Chapter 153 Meeting Lin Heizhu Again

The shooter was the German player led by Manstein. After the NPC coalition forces led by Seymour turned back to block the Boxers behind them, Manstein decisively led the remaining players to retreat. Not long after retreating, they ran into the Dadao Squad led by Chen Hao, and Manstein immediately ordered the remaining players to open fire.

Chen Hao ordered the players of the Dadao Squad to hit the ground, drew their Mauser G98 rifles, and opened fire on the German players not far away. Anxious to break through, Manstein chose not to entangle, instead leading the German players charging into the battle to rendezvous with Zorro. As for whether the NPC troops led by Seymour behind them would be caught in a pincer attack, Manstein could not be bothered to care.

After the German players retreated, the hundred-odd men led by Chen Hao faced only the NPC coalition forces, with Seymour's remaining forces reduced to just over 1,400 men. Having learned from the previous lesson, Chen Hao dared not lead the players in a charge again. Instead, his group constructed makeshift fortifications one hundred meters behind the coalition forces and opened fire on Seymour's army.

Chen Hao had only a little over a hundred men with him, but Seymour had long since become a frightened bird. Caught in a pincer attack from front and rear, he immediately ordered a retreat. None of the thousand-plus coalition soldiers were willing to cover the rear with the Boxers hot on their heels, and they panicked as they converged with the players who had joined the coalition.

The battlefield descended into utter chaos, with the Chinese troops and the foreign powers' armies locked in a melee. Once this situation arose, the coalition forces were completely finished. The Boxer martial artists possessed formidable skills; while posing little threat at a distance, once drawn into close combat, they could inflict heavy casualties.

Chen Hao led the Dadao Squad to join in slaughtering the coalition forces. Because he was closest to the enemy, he had a clear view of the enemy commander's position. As the battlefield plunged into melee, he acted as the spearhead of the Dadao Squad, carving a path toward Seymour's location, and quickly spotted Seymour and other coalition officers.

These officers, including Seymour, had their own personal guards. Gathered together and protected by their respective guards, no officers had fallen yet. Seeing this, Chen Hao turned to the players behind him and said, "There are dozens of officers gathered over there. If we can kill them, it will be a monumental achievement. Are you willing to risk your lives?"

"Let's risk it! Lead us forward, Boss Chen!"

"Tsk tsk, if we can slay the coalition commander Seymour, it'll be worth it even without rewards, and we'll gain fame on the forums..."

Gauge the attitude of the players behind him, Chen Hao brandished his broadsword and charged ahead toward Seymour at the center, followed closely by the other players. Aside from Seymour, commanders from various nations were also shielded in the center. Seeing someone charging toward them, they frantically ordered their guards to resist.

The guard soldiers were dutiful and responsible, but in the heat of close combat, no matter how accurate their marksmanship was, it was useless. Fearing friendly fire, they did not dare to open fire once Chen Hao's team charged in. Confronted with the crisis, the officers' guards hastily fixed their bayonets and engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand struggle against the players led by Chen Hao.

This was the strongest NPC opposition Chen Hao had encountered since the battle began. He led the Dadao Squad through two successive charges, losing over a dozen players, yet still failed to break into the center. The Boxers were already advancing in this direction, and if Chen Hao wanted to lead his team to kill Seymour for a great achievement, he would run out of time if he did not hurry.

Retreating now was out of the question; missing this opportunity meant it would be gone forever. Chen Hao led the Dadao Squad to launch another charge. The coalition forces, pursued everywhere by the Boxers, continuously converged toward the locations of their respective commanders. The pressure mounting on Chen Hao grew heavier, making the quest to seize the glory of killing Seymour increasingly difficult.

Just as Chen Hao was about to give up, female Boxer rebels dressed in red appeared not far away, led by two striking female NPCs, one in red and one in green. Chen Hao desperately wanted to slay the coalition leader Seymour to achieve a great feat and secure an official identity. He had constantly feared the Boxers would kill Seymour first, yet he never expected the Red Lanterns to arrive first.

Lin Hei'er and Cui Yunniang possessed formidable martial arts skills. Under their leadership, the officers' guards were beaten back step by step. Seizing the opportunity, Chen Hao led the Dadao Squad in a hard push inward. Seeing Cui Yunniang about to approach Seymour and the other officers, Chen Hao hurriedly shouted, "Uncle-Master Cui Yunniang, why are you here as well?"

Cui Yunniang, holding a long sword, paused her movements, twisted her slender waist to land on the ground, and smiled. "Nephew-Disciple Baxian, to think you are also here killing the enemy alongside us. Which altar did you join, and why didn't you come to find me and Senior Sister Lin?"

Nie Shicheng had already disbanded the auxiliary battalion, so the players led by Chen Hao bore no regular army insignia, leading Cui Yunniang to assume he had joined the Boxers.

Chen Hao preferred not to answer this question directly, so he replied vaguely, "I heard that my two Uncle-Masters were here dealing with the foreigners, so I rushed over to see if I could lend a hand. As it turns out, I arrived too late and blindly followed a band of government soldiers to charge forward against the foreigners."

"Uncle-Master, this is no place for idle talk. That foreign chieftain has killed many of my friends, and I intend to take his head to honor my fallen brothers. Please yield him to me, Uncle-Master!"

Cui Yunniang was not affiliated with the government and had no need to vie for official credit; she was content simply killing foreigners. Hearing that Chen Hao actively sought to kill foreigners, she said with gratification, "Nephew-Disciple, you truly are of one mind with us. Go kill those bandit chieftains! I will handle these foot soldiers for you."

