"Our mole in the Mohe organization just informed me that they've tracked your movements and know you're not accompanied by Yin soldiers. They've dispatched a small team, likely to ambush you. Be on your guard."
"A small team? What's their size and mode of transport?" I asked. Siping wasn't too far from Fucheng. Driving would take about three to four hours, giving us ample time to devise a strategy.
"Two helicopters, with about five people. Not a large group."
"Could their big boss be with them?" I quickly inquired.
"The big boss? I'm not sure," Shen Xingyue replied. At that moment, a doctor's voice could be heard in the background, telling Shen Xingyue to change her dressing.
"Xingyue, you're busy. I know what to do."
After hanging up, I was about to close the coffin when Yao Yao tugged at me with her small hand. Her eyes fluttered open slightly, but she couldn't manage to speak.
"Are you thirsty?" I asked.
Yao Yao shook her head and looked at the phone in my hand.
"You heard, didn't you? Don't worry, we'll have plenty of expert help!" I said, feigning a lighthearted smile.
Yao Yao seemed to want to say more, but I patted her head and gently covered her eyes, as if bidding farewell to a brave comrade fallen in battle. "Be good and rest. Worrying won't help now. You need to get better quickly!"
Yao Yao obediently curved her lips. When I released my hand, she indeed kept her eyes closed.
I closed the coffin and went to the outer platform. I saw Lin Chi traversing the thorny bushes, quickly reaching the base of Jiuxian Cave. With two agile leaps, she stood before me.
"Director Lin, impressive skills!" I exclaimed.
Lin Chi didn't accept my flattery and got straight to the point: "Headquarters just sent a message..."
The content was identical to what Shen Xingyue had told me, likely from the same source.
"What's your plan?" she asked.
"Did you bring your gear?" I asked, though I had already seen it. This morning, while buying breakfast, I'd wanted to put some food in the trunk to prevent spills. Upon opening it, I found a tool case made of special material that nearly filled the entire trunk of the Mercedes. It wasn't locked, so I opened it to take a look. Inside were three gleaming steel knives and a spear. The spear's size and length were between a rifle and a machine gun, complete with a scope and a device beneath it that resembled a grenade launcher.
I had never seen a firearm of this model before and didn't understand its capabilities, so I dared not touch it and closed the case, pretending I hadn't seen anything.
"We did."
"Can it shoot down helicopters?" I asked, wondering if the spear had that capability.
"No problem," Lin Chi said with a confident smile, checking her watch. "They're expected to arrive here in about an hour. You're familiar with this area, so you should lead the defense."
"Alright," I said, not hesitating. The various forces were quite dispersed, and a central figure was indeed needed to coordinate. I didn't need to be the best fighter, just capable of directing operations.
I called Zheng Bingbing's father, asking him and Li Bing to return first. Then, I went down to Hanyin Temple. My first task was to arrange for Zheng Bingbing, her father, Chen Lu, and the two young monks – those with little to no combat power – to take two cars down the mountain to find a safe place to shelter, away from the impending conflict.
The five-person squad from Fucheng's Shabiya, equipped with assault rifles, were assigned to guard the perimeter of a small plaza in the abandoned village. It was likely an old primary school, village office, or at least a threshing ground, the only large open area in the entire village. If I were the enemy, I would direct the helicopters to land there.
The assault rifles of the Fucheng squad had limited power and range, and they couldn't directly shoot down helicopters. I instructed them to spread out in five firing lanes, with an angle of thirty degrees between each lane, surrounding the plaza. This formation would prevent them from being wiped out in a single strike and avoid friendly fire.
"When the helicopters are about one or two meters above the ground, open fire together. Whatever you hit, you hit. After emptying your clips, retreat separately and head for the surrounding mountains," I instructed them. Their combat capabilities were limited, offering only medium-range fire support. Moreover, they were public servants, and I couldn't expect them to engage Mohe's Purple Qi experts in close combat. I didn't hope they could kill those Purple Qi experts, but it would be good if they could cause some delay.
As for the other experts, I had other ingenious uses for them...