Chapter 125: A Rare Opportunity!

"Quick, retreat! Everyone, pull back! Get out of the mist's range immediately. Don't let that toxic fog touch you." Viper shouted to the men around him. He sensed that if his people didn't withdraw from the drifting path of the mist at once, they wouldn't stand a chance of survival.

Upon hearing the order, the group of mercenaries retreated without hesitation. They knew the mist was lethal and that only by fleeing quickly could they hope to stay safe. They had no desire to die from the white fog’s poison or be devoured by the man-eating ants.

"A bunch of desperate scoundrels; hardly reliable." Red Skull watched Viper’s men flee and sneered. To him, these people were nothing more than bottom-feeders, lacking both courage and combat prowess. He didn't care for them at all; in his eyes, their lives were as worthless as blades of grass.

"Qin Feng, you cannot escape," Red Skull said coldly, his body radiating a murderous aura so intense it felt as if the temperature had dropped dozens of degrees, plunging them into the heart of a thousand-year-old glacier. "No matter what, the Blood Skull Mercenary Group will annihilate you. You will learn the strength of our group, and you will learn what it truly means to be hunted until the end."

The Blood Skull Mercenary Group was notoriously formidable and terrifying. They were known for one specific trait: if anyone dared to kill their members, the group would launch a relentless, never-ending pursuit. They would not stop until their target was dead. This terrifying persistence was the hallmark of their infamy.

Just then, the mist from the Fog Forest surged outward, rolling like a massive, violent wave, threatening to overturn and destroy everything in its path.

"Ah! No! My mouth..." A series of miserable cries erupted. Those who were touched by the white fog collapsed without exception, foaming at the mouth, bleeding from their seven orifices, and dying after only a few desperate struggles.

Within the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, over three hundred men had fallen. Near their corpses, the man-eating ants were also scrambling. The ants themselves were wary of the mist; while they were venomous, they were no match for the toxic fog of the forest, which had accumulated layers of lethal toxins over countless years. The consequences of contact were unpredictable. Even the man-eating ants, it seemed, dared not venture too close to the fog.

The area outside the Fog Forest descended into utter chaos. The mercenaries ran faster, terrified of the lethal mist. They had no desire to die in such a way; they wanted to live, and they felt their lives were worth more than dying here.

Watching the disorder, Viper felt he was losing control. The situation was beyond chaotic, bordering on madness.

"Damn it! What is this? This is nothing but a death-fog!" Viper seethed, sprinting away. He realized this was no ordinary mist. It was a toxic cloud that was picking off his men one by one. The battlefield was becoming increasingly complex, and he feared that if this continued, he would lose all command over his forces.

"Don't run! Do not scatter! Whoever runs out of line, I will shoot!" Viper shouted, but no one listened. Faced with the choice between his orders and their lives, the men chose their lives, picking up their pace and ignoring him entirely.

Viper grew furious. If everyone fled, he would be left with no one to command. He drew his pistol and fired at the men running wildly in front of him.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" The men who had been sprinting aimlessly were struck down. Seeing Viper actually execute his own men, the others froze in terror, realizing he was a man of his word.

"Form up and run in an orderly fashion! Don't run in groups, or none of you will make it out!" Viper commanded coldly. The men stood silent, terrified of being the next target.

Viper hoped to lead the survivors back. If he could manage that, his status within their organization would soar, and he would secure the support he needed. He took a headcount and was shocked to find that fewer than a thousand men remained. The lethality of the mist was far beyond his worst expectations.

Without hesitation, he ordered his remaining men to press the retreat, sensing the fog was closing in again. As they moved, another fifty men collapsed.

Meanwhile, the man-eating ants showed no sign of retreating. Though they feared the toxic fog, they had lived in the forest long enough to develop some resistance. They continued to attack the fleeing men, driven by a desire to avenge the companions the mercenaries had killed. Under the ants' assault, another fifty men perished.

Viper led the remaining nine hundred away, but their numbers continued to dwindle. It was a rout; the men were gripped by panic, thinking only of escape.

Watching the scene from afar, Qin Feng’s face brightened. He realized this was their best chance to break out. After carefully assessing the situation, he identified his route.

"Everyone, get ready. We move now," Qin Feng said to War Eagle, Flying Shadow, Black Wolf, and Snow Leopard.

"Understood," they replied in unison, recognizing the opportunity.

Qin Feng raised his Type 88 sniper rifle, aimed at the landmines he had planted 1,500 meters to the southeast, and pulled the trigger.

"Whiz! Boom!" The mines detonated, sending trees flying and creating the illusion of a massive skirmish.

Viper and his men were immediately drawn to the distraction, assuming Qin Feng was breaking out toward the southeast. They rushed in that direction, followed by the mercenaries of the Blood Skull group.

"Break out!" Qin Feng commanded. He and his team rose and surged toward the northwest.