"Understood." The convoy quickly split into two. One group charged ahead to intercept the approaching troops, while the other sped around to flank.

A loud "Boom!" resonated as a bomb detonated in front of one group, creating a massive crater. Forced to a stop, the group quickly engaged in a fierce firefight.

Zhou You looked back and observed that the enemy's vehicles were heavily fortified, impervious to regular artillery. Furthermore, their robots were fully equipped, each equivalent to a soldier, with the ability to transform their wheels into legs for rapid movement.

"I never expected them to overcome so many obstacles to get here with such advanced weaponry. If it weren't for our critical mission today, I'd genuinely wish to face them head-on."

"Can Yao Chen and his men even win?" Zhou You noticed their side was heavily outgunned, and Yao Chen's group had shifted from guns to melee weapons.

The moment they took up their weapons, their demeanor transformed. They no longer looked like trained soldiers but martial arts masters, stunning those watching from inside the vehicles.

"Is this their martial art? Each of them uses different weapons and techniques. It's truly incredible."

"It's laughable. Do they really believe that melee weapons can counter firearms? If bullets won't work, we can always switch to laser guns and cannons. I refuse to believe their steel weapons can withstand lasers."

As the conversation ensued, Si Tu Han's broadsword sliced a robot in half at the waist. The very mechanical body that bullets couldn't pierce was severed, with wires sparking from within.

Meanwhile, Yao Chen's weapon smashed into the front of a car, demolishing it completely. The occupants of the car quickly disembarked, brandishing their guns in retaliation.

Zhou You watched until they were out of sight and then turned to Shao Qi, "I wonder if those locusts that crawled away yesterday were retrieved by them. If so, we better ensure these people don't escape."

Sharing the same sentiment, Shao Qi winked, "After we're done here, let's test their mettle together."

Zhou You voiced his concern, "We only know about this group's capabilities, and they already seem formidable. There's another foreign group, a mix of muscular black and white men. Who knows what secret weapons they possess."

"No matter what they have, we'll make sure it's a one-way trip for them."

Ten kilometers further, a mysterious stone wall blocked their path, clearly man-made.

As they halted, the ground on both sides cracked open, revealing gun barrels. Like activating a switch, a barrage of bullets showered them.

Their armored vehicles were sturdy, but the tires weren't bulletproof. Some of the group fired back, aiming directly at the gun barrels, misaligning or destroying them. A few agile warriors charged, dodging bullets and swiftly disabling the barrels.

As the barrels retreated, a new danger emerged. Both Zhou You and Shao Qi simultaneously warned, "Watch out! Fall back!"

The very ground that housed the gun barrels now split open, revealing several mechanical beasts. These were like nothing they'd ever seen.

Modeled after mutant creatures and encased in alloy, their jaws released cannonballs. Drivers swerved their vehicles to dodge, while the rest tried to avoid the incoming fire. The beasts' alloy exterior seemed impervious, suggesting that even their weapons might be ineffective.

"Blast the stone wall!"

The lead armored vehicle unveiled its weapon ports. Two beams of laser struck the stone wall, instantly carving out two circular holes. Warriors rushed forward, hammering the wall down, allowing vehicles to pass smoothly.

Yet, several mechanical beasts pursued relentlessly. In addition to firing shells from their mouths, their claws were equipped with cutters. One armored vehicle was swiped by a claw, instantly having its door sliced open.

"We haven't seen a single enemy so far. It seems they aim to stall us with these lifeless machines while they seize the satellite."

"We can't delay here any longer." Shao Qi leaped out of the car window, wielding a long blade in each hand. He charged at a mechanical beast, leapt high, and slashed down across its neck. With his keen eye, he noticed the area where the alloy joined, clearly weaker in strength.

Shao Qi's blade penetrated halfway, disrupting some of the creature's circuits. The beast knelt, its mouth still firing shells.

Seeing this, Shao Qi forcefully withdrew his blade, directing the creature's fire towards another mechanical beast. Although it wasn't destroyed, some of its components were damaged by the heat, slowing its movements.

Observing Shao Qi's effectiveness, others joined in the fray. Zhou You directed the rest to advance, hypothesizing that these ambushes couldn't have been set up the day before, as the path is regularly patrolled.

Their adversaries likely set the ambush shortly before they departed and couldn't have gone far.

"I see them!" Xuan Zi shouted, pointing ahead. Everyone spotted the tail of a vehicle disappearing over a hill's crest.

"Pursue!"

The convoy accelerated to its limit, but uphill speed has its constraints. By the time they crested the hill, the enemy wasn't far. They raced downhill, not even braking, indicating their high speed.

But as they reached the bottom, barriers suddenly rose on either side, pulling up a large net. Colliding with the net would either break it or overturn the vehicles, causing a pile-up.