Chapter 251: Search, Strike, Withdraw — The Black Tide of the Blood Moon!

The alloy manganese steel gate weighing dozens of tons was raised, and the Jeep bearing the Huangquan Training Camp flag sped out.

The evening wind unfurled the flag face, revealing the soaring long snake emblem.

The sentry soldiers caught sight of the three young faces on the Jeep and raised their hands in a military salute.

For new recruits carrying out exploration missions, every single person in Baiyang Bi Lei Cheng ought to show respect.

"Driving in the wilderness sure feels great!"

Among the three, Gao Pao volunteered to be the driver; the moment they left Baiyang Bi Lei Cheng, he floored the accelerator and raced forward.

Yellowish dust billowed, the potholed road made the Jeep bounce up and down, as if it wanted to take flight.

Zhao Su in the passenger seat clutched the seatbelt for dear life, terrified of being thrown from the car seat.

Qin Shi in the rear seat was steady as a mountain, hands spread, body leaning back into the seat; the gale rushing through the car window blew the hair at his forehead.

He gazed at the boundless wilderness, like war-scorched earth, barren and desolate, with even weeds scarce.

One could occasionally see low hills and slopes, where corrupted biological groups appeared and disappeared.

"About three kilometers from the contaminated zone."

After having his fun, Gao Pao finally reduced the speed.

"We have to stop at an abandoned town up ahead; all electronic equipment, including the vehicle, must be left there."

Zhao Su nodded; the two of them had thoroughly studied the combat manual, remembering every possible line-crossing behavior that could cause danger.

The spatial structure of the contaminated zone is extremely unstable, and coupled with vassal creatures clustering together, the resulting energy turbulence breaks through the electronic blockade.

Even a small tool like a radio would be affected, suddenly activating and mutating.

"The journey here has been smooth enough."

Qin Shi held the Perfect Grade Electric Shock Military Saber in his left hand, raised the tactical telescope with his right, and faintly made out the outline of their destination.

"The combat manual states the wilderness is full of danger, especially for new recruits like us, who easily become 'prey' of the fallen."

Gao Pao pulled up his pants and circled back from behind a small slope.

"A bit nervous, drank too much water. Sorry, Brother Qin, for this exploration mission, we'll follow your command."

Zhao Su nodded; according to the combat manual's regulations, team actions require establishing a leader, otherwise it easily leads to mission failure.

"Mm."

Qin Shi did not decline, accepting the leader position.

"The tactical essence of an exploration mission is nothing more than 'search, strike, withdraw'.

Search the contaminated zone, find valuable items to bring back for testing, determine the Netherworld depth.

If we encounter vassal creatures, we can choose to engage, then withdraw.

Nothing difficult about it."

Qin Shi spread out the paper map, laid it on the hood, and drew several red circles with an oil-based pen.

"Transformer station, outpost base, administrative building... these are all priority targets.

If possible, I hope to search all three places thoroughly, which will help raise the mission rating."

Qin Shi looked at the two of them, as if seeking consent.

After all, the deeper into the contaminated zone, the higher the danger.

"I have no objections, all up to Brother Qin."

"Fine, since we finally got out once, just going through the motions to scrape some resources is indeed meaningless."

Gao Pao and Zhao Su nodded in succession, and expressed they would try their best not to hold the team back.

"Xiao Gao will be responsible for vigilance and sentry duty, Xiao Zhao will provide cover from the side, I'll handle the main assault."

Qin Shi simply assigned tasks, clarifying responsibilities.

Actually, based on the intelligence the combat manual provides, the elite monsters in the entire contaminated zone are just