Xayne nodded and said, "I understand."The general added a few more instructions. "Xayne, during the twelve-nation meeting to welcome back the warriors, there will be some people trying to cause trouble behind the scenes. Be prepared. The return of the warriors is a top priority. No matter what, there must be no mishaps.""Got it," Xayne replied, then hung up the phone.He began to ponder about the Four Battlefields beyond the borders.Soon, Xayne received a text message from Drakonia Combat Division with flight details and the location of the meeting.He had to leave for Newcroa tomorrow.That evening, Xayne told Serena about it.Serena busied herself, preparing Xayne's luggage.Early the next morning, Ace arrived from the Northern Plains Military Theater, bringing Xayne's blue-patterned golden dragon uniform and sword.After bidding farewell to Serena, Xayne, Ace, and Dragos headed to Newcroa.Meanwhile, Hanwan was playing chess with an old man in Leavekon Villa at Westsand

Back at the conference room, the Tri-Lion Empire's general glanced at his watch with a smile. "I imagine it won't be long before we hear the good news from them."The special ops team he sent consisted of elite soldiers who were seasoned in many high-stakes operations and always successfully completed their missions."If the King of the North falls by my hand, the Tri-Lion Empire's military ranking should climb several notches, and I'll likely be appointed as the national commander back home."The Tri-Lion general was elated, already dreaming of promotions and riches."Don't celebrate too soon. The King of the North is no weakling. Even if you send an entire division to surround him, he might still break through." Someone, annoyed by his smugness, couldn't resist dampening his spirits."True, most special ops teams can't guarantee 100% success. But this squad is our country's most renowned special action team. You all should know their name," The Tri-Lion general deliberately teas

The plan to encircle Xayne was swiftly set into motion. Troops were strategically positioned along his projected path."We have him surrounded, the target has no escape," one team reported, crouched at the street's end with their radios at the ready.As they advanced through the last alleyway, they heard gunfire and immediately tensed."We've reached the target location but haven’t sighted the target," another team relayed through the radio."We're here too, but no suspicious figures in sight," a third team reported.Henry issued the order, "Countdown from three, then strike together.""Three, two, one!"Both teams burst out of the alleyways simultaneously, only to see a stray cat darting through."There's no one."Confusion set in as one soldier grabbed the cat and noticed a tracker attached to it."So, Xayne isn't here. I knew he wouldn't be running around aimlessly." Henry clenched his fist.Although he anticipated that capturing Xayne wouldn't be straightforward, he rema

Glen didn't care much about the success or failure of this mission. For them, even a failure had its advantages. This was their afternoon tea time, and as people of the Fran Empire, they had a ritualistic commitment to this tradition.Meanwhile, Xayne and his two companions stealthily approached the defensive line, carefully observing the setup. "It's quite a crowd," Xayne murmured, using a sniper scope to survey the scene from a distance. The soldiers, who were all ready to shoot, would immediately detect any movement or approach.Historically, attacking a fortified position had always been more challenging than defending one. The attacking side often required several times the manpower to breach the defense. Xayne, Dragos, and Ace knew that breaking through the enemy line seemed nearly impossible. Any attempt to approach would likely result in being swarmed and attacked by the soldiers, who had heavy firepower, including armored vehicles, as evidenced by tracks seen earlier.

Fortunately, the Fran Empire squad leader and the Newcroan patrol leader managed to retain some composure, preventing the argument from escalating further."They're not fighting? I'm impressed by their restrain. Let's add some fuel to the fire and make their relationship even more 'intimate'," Xayne muttered as he observed the scene from a distance. He raised his sniper rifle, aiming at the Fran Empire squad leader.With a gub firing sound, the squad leader collapsed instantly, and panic spread among the soldiers. Fear was evident on their faces."Enemy attack. They've killed our leader. We can't let them go!" The Fran Empire soldiers, now leaderless and desperate, shouted.The Newcroan patrol leader was equally stunned, frozen as the realization hit him. The next moment, his head exploded, and he, too, fell lifeless into a pool of blood.With both leaders down, the already strained relations between the two forces reached a boiling point. The Fran Empire soldiers, equipped with r