The Martial Artist Turned Movie Mogul
Chapter 999 - 998. This is really tricky (second update)

Chapter 999: 998. This is really tricky (second update)

Tang Shu squatted beside the unconscious man and pulled out the arrow to examine it for a while.

"It’s a sedative. They didn’t want to kill us, but rather to take us away."

As for where they planned to take us... thinking about the prosperous scene we saw last night, it’s clear they want to turn us into experimental subjects.

"So, the people in the tunnel came this way?"

It seems like we’ll need to check into missing persons cases around here after we get back.

When the scent of blood spread, Tang Shu noticed a dense white mist gathering at the man’s chest wound. With a furrowed brow, she observed it again.

The man started speaking, "You’re not just some university students—who exactly are you, and what are you doing in the village?!"

"Shouldn’t we be the ones asking you that? The village chief probably wanted to let us go, but you don’t follow his orders, do you?"

"That old bastard..."

In the next second, he realized he’d said something he shouldn’t. His face turned even darker as he clamped his mouth shut and glared more fiercely than before.

Wen Nuan saw they wouldn’t get anything useful out of him, delivered a decisive chop to knock him out, and sent him off to meet the same fate as his unconscious companion nearby.

"Leave someone here to guard them. Let’s start the operation."

"Understood!"

The four followed the original route back, speeding up. A few minutes later, they reached Collar Village again. At that moment, the communicator disguised as a watch on Tang Shu’s wrist beeped twice.

"Captain Song sent over a map of the village’s tunnel system. This time, his team will lead the capture effort. We’ll assist."

Following the plan, the four split up to act independently. Since this was Tang Shu’s first time joining Wen Nuan on a mission, she was assigned to stay near a sniper positioned on higher ground.

***

The vanguard team only had 13 members for this operation, one of whom stayed within the mist-covered terrain.

Tang Shu’s role as support barely counted as personnel. Wen Nuan had invited her primarily to confirm the existence of Gu poison and as a precaution. Knowing the plan was flawless, Tang Shu felt secure as she donned a gray hat, disguising herself as a rock.

One of the two brothers who had been lying nearby for 18 hours glanced at her and handed her a pair of binoculars.

"Getting bored yet?"

"Kind of boring. Do snipers usually train this... silently?"

"Not during training, but when on missions, most of the time it’s about staying hidden. We operate over long distances. If the enemy has snipers too, the danger doubles."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Captain Song said you’ve got sharp eyesight?"

"That’s right."

"Then help me watch them, okay?"

"Sure."

Tang Shu glanced at the observer next to the sniper. Seeing no objections, she picked up the binoculars and began observing carefully. Meanwhile, Wen Nuan’s updates on progress came through her earpiece.

This small-scale conflict didn’t last long—it was almost one-sided. The earpiece was filled with reports of smooth operations and good news. For Tang Shu, it was her first time witnessing Wen Nuan’s strategic mind and leadership firsthand.

She had to admit, Wen Nuan was a born commander—a decisive, sharp, and fearless heroine.

"The tunnels are clear. All hostages are safe, though unconscious."

"We’ve confiscated all contraband. The people in the tunnels are cleared out as well."

Just as those words fell, a sudden, violent explosion echoed in everyone’s ears. Something had been detonated, followed by a chorus of coughing.

"What happened?"

"It was a triggered bomb. These bastards hid it under a packet of contraband, trying to make us leave empty-handed!"

"Is everyone okay?"

"Minor injuries, nothing serious."

Wen Nuan checked the nearby team members, and after a moment’s silence, her face grew stern.

"Wait... I suspect that this triggered bomb was meant to alert the outside. There’s likely more—keep an eye on the villagers in the village!"

The alert was crystal clear in everyone’s ears. Soon, they saw seven or eight armed men and women emerge from the village. Despite the bitter winter, their tattoos were visible on their exposed skin.

Guess they don’t mind the cold.

Captain Song snorted coldly, taking down one of them with a long-distance shot. "This village really isn’t as peaceful as it seems. These people are all keeping secrets. Stay alert—don’t let anyone slip away."

"Understood!"

Under the enormous rock, Tang Shu observed while chatting with the two companions beside her.

"Two at nine o’clock, one at twelve. The remaining two seem to be hiding in rooms. Need me to assist?"

"No need, I’ve got this," Wen Nuan replied. No one knew when she had exited the tunnel, but she soon appeared in their field of vision. Meanwhile, the observer next to Tang Shu began reporting temperature and humidity to teammates.

Then, two sharp whistling sounds pierced the air. Tang Shu saw the two fugitives at nine o’clock drop with precise shots to their foreheads—dead center, one-hit kills.

Wow, that’s some sharpshooting.

"Trouble! Take cover!"

Just as Tang Shu uttered the warning, a surge of danger swept toward them. Her body instinctively ducked behind the massive rock for cover. Moments later, two gunshots rang out, deafeningly close to her ears.

"Snipers incoming!"

The trio swiftly relocated as a barrage of gunfire rained down, each shot landing dangerously close to them. By the time they found new cover, they had moved a hundred meters.

"What’s going on? They’ve got more people?"

"At least two—one of them’s a sniper. Wen, how’s your situation?"

"All good. I’ve handled it. Stay safe."

The village had about 200 residents, evenly split between men and women. After their reconnaissance last night, they learned that half of the households had hidden tunnel entrances. Now, it seemed the remaining villagers might not be much different.

What a headache.

From that moment, Tang Shu stayed out of the fray. Captain Song’s team were all elite soldiers with impeccable coordination. A single glance was enough for them to understand each other’s intentions—an understanding forged through countless live-combat situations.

At this point, Tang Shu was awestruck. For the first time, she grasped the camaraderie shared by Father Tang, Uncle Jing, and their companions.

A bond unbreakable, forged in the fire, where you could entrust your life without hesitation. It was something she’d never experienced in Damo.

As the conflict neared its end, reinforcements from a large nearby unit arrived, crossing through the mist into Collar Village. In an instant, military-green uniforms were visible throughout the village.

Wen Nuan—unsullied and spotless—approached Tang Shu, who noticed the slight furrow in her brows.