Under One Person: The Puppet Immortal in the Tang Sect

In Di Youxian's view, the Japanese army's large-scale offensive was more like a reckless act without any real strategy.

Aside from exposing the sinister intentions of these Japanese devils and causing some external damage, it did not have any impact on the village of Dimai or the Miao region.

Instead, they were Yanwu Hall disciples hired by Dimai Village and Qinghe Town to assist in building the first line of defense.

They suffered the most direct impact in this surprise attack and sustained the heaviest casualties.

However, Wei Shufen also mentioned that the disciples of Yanwu Hall are known for their fierce martial arts style and excellent teamwork.

Moreover, the retreat was orderly, and few people actually died in battle; most were seriously wounded.

However, during lulls in the fighting, these wounded soldiers were quietly moved to safety by the Earth Wanderer using his Earth Travel Technique.

He was treated by the Shenji Alliance guards and the villagers of Dimai Village.

The overall losses are still within a controllable range, and most of the injuries have stabilized, but Yanwutang is temporarily out of combat capability.

Having understood all this, Cui Ming was no longer worried about Qinghe Town.

After exchanging a few words with Wei Shufen and agreeing on how to contact her, he turned and left, stealthily heading towards the direction of the Earth Vein Village once more.

After confirming that Earth Vein Village and Qinghe Town were safe, this time, Cui Ming no longer relied on the Earth Vein Stone to travel underground.

Instead, it summoned a large number of puppets, which, like locusts swarming across the area, thoroughly searched the surrounding region.

Based on Cui Ming's understanding of the Japanese soldiers' techniques and aura, all Japanese spies were killed without mercy, and all suspicious persons were arrested and controlled.

Cui Ming deliberately slowed down his pace, gradually approaching the Earth Vein Village.

Along the way, Cui Ming secretly released even more disguised Shadow Spiders and disguised puppets.

Let them blend into the mountain forest environment, replenish the puppets lost in this battle, and form a new layer of early warning and reconnaissance network.

These puppets will primarily focus on intelligence gathering and will not proactively attack large groups of people.

However, when necessary, it can also serve as a force to delay and harass the enemy, or to provide guidance and rescue to other members.

Cui Ming's actions in rescuing the Miao Jiang Gu Master and his previous rescue of other Eastern Kingdom spies were not recorded in his name.

However, based on the survivors' recollections, it's easy to guess that the Shenji Alliance was responsible for the rescue.

The reputation of the Divine Machine Alliance naturally rose quietly among the extraordinary people of Xiangnan.

Furthermore, the Divine Machine Alliance and the Tang Sect intentionally guided the matter after they learned of it.

As a result, news of the attack on the Earth Vein Village, the collusion between the Quanxing sect and the Japanese, and the resistance of various supernatural beings was spreading to the surrounding areas at an even faster pace.

More and more sects and independent cultivators began to pay attention to the situation in Xiangnan, sending their disciples to investigate or offer assistance.

After receiving confirmation from Cui Ming and an assessment of the situation in southern Hunan, Tang Bingwen, Meng Ye, and other high-ranking officials at the Shenji Alliance headquarters quickly discussed and made a decision.

A day later, a message was sent to the entire world of supernatural beings through the channels of the Divine Machine Alliance and the Tang Sect.

Given that the Quanxing gang colluded with the Japanese and brazenly attacked the Dimai Village and the mountain people of southern Hunan.

The Divine Machine Alliance will extend its invitation to all Eastern Heroes who voluntarily travel to the Xiangnan region to participate in intercepting and blocking the Japanese Heroic Forces and the Quanxing Demons.

We will provide a set of "basic exoskeleton armor" and supporting basic equipment free of charge.

This armor can enhance the wearer's strength, speed, and protection to a certain extent, and has built-in simple communication and observation runes, making it suitable for combat in complex mountain and forest environments.

This news stirred up even greater waves in the community of people in southern Hunan and the surrounding areas, who were already filled with righteous indignation over the atrocities committed by the Japanese invaders.

Many small and medium-sized sects and independent cultivators hesitated to act because of insufficient strength, lack of suitable equipment, or fear of heavy casualties.

Upon hearing that the Divine Machine Alliance was providing exoskeleton armor, his mind immediately began to stir.

"These Japanese devils are going too far! Do they really think there's no one left in southern Hunan?"

"The Divine Machine Alliance is truly righteous! With this, we'll have more confidence when dealing with those armed Japanese soldiers!"

"Hey! Whether it's external bone structure or not doesn't matter, it's to make things difficult for the Japanese! We can't let the scum of Quanxing collude with the Japanese and wreak havoc on our territory!"

Local people in southern Hunan and nearby Hengshan and Cangyan, some small sword sects and boxing schools, and even some wandering sorcerers and descendants of escort agencies responded one after another.

They gathered in groups of three or five, or led by their teachers, heading towards the Xiangnan Dimai Village and Qinghe Town.

The Divine Machine Alliance set up equipment distribution points in several towns on the border of southern Hunan. Tang Sect disciples and alliance technicians were responsible for registering, distributing, and providing brief operation training.

Soon, the first group of superhumans equipped with basic exoskeletons began engaging in firefights with small groups of Japanese soldiers who were still searching in the mountains, trying to re-establish supply lines.

The effect is immediate.

The extra strength provided by the exoskeleton allows the superhumans to move more quickly in the mountains and forests;

The sudden increase in protection also significantly improved the survival rate when facing rifle fire from ordinary Japanese soldiers.

The built-in observation device helps them spot enemies more quickly in complex environments.

Their unique skills, combined with the amplification provided by their exoskeletons, often allow them to launch surprise attacks that catch the Japanese off guard.

