Chapter 75: Truly Unexpected—Such Astonishing Speed!

"This is a booby trap," Qin Feng murmured, astonished that someone had laid such traps on the battlefield—terrifying ones at that. He gazed at the cunningly concealed explosives, grateful he hadn't touched any of the weapons scattered about; if he had, he might have triggered the trap and experienced its deadly force firsthand.

Examining the setup, he realized these traps were not laid by his own comrades. They must be the work of the enemy, and their craftiness was beyond imagination. Qin Feng scrutinized the weapons ahead, sensing the danger in their presence. Many were rigged with hidden explosives—deceptively placed so that, at first glance, one might mistake them for mere discarded arms among the underbrush. Even up close, they appeared innocuous, but Qin Feng's keen eyes could discern the lethal secrets within. Transparent cords, nearly invisible, tethered the traps; any careless touch could send a person flying.

He drew a sharp breath. "Not simple at all," he thought, realizing the enemy responsible for these traps was far more formidable than the pursuers he'd previously encountered. With haste, he slipped behind a large tree to conceal himself.

"Who could the enemy be?" The question lingered in his mind. These adversaries were no ordinary foes; their skills were exceptional, perhaps even masterful. Yet their identity eluded him. The enemy lurked in shadow, while he was exposed. There was little point in searching blindly—his priority was survival, avoiding detection, and staying alive. He steadied his breath, willing himself to become one with the forest, blending seamlessly into the environment, striving for calm.

"There may be danger ahead," Qin Feng silently warned himself. The air before him carried an ominous threat, a sense of peril so strong it prickled his instincts. If he pressed forward, he risked discovery and attack; his fate would hang in the balance.

"The enemy's weapons are not to be touched, nor the booby traps. Either could spell disaster," Qin Feng reminded himself. He had experience setting such traps and understood their purpose well enough: to catch the unwary.

He made no attempt to disarm the traps, knowing their concealment was masterful. Any effort to do so might alert the enemy to his presence—who could be lurking nearby, ready to strike.

The jungle was eerily quiet now, broken only by the whisper of wind and the occasional fall of leaves. Beyond that, silence reigned. The tranquil scene belied the deadly atmosphere beneath; the deeper the calm, the greater the danger—perhaps the stillness before the storm.

"Stay calm. Calm, and calmer still. The more dangerous the situation, the more one must keep cool. Only then can I think clearly, and solve problems rationally," Qin Feng told himself. Panic would cloud his judgment, so he forced himself into a state of serene focus—only absolute composure would allow him to reason and act effectively.

He drew a slow, steady breath, immersing himself in the rhythm. He imagined himself as part of the forest, blending into the surroundings—this way, he could better detect the enemy and prepare to counter them.

Gradually, the silence settled deeper. Qin Feng confirmed no one was hiding ahead. He stepped cautiously from behind the tree, then swiftly concealed himself behind another, skirting the traps and weapons with the utmost care. He knew that a single misstep could trigger disaster.

His circuitous approach was a form of tactical flanking, avoiding danger and positioning himself to strike from behind. Only thus could he confront the enemy on his own terms.

"I must attack unexpectedly, catch them off guard—perhaps I can launch a surprise assault," Qin Feng thought as he crept forward, alert and wary. The enemy was clever and powerful; he needed all his caution to find and defeat them—and to survive.

On the battlefield, nothing mattered more than survival.

Only by living could he accomplish his goals.

And caution was paramount. Qin Feng recalled Su Yun's words: on the battlefield, there is no absolute safety. Only through vigilance can one notice threats and avoid them when danger strikes. That is the path to survival.

Only then could he fulfill his mission and claim victory.

"This place is a battlefield; this jungle is a battlefield. The field of war is ever-changing. Only by adapting to change can one survive and complete the mission," Qin Feng understood. The third squad had crossed the border for a task—he believed they would see it through and all return safely.

This conviction guided his every action. He trusted they would reunite and make it home together.

He was now seeking his captain and the others, confident they would find each other and return as a team.

Suddenly, a shadow flickered past—a black shape, swift as a phantom, so fast it seemed to blur before his eyes and then vanish.

"Was that a shadow, or am I seeing things?" Qin Feng peered intently ahead. At any other time, he might have doubted his eyes, but not now. He was certain someone had darted past—the speed was uncanny, leaving only the impression of a fleeting silhouette.

He trusted his eyesight; it was no illusion. That was a person.

"I never expected the enemy to move so quickly," Qin Feng marveled, his senses heightened. He watched the path ahead with utmost care, ready to fight and respond to whoever might appear.