In the desert, a strong wind begins to blow, casting the entire world into dimness. All that can be seen within one's gaze is the few scenic yards nearby.
The sun hangs high in the sky, its rambunctious rays heat the desert past forty degrees Celsius. Even in the shade, the harsh environment leads to dehydration over time.
Within the yellow sand, near a small dune, a blurry figure lies in the grains. The sand cloaks him, revealing only his black hair and deep, soulful eyes.
The young face betrays no intense emotion; his dark eyes are particularly profound, possibly opaque even to a worldly-wise elder.
The oppressive sun penetrates the wind-lashed sand, scalds every inch of the unforgiving desert. Yet, the young man seems to be utterly oblivious, lying inert.
In his field of view, a figure clad in black flits by – a tightly dressed figure with a covered face, carrying a ninja sword. This is Kusō, the super warrior of the Fusang nation.
The young man lowers his head slightly, blending completely with the surrounding sand. In this state, even up close, his existence is imperceptible.
Being the strongest ninja of the Fusang nation, Kusō's abilities are irrefutable. Within his decade of fame, countless warriors have perished by his hand. Some say he's a devil that lurks in the darkness.
Yet now, this revered warrior, considered the greatest super soldier in the Eastern world, moves extremely carefully. Every step measured, both hands tightly holding hidden weapons. The slightest rustle will trigger a lethal attack.
Emerging from the killing fields, Kusō possesses extraordinary sensory abilities, especially the perception of danger. Within a few dozen meters, he can sense the slightest movement, even the sound of a heartbeat or breath.
However, he remains unaware of the young man's presence despite their proximity of ten meters.
Increasingly nearing the distance, the young man continues to bury himself in the sand, showing no intent of striking.
One must always give it their all, even when hunting a rabbit – what more when facing the Eastern world's greatest warrior, Kusō.
At one moment, sand sprays out as the young man attacks; his black Tang blade flickers a chilling light under the sun. The blade darts forward with an uncanny speed, inches from the Fusang super soldier.
This speed surpasses human limits, unreachable even by the fastest sprinter at full force. Thus, even the Fusang super soldier couldn't react in time.
When the blade came close, the Fuso’s super soldier king's face turned green.
Recognized as the strongest soldier king in the East, over the years, no one has ever managed to approach him so carelessly and launch a surprise attack. Because in his eyes, every enemy was unable to hide from his sight. Yet, this young man not only did it, but also delivered his Tang Dao right to his face.
"Baga!" Although he was furious, he could only grit his teeth, doing his best to dodge toward the back. Because at this time, only moving backward could he hope to escape from the terrifying blade.
"Fuso's runts, I've put up with you for a long time. Today, I'll rid the world of the so-called 'strongest soldier king in the East'," said the young man with a cold look. His voice was low and his speed increased.
This could have been seen as a pinnacle showdown, the super mercenary king versus the super special forces king. The only pity was that there seemed to be a slight gap in strength between the two.
Kuso Chad desperately avoided moving backward, but no matter how fast he was, he couldn't shake off the Tang Dao that clung to him like a maggot in a bone.
In the end, he still could not faster than that terrible blade. The clothes in front of him were cut neatly, and blood sprayed out.
"No... that's impossible. I'm the strongest in this Eastern world. King, you…you." Kuso Chad stopped and looked down at the wound on his chest in disbelief.
He couldn't accept this reality. This time, the super kings from four countries teamed up to kill the so-called king of the mercenary world. He was full of confidence for this joint operation because in his view, even if he was alone, he could kill the king.
But now, when he fought with the king, he realized that in front of this man, he didn't even have a chance to fight back. Just that ordinary knife took his life.
He was not willing to accept it, because he was the strongest in the Eastern world, the recognized strongest soldier king in the East.
The king withdrew his Tang Dao and didn't even bother to look at Kuso Chad again. He turned around and walked towards the depths of the desert.
"Thud." A low sound passed into his ears, and the former Fuso super soldier king had fallen.
In the same desert, three figures running in the yellow sand suddenly stopped. The three super soldier kings from different countries all looked serious, and a moment of silence fell.
Although they were not fond of the Fuso super soldier king, they couldn’t deny his strength. But now, in a head-on fight, the Fuso soldier king recognized as the strongest in the East, died under the king's blade within a few seconds. The king’s terror made them shudder.
Through their headsets, the three super soldiers were now in communication with one another.
"How many has it been now?" The super soldier from America swallowed nervously, asking in a low voice.
"This is the twelfth super soldier that's fallen to him; he's stronger and more terrifying than we ever imagined. Maybe we were wrong for even joining this operation; perhaps we should leave now," stated Poruo, a super soldier from India, her voice a melancholic echo.
"And what are the chances you think we would avoid his pursuit if we fled?" The American super soldier, identified as Red Fox, chuckled bitterly, asking under his breath.
A brief silence hovered over their conversation.
"If we each fled in different directions, perhaps one of us might make it out alive," Poruo speculated, wearing a bitter smile after a moment's pause.
"Why don't we stick together? Each of us is the strongest soldier in our respective nations. Even if combined, I don't believe we could not defeat him," suggested the super soldier Jin Zhu from South Korea, who couldn't help but voice his thoughts.
Another silence ensued but was eventually broken.
"I have no objections," Red Fox assented after a pause.
"Alright, since you both decide, it seems like I'll have to go with you," Poruo sighed helplessly seeing Red Fox's agreement.
Amid the persistent sandstorm in the desert, even the burning sun was obscured by the swirling dust. By their advanced individual soldier systems, the three super soldiers gathered.
The three of them, individually, were the unbeatable and strongest soldiers of their respective nations. When they came together, the formation was a luxurious lineup. Anyone would cower in front of such a formation.
With the exception of one person, the young man they referred to as the "King", who did not shy away.
A black katana rested on his back as he walked tirelessly in the sandstorm. His pace was neither fast nor slow. His somewhat messy hair fluttered in the wind, concealing his sparkling eyes.
As the sun's rays fall, his tall shadow is elongated. Walking amidst this, the lonely shadow is constantly at his side.
"Your Majesty, you finally decided to show up," The Firefox spoke in a cold voice, holding a huge sniper rifle in his hand, slightly lowering the muzzle, looking at the lonely figure emerging from the yellow sand.
Beside Firefox, Patron and Poluo were on full alert. Even at this moment, the three super soldiers standing together did not feel safe facing this young man, something they did not anticipate before coming here.
"I could have killed you all before this moment, but I didn't lay a hand on you. Yet, you four ignorant fools still followed!" The young man slowly walked forward, his eyes hidden beneath his dark hair showing no emotion, as he coldly spoke to the three super soldiers standing opposite him.
Upon hearing these words from King, Firefox and the others were stunned. They could not comprehend why this notorious killer, having had the chance to execute them, would spare their lives. Could it be that he had suddenly turned to Buddhism, ready to lay down his weapon?
"So, even You, King, have moments of mercy? Heh, I'm afraid no one in this world would ever believe it," the Patron sneered.
"Why didn't you take action then?" Unlike Patron, Poluo was more rational. She looked at King and quietly asked.
"Plain and simple, because I wanted to go home." A brief smile graced the young man's face as he calmly responded.
Upon saying this, the murderous aura around him dissipated. He appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary man, his eyes gazing east.
At that moment, Firefox and Poluo slightly furrowed their brows, feeling a rush of regret.
If King's words were true - that he intended to lay down his weapon and return to his hometown in China, to live as a normal person, it would be the ultimate dream of many mercenaries.
"Why are we wasting time talking to him? Even if he lays down his weapon, the blood on his hands can't be washed away. A menace like him should go to hell," Patron drew his long sword, shouting loudly.
"In that case, let me oblige you." A terrifying murderous intent once again surged from King. A black Tang blade behind him automatically detached and fell into his palm before disappearing.
In the midst of the golden sandstorm, the glimmer of swords and guns flickered. The deep gunshots shattered the silence of the world. Eventually, along with the spattering of blood, peace was restored.
The solitary figure, traveling through the desert, headed eastward. From that point on, an era ended - the era of King, the mercenary leader.
