22. Chapter 22: The Bomb

Xu Qiao certainly wouldn't just let it go. As soon as she was out of their sight, she turned and ducked behind a tent. Taking a deep breath, she peered through the gaps between the tents to observe the situation. The area around the ammunition depot wasn't heavily trafficked; compared to the other tents, it was remarkably quiet. It was clear that while this area was highly prioritized, the actual quantity of ammunition being drawn wasn't particularly large—at least not compared to the supplies of daily necessities and food. Perhaps that was why they were tucked away in the depths of the supply yard, where they could be kept safe, out of the way, and more easily guarded.

Just as Xu Qiao was observing them, the various barracks began serving lunch. Watching them eat the meals delivered by the kitchen staff, she felt her nerves tighten. She had spiked the lunch—both the main dishes and the clear soup—with laxatives. To ensure they worked quickly, she had been quite generous with the dosage. As Squad Leader Wu had said, these soldiers were built like oxen, so a little extra wouldn't hurt. And the consequence of a high dosage was, naturally, a rapid reaction.

As the military vehicles started up and sped away, the experienced veterans quickly grasped the situation by following the trail of explosions. Xu Qiao didn't dare accelerate at this moment to draw their attention; she had to keep her pace consistent with everyone else. She had no intention of explaining anything to them. She shoved the man aside, grabbed her pack, and ran to the piles of ammunition, stuffing bombs into her bag as if they were free. Taking advantage of the chaos, she wove through the crowd, slowly closing in on the ammunition tent.

The squad that should have been guarding the post was down to just two men still standing; perhaps that was their bare minimum. Xu Qiao hadn't paid them much mind, but having caused such a commotion, she knew that even without experience, dragging this out would only lead to her demise. Someone immediately began to pursue her, even splitting up to flank her.

As the explosions rang out, it wasn't just the ammunition depot that descended into chaos—the entire camp became instantly uproarious. "Quick! Catch her, it’s her..." the driver, who had been thrown to the ground, realized what was happening and shouted to the incoming guard company. But in the midst of this situation, it was hard for them to focus, and they could only cast listless glances in her direction at her shouting. Gunfire erupted instantly, the training rounds striking the passing military vehicles.

"Squad leader, dead men tell no tales," Xu Qiao muttered, weighing the bag. It was enough. She grabbed a grenade and started running. But in that split second of hesitation, Xu Qiao had already driven through the gate checkpoint, heading straight for the mountains without a moment's doubt. Perhaps she didn't even notice that in that instant, she had utilized the combat techniques learned in her past life's special training camp alongside the driving skills of this current life. She had already jumped into the vehicle, started the engine, and floored the accelerator—all in one fluid motion. Clearly, at this moment, she didn't dare make even the slightest unnecessary movement.

The completely unprepared sentry only had time to look at her in shock before his body went limp and he collapsed. "Squad leader, I came to get the mess kits. You... you’re finished eating, right?" Xu Qiao asked, feigning confusion. "Are you out of your damn mind?" a voice shouted from inside the tent. Seeing this, Xu Qiao stepped forward, glancing around to ensure no one was watching, and as she approached him, she delivered a sharp hand-strike to his neck. A cry went up; those who could still run realized what was happening and scrambled into a vehicle to give chase.

"What are you idiots staring at? Get in the trucks and chase her! Having our camp destroyed by a single female soldier is humiliating enough—if we let her get away, we might as well turn in our uniforms!"

But this couldn't hurt Xu Qiao, nor could it result in her elimination. Fortunately, the parking lot wasn't far. She spotted someone who had just parked a vehicle there, the keys still dangling in the ignition. She sprinted to the parking lot, already able to see the guard company closing in from the distance. The two men nearby saw her and their expressions turned ugly. "What are you doing?" they asked, stunned, staring at the female soldier in disbelief. Even the Blue Team driver, sitting on the ground, remained dazed.

While some were still eating, others had already begun racing to the toilets. They could only watch helplessly as Xu Qiao drove past. As the words fell, a violent explosion erupted beside the tent, signaling that the entire ammunition depot had been destroyed. "Wh-what happened?" the men inside the tent were concerned for their comrades, but their expressions were grim. Although there were still a few bombs left in her pack, Xu Qiao didn't stop to plant them; she just kept running forward with the bag.

Xu Qiao grabbed the man and dragged him into the tent. Seeing the situation, she dragged him over, suddenly lunged forward, and ripped off their rank patches. "Squad leader, my apologies. You have been eliminated. Please abide by the exercise rules." Her physical movements were even faster than her brain's reactions; with a clean motion, she pulled the men down. Although she had caused this situation, she couldn't help but smile when she saw the loss of control on his face. Regardless, this was an exercise; she couldn't drive a military vehicle into streets filled with civilians.

As she ran, she pulled the pins and tossed the explosives aside. Soon, the area behind her was shrouded in the sound of explosions, causing the pursuing guard company to panic even further. Seeing this, Xu Qiao didn't miss her chance and lunged forward. The opposing side couldn't lock onto their target that quickly. The original two-man guard post was down to one, and his expression was wretched enough that one didn't need to guess what was wrong with him. The guard company, already lacking much combat effectiveness, stumbled toward her. Fortunately, the additives in their lunch meant they couldn't run fast, otherwise, Xu Qiao would have had no chance of escape.

"Help! Someone help, he's fainted!" she shouted while dragging the man inside, feigning anxiety. Amidst the noise, Xu Qiao skirted around them and kept running, pulling time-delayed bombs from her bag and planting one at every tent she passed. The sentry had wanted to speak, but his expression shifted instantly, and he waved her off, gesturing for her to go in and get them herself. Xu Qiao knew it was time for her move. Perhaps because of her earlier decisiveness, the guards were no longer as vigilant when she reappeared.

The mountain roads were rugged, but her driving skills were completely unaffected by the terrain. She accelerated and sped off. Xu Qiao gripped the steering wheel, increasing her speed while keeping an eye on the vehicles chasing her, unaware that she was moving far faster than the road conditions permitted. When she saw the military vehicles closing in through her rearview mirror, she let out a scoff of disdain and accelerated once more.