At a mountain pass, four Hengshan Sect disciples wearing gray-brown exoskeletons were empowered by the terrain and the armor.

He used precise throwing stones to destroy a Japanese machine gun emplacement from a distance, then quickly advanced and used his enhanced hand-to-hand combat skills, enhanced by his exoskeleton armor, to finish off the remaining Japanese soldiers in close combat.

In another dense forest, several wandering sorcerers manipulated simple fire talismans and divination techniques.

With the aid of the exoskeleton, they moved nimbly, luring a Japanese patrol of more than ten men into a pre-set trap area, and then worked together to wipe them out.

Even when encountering a squad of Japanese superhumans, these Eastern superhumans equipped with exoskeletons are no longer at an absolute disadvantage as before.

There is already a possibility of confrontation, and even creating an opportunity to severely damage the enemy.

Chapter 177 Unequal Battle

The Japanese troops attempting to transport supplies to the front lines began to be frequently attacked, and their losses gradually increased.

Originally, they thought that taking over the area around the Earth Vein Village would solidify their control, but instead, the area became fraught with danger due to the increased activity of the Eastern Kingdom's supernatural beings.

The troops dispatched for sweeping operations often found themselves caught in harassment and ambushes that appeared and disappeared unpredictably, leaving them exhausted and constantly on the run.

At this crucial moment, the Japanese were not yet able to easily send a large number of personnel to provide support.

The Japanese army's main force was completely tied down, while the entire supernatural community in the Eastern Kingdom had united thanks to the propaganda of the Divine Machine Alliance.

It is now virtually impossible for the Japanese to conquer southern Hunan.

Meanwhile, Cui Ming had already successfully entered the village through the hidden ley line.

He met several elders of the Earthly Immortals and Tang Jian, the Tang Clan leader who remained behind, and Tie Rujin, the leader of the Heavenly Craft Hall.

The atmosphere in the village was solemn but not chaotic; the defense system was intact and the wounded were properly cared for.

Even the core mineral extraction work continues in the mountains behind the Earth Vein Village.

The elders explained that the collapse of the entrance caused by the "earth vein bombardment" actually fueled their enthusiasm for digging and reinforcing other backup passages.

The routes that are now safe to travel are more diverse and more concealed than before.

After listening to the elder's report, Cui Ming's last bit of concern disappeared.

The village of ley lines remained unharmed and functioned normally; in fact, it benefited from the misfortune by expanding its hidden passages.

He turned to Tang Jian and Tie Rujin, who were standing to the side. Although they looked tired, their eyes were calm.

"This time, the Japanese seem determined to take this place."

Tang Jian said in a deep voice, "I am a direct descendant of the Tang Clan and am skilled in manipulating Qi and poison. My Qingbaiying technique has killed many Japanese soldiers in this battle."

"After the vanguard was wiped out, instead of retreating, they sent several more groups of people over. Although the groups were small, the frequency was too high."

"What exactly are they plotting? This place may have special mineral resources, but is it worth filling it in with such reckless abandon, regardless of casualties?"

Tie Rujin nodded in agreement; this master craftsman from Tiangongtang was more focused on practical matters.

"We examined some of the Japanese soldiers' corpses and equipment, but found no special equipment specifically designed for trekking or underground environments."

"They were too hasty, it was like a spur-of-the-moment decision, not a well-thought-out plan."

Cui Ming was silent for a moment before speaking.

"Their goals may extend beyond just minerals."

During this period, Cui Ming managed to pry open the heads of several Japanese spies, so he also knew a lot of information that ordinary people did not know.

"The Japanese's covetousness of the ley lines in the East was not a sudden impulse."

Since the early 1930s, they have been systematically exploring the flow of earth energy and the nodes of spiritual veins in various parts of the Eastern Kingdom.

Earthly Immortals have lived alongside the earth's veins for generations, possessing the ability to manipulate the earth's energy. In their view, this ability, when properly manipulated, becomes a suitable weapon.

Cui Ming paused, his voice growing even colder.

"They probably wanted to find a large-scale point of earth energy concentration, and then... detonate it, artificially causing the earth to turn upside down."

If used in a critical area, the damage would be unimaginable.

Upon hearing this, Elder Di Youxian's expression changed drastically, and anger flashed in his eyes.

"These beasts! How dare they plot such a heinous crime!"

Tang Jian and Tie Rujin also gasped in surprise.

They finally understood why the Japanese were so obsessed with Dimai Village.

This place not only has unique mineral resources, but also the potential to realize their crazy plan.

"As for their current piecemeal tactics, on the one hand, their main military force is indeed tied up on the main battlefield, making it difficult to spare a large number of troops."

"On the other hand, I have already removed too many of the Japanese devils' 'ears' from our Eastern folk community."

He explained that through previous infiltration and replacement of the Japanese spy system in Harbin and other places, a large number of key intelligence positions had been occupied by puppets under his control.

The intelligence obtained by the Japanese high command was severely delayed, and they lacked an accurate assessment of the true defensive strength of Xiangnan Dimai Village, the reaction speed of various sects, and the extent of the Shenji Alliance's involvement.

They may still be stuck in the mindset of months ago, making decisions based solely on outdated information.

This led to their repeated misjudgments, believing that they could break through the situation by investing a small number of troops.

"Now we must take advantage of these information gaps to maximize our gains."

Cui Ming was referring to the fact that, under his guidance, the Divine Machine Alliance was distributing basic exoskeleton armor on a large scale for free.

The first batch of martial arts practitioners from various sects equipped with these armors have already engaged in several skirmishes with the Japanese on the outskirts, with considerable success.

More importantly, these armors are equipped with simple communication and observation runes.