Lin Hei'er soon arrived as well. Leading the Red Lanterns alongside Cui Yunniang, they dealt with the nearby soldiers, allowing Chen Hao to easily approach Seymour and the other officers with the Dadao Squad. Pulling a Colt pistol from his waist pouch, Chen Hao dispatched Seymour at the center with a few shots. Taking the head, he told the players behind him, "I've claimed Seymour's credit; divide the other officers among yourselves as you see fit!"

Slaying Seymour raised Chen Hao's prestige value by three points while granting 500 merit points. Naturally, upon the battle's conclusion, he should secure an official position. In the early stages of the game, holding an official post under the Qing court still carried considerable utility; even acquiring a titular rank would make cooperating with Qing officials to resist the enemy in the Northeast much easier.

Upon hearing Chen Hao's words, the Dadao Squad players cheered loudly and howled as they charged toward the remaining coalition officers. The officers clustered around Seymour were completely annihilated, and the lucky players received merit point rewards, promising better rewards after the battle ended.

Because Zorro was an invading player leader and Seymour was the coalition commander, Chen Hao was the only one who received prestige value rewards for slaying them. When he first established the command post, he had earned 5 prestige points; coupled with the 4 points gained this time, his prestige reached 34 points, making him a figure of minor renown within the game.

Carrying the severed head, Chen Hao walked up to Cui Yunniang and Lin Hei'er and said, "Many thanks to my two Uncle-Masters for your assistance."

Lin Hei'er raised her delicate eyebrows and said, "Nephew-Disciple Baxian, I heard from Altar Master Zhao Sanduo that you killed many of his subordinates in northern Hebei. Is this true?"

Since Chen Hao had led his twelve riders to slaughter so many Boxer rebels in northern Hebei, it was impossible for Lin Hei'er not to know. Earlier, Cui Yunniang's attitude toward him had been quite favorable, leading him to deduce that because he had targeted the Shandong Boxers, Lin Hei'er likely was not harboring anger over the incident. Hearing her inquiry, he nodded and replied, "It is indeed true."

Lin Hei'er's expression turned cold as she said, "I have ties to your martial lineage, and Senior Brother Wang has always maintained friendly relations with the Boxers. Aren't you afraid your actions will break his old heart?"

Chen Hao had long since prepared his rhetoric. He shook his head and said, "Uncle-Master is mistaken! What I did was precisely in accordance with my master's teachings. He told me to be upright in character. The Boxers vary in quality; those rebels I killed engaged in arbitrary slaughter, and many innocent people had their stomachs ripped out and their hearts torn out. Encountering such inhumane fiends, I will kill them every single time."

Lin Hei'er sneered, "If one day my men kill someone you deem unworthy of death, will you also act as an executioner for the Qing court?"

Chen Hao replied with stern solemnity, "In my eyes, there is only right and wrong. If Uncle-Master's subordinates slaughter the innocents and ruin Uncle-Master's reputation, I shall naturally purge the sect on Uncle-Master's behalf."

Lin Hei'er's face remained expressionless as she said indifferently, "My Red Lanterns would never commit such cruel acts. If anyone dares to run amok under my banner, kill them."

"Nephew-Disciple Baxian, that fiend Nie Shicheng has slaughtered many of our Boxer brothers and sisters. Do not get too close to him, lest one day Uncle-Master recognizes you, but the blade in my hand fails to do so."

Chen Hao remained silent. It was already a blessing that Lin Hei'er could understand him killing some reckless Boxers; expecting her to comprehend Nie Shicheng, who had just ordered the execution of thousands of Boxers, was a pipe dream.

With the complete annihilation of Seymour's vanguard force, the main body of the Eight-Nation Alliance would soon arrive, and Nie Shicheng could not escape his doom either. Neither Nie Shicheng nor Lin Hei'er could be relied upon in the long run. Nie Shicheng would soon fall in battle, and the Red Lanterns led by Lin Hei'er would also be completely wiped out during the coalition invasion. How should he make his choice?

Ultimately, Chen Hao decided to continue his association with Nie Shicheng. This veteran commander possessed an unyielding backbone, and reading historical accounts always filled him with admiration. Furthermore, he had achieved great merit in this battle, killing over a hundred enemies along with Seymour and Zorro; obtaining an official post with those merit points still depended upon Nie Shicheng.

Because Nie Shicheng had offended powerful figures in the imperial court, his achievements at the Langfang Victory were erased in history. However, when Chen Hao privately led men to intercept the enemy, he no longer belonged to the Fore-Guard Army. To strip Nie Shicheng of his credit, those powerful figures would likely attribute the victory of Langfang to the Boxers and the players, meaning his own rewards would certainly be substantial.

After the battle concluded, Chen Hao found Nie Shicheng. The veteran commander said with a gratified expression, "Baxian, you did not disappoint me. By slaying the enemy chieftain and making such a great contribution this time, I will naturally petition the imperial court for your reward."

"Many thanks, General."

After expressing his gratitude, Chen Hao wore a worried expression as he said, "The coalition forces have been completely annihilated, and the foreign powers will certainly not let the matter rest. Reinforcements will arrive soon; the General should make preparations early."

Nie Shicheng sighed deeply and said, "Soldiers of our generation can only repay the nation with our deaths. Baxian, what are your plans for the future?"

Chen Hao smiled bitterly and said, "The foreigners possess formidable firearms, making them extremely difficult to deal with. Yet, as the General said, soldiers of our generation should naturally repay the nation with our deaths. My greatest concern lies with the Russians to the north. If the Russians seize the opportunity to push south while the coalition forces attack, the three northeastern provinces may fall into Russian hands. Before long, I must head beyond the Shanhai Pass to contact patriotic men of ambition to resist the Russians, and ensure they never occupy our land."

Nie Shicheng praised him, saying, "You are young and yet know how to repay the nation with your life. Since you harbor such ambitions, I will surely submit a forceful memorial to the imperial court to appoint you to an official post."