vanished, but stronger red glows and explosions followed. The three Float Cars hit by the anti-gravity cannons were blasted into the air, and even several nearby vehicles were affected to some extent, catching fire.

“Damn it, what’s going on? How could they have anti-gravity cannons?!” Fire Wolf howled, but no one could answer his question. For a moment, the Wolf Tribe bandits fell into chaos, with shouts and cries for help flooding the communication channels.

“Shut up, all of you! Leave the ambulances behind; the rest, move out immediately and close the distance! Anti-gravity cannons take longer to recharge than magnetic cannons. Once we get close, they’re dead meat!” True to his reputation as the leader of a notorious bandit group, Blood Wolf calmed everyone down with just a few words. Except for the three destroyed vehicles, two burning ones, and the ambulances, the remaining nearly thirty Armed Float Cars started up simultaneously, charging desperately toward Mels and the others.

“Damn it, why is this broken cannon not working? Why won’t it fire again?” Sol, who had only learned how to use it but never actually fired it before, kept pressing the fire button, but the anti-gravity cannon showed no response, making him curse in frustration.

“Idiot, calm down! Anti-gravity cannons aren’t used like that!” Seeing that the group only knew the basics, Green Hair flew angrily to Sol’s side and said, “Firing all three anti-gravity cannons at once consumes too much energy, and the recharge rate is slow! Now, Sol and Kaslo, adjust your cannons to magnetic mode and use them to engage the approaching enemies. Sha Luo, you focus on controlling the anti-gravity cannon. Fire as soon as it’s fully charged, but don’t aim directly at a single vehicle—shoot at areas where they’re clustered. Within a hundred square meters, the anti-gravity cannon can disable them! Remember, our goal isn’t to wipe out these bandits but to survive and escape!”

“Green Hair is right. It knows more about these things than you do. Follow its instructions!” Hearing Green Hair’s words, Mels found them very reasonable and loudly gave the order. Seeing that Mels had spoken, no one dared to argue and could only follow Green Hair’s instructions step by step.

At this moment, since the anti-gravity cannons couldn’t fire, the Wolf Tribe bandits had gradually entered their attack range. In an instant, their earlier fear was replaced by bloodlust. Almost without needing Blood Wolf’s command, the Wolf Tribe gunners began attacking Mels’s Float Car.

The peaceful night sky was torn apart by continuous explosions, and beams of light in various colors crisscrossed the plains like fireworks. Since the Wolf Tribe bandits had lowered the power of their magnetic cannons, their beams had little effect on Mels and the others, who had activated their defense system. In contrast, the magnetic cannons used by Sol and Kaslo seemed much more powerful.

“Haha, those bastards are no match for us! Boss, let's charge them and take them out!” Sol, caught up in the excitement, shouted at Mels.

“Idiot!” Green Hair smacked Sol hard with its wing and scolded, “Their magnetic cannons are weak not because they’re inferior, but because they don’t want to blow us up! We’re trying to escape, not pick a fight! If we provoke them too much, a coordinated volley could blast not just our defense system but the entire vehicle into the sky!”

After scolding Sol, Green Hair turned to Sha Luo and shouted, “Sha Luo, don’t fire the anti-gravity cannon yet. From the looks of it, the enemy doesn’t want to kill us outright. Angering them further won’t do us any good! Transfer the anti-gravity cannon’s energy back to Mels so he can activate the secondary propulsion system. They’re using Masos III-type vehicles, while we’re using something close to Darkdia VI-type—much more advanced. As long as we have enough energy, we can definitely shake them off!”

After saying this, Green Hair muttered angrily to itself, “These clueless Sub-Humans, turning perfectly good energy sources into crystals, unable to unleash their full performance. What a waste!”

Hearing Green Hair’s words, Mels suddenly felt as if he didn’t know this noisy parrot at all. Its understanding of these technological products seemed even deeper than the Bear Clan’s, as if it had been exposed to them long ago.

Although he had many doubts, Mels knew now wasn’t the time to dwell on them. The urgent task was to activate the secondary control system Green Hair mentioned. But Mels, who hadn’t learned this, didn’t know how to proceed. Helpless, he had to ask Green Hair for help again. Although Green Hair quickly came to assist, Mels couldn’t avoid being called “idiot” or “moron” a few times.

While Green Hair was busy helping Mels activate the secondary propulsion system, within just a few minutes, Sol and Kaslo managed to hit several more Wolf Tribe bandit Float Cars. Seeing the casualties mounting, Blood Wolf finally couldn’t hold back. Clenching his fists, he slammed them on the communicator and roared, “Boys, no more hesitation! I don’t care about the treasure anymore—I want those bastards dead! Avenge your brothers and blow them to pieces!”

Blood Wolf’s words undoubtedly lifted the long-suppressed worries of the Wolf Tribe bandits. Almost simultaneously, the gunners adjusted their magnetic cannons to maximum power and waited for them to recharge before firing at Mels and the others.

“Not good, they’re going for the kill!” Green Hair, seeing the enemy vehicles simultaneously cease fire on the battlefield, immediately knew the situation was dire. It flew onto the control panel and began operating on its own, no longer bothering to guide Mels.

Seeing Green Hair’s nervousness, everyone knew something was wrong. The short minute felt like ten years to them. Just as the enemy was about to fire, Mels suddenly slammed on the brakes, bringing the Armed Float Car to an abrupt halt.

Mels’s sudden stop shocked Blood Wolf. Hesitating, he quickly shouted to his subordinates, “Hold your fire!”

At that moment, Mels gently activated the external communication device and called out to Blood Wolf, “Whoever you are, stop fighting! We surrender! We surrender!”