Jing Mingqiu’s lips curled into a smile. “Since they’ve already made preparations, it would be impolite of us not to go. Besides, we have an ancient saying in our Dragon Country: ‘Take advantage of the situation.’
“Go and summon Jonathan Enoch. We'll discuss the details of our next move.”
Soon, Jonathan Enoch arrived with the elite squad. Jing Mingqiu briefly shared the latest intelligence with them.
Jonathan Enoch, a veteran who had been through countless battles, immediately understood. “Professor Jing, they’ve dug a trap and are waiting for us to fall into it!”
“That’s one way to put it, but,” Jing Mingqiu’s smile widened, “the roles of hunter and prey can be switched at any time. They only revealed the first layer, but I’m on the fifth.”
“There are too many intricacies here to explain in a sentence or two. Just follow my instructions. First, these mechs need a slight modification…”
The next day, at the forward base of the American Army in Afghanistan.
The newly appointed Commander-in-Chief of the American Army, Anderson Corlif, heard his adjutant report that according to intelligence from spies embedded within Afghanistan, Jing Mingqiu had taken the bait due to his arrogance.
Their plan was to launch a surprise attack on the American base that night, during the American military banquet, when their guard was down. They intended to turn all the newly deployed American tanks and aircraft into scrap metal.
“Excellent!” Anderson Corlif slammed the table. “Adjutant, are the electromagnetic interference cannons, infrasonic emitters, and gravity distortion traps all ready?”
The adjutant nodded vigorously. “Commander-in-Chief, rest assured, everything is prepared. If Jing Mingqiu dares to show up tonight, he won’t leave alive!”
“Don’t always resort to violence; it’s too crude,” Anderson Corlif adjusted his bowtie, adopting a gentlemanly demeanor. “We are civilized people. We merely wish to invite Professor Jing to be our guest.”
The adjutant felt a bit nauseous seeing Anderson Corlif’s hypocritical display, but he dared not offend his superior and could only echo with a foolish grin.
Seeing the adjutant’s foolishness, Anderson Corlif lost interest in further boasting. He reached out, put his arm around his beautiful secretary, and led her towards the lounge. As he walked, he casually waved his hand.
“Alright, I’m going to rest for a while. When it gets dark and Jing Mingqiu arrives, you can call me. I want to personally witness that guy who has repeatedly provoked the United States fall into our trap and become our prisoner!”
“Yes, sir.”
The adjutant looked at the Commander-in-Chief openly violating military discipline with unconcealed jealousy.
At three in the morning, after a night of revelry, most of the American soldiers were physically and mentally exhausted, having fallen asleep.
At that moment, a whistling sound echoed from the sky. A pure white mech, intricately carved with a golden dragon, exuding a high-tech aura, descended from the heavens and landed silently in the small plaza at the center of the military camp.
Immediately after, a camouflage-clad mech emerged from the rear of the camp and approached the golden dragon mech respectfully. “Professor Jing, the rear camp is secure. They are all asleep!”
“Good. Where are the others?” The golden dragon mech’s faceplate automatically opened, revealing a face identical to Jing Mingqiu’s, but with vacant eyes and a stiff expression.
As soon as he finished speaking, several mechs emerged from various directions of the camp, each reporting.
“Professor Jing, the front camp is also secure. Most of them are asleep.”
“Professor Jing, the guards at the arsenal are playing cards. We can deal with them anytime.”
“Professor Jing, the tank unit guards are lax…”
Jing Mingqiu listened to their reports and showed a look of great satisfaction. “Excellent, excellent! Just as I predicted. After the American military has dominated the world for so many years, their discipline has long since slackened.”
“Now, heed my command! Prepare to set fires. In the ensuing chaos, destroy all American tanks and aircraft as quickly as possible!”
“Yes!”
As the mechs surrounding Jing Mingqiu prepared to depart, giant spotlights on the watchtowers on both sides of the American military camp suddenly illuminated, turning the small plaza where Jing Mingqiu and the others were into a scene as bright as day.
Then, Anderson Corlif, surrounded by his entourage, emerged from the underground bunker, looking at Jing Mingqiu and the others with a sardonic smile. “Professor Jing, where do you think you’re going?”
As Anderson Corlif made his appearance, several large machines covered with tarpaulins around the small plaza were suddenly unveiled, revealing their menacing gun muzzles.
Facing the enemy’s threat, the mechs that were about to leave could only retreat in a hurry, shielding Jing Mingqiu in the center.
Seeing this, Anderson Corlif felt a surge of satisfaction and deliberately adopted a gentlemanly air.
“There’s an old saying in Dragon Country: ‘Guests are always welcome.’ Although Professor Jing has come uninvited today, as the host, I will surely entertain you well.”
Jing Mingqiu pushed aside the mechs blocking him and walked forward with his head held high, casting a disdainful glance at Anderson Corlif. “Anderson, this mech I’m wearing is capable of withstanding a nuclear explosion. Do you really think these broken guns of yours can stop me?”
“There’s only one way to find out if they can hold you,” Anderson Corlif said, and before he finished speaking, he pulled out a red button and pressed it hard.
The ground suddenly lit up with a red glow, and the mechs behind Jing Mingqiu all collapsed with a clatter.
Immediately after, four massive electromagnetic interference cannons activated simultaneously. Several lightning-like nets shot out from the muzzles, entangling Jing Mingqiu and turning his silver mech blue, temporarily incapacitating him.
Seizing this opportunity, the infrasonic emitters suddenly roared to life. A torrent of infrasound surged, engulfing Jing Mingqiu from head to toe. Under the terrifying sonic attack, Jing Mingqiu’s expression became visibly distorted, almost breaking.
“Hahaha! Professor Jing, surrender quickly!” Anderson Corlif couldn’t help but shout loudly upon seeing Jing Mingqiu’s predicament. “Any later, and your brain will be cooked!”
Under everyone’s gaze, Jing Mingqiu spoke with great difficulty, his voice trembling, “The word ‘surrender’ is not in my dictionary. Don’t dream about it!”
“In that case, I can only send Professor Jing to hell. May you repent well on the Wall of the Unbelievers…”
Anderson Corlif raised his hand high, about to order his soldiers to increase the power of the infrasonic emitters, when suddenly, a massive explosion erupted from the rear of the military camp, followed by flames shooting into the sky, dyeing half the sky red.
“Bad news, Commander-in-Chief!” a soot-covered American soldier ran over. “A group of people in mechs suddenly appeared and blew up our fuel depot!”
Anderson Corlif couldn’t believe his ears. “This! How is this possible! They were supposed to blow up planes and tanks! Why did they blow up the fuel depot!”
“Hahahaha,” Jing Mingqiu, trapped in the small plaza, suddenly burst into laughter. “With your intelligence, you shouldn’t try to play military strategy like the Dragon Country. You can’t even see a simple feint or a diversion. You’re too stupid!”
Upon hearing Jing Mingqiu’s voice, Anderson Corlif whipped his head around, glaring fiercely at him. “Jing Mingqiu, don’t celebrate too soon! It’s just a fuel depot. We can transport massive amounts of oil from elsewhere anytime.”
“However, you won’t be leaving here alive today!”
With that, Anderson Corlif rushed to the infrasonic emitters and yanked the control lever, pushing the power to the maximum.
“Bang!”
With a deafening roar, Jing Mingqiu exploded, scattering shrapnel everywhere, leaving no trace of his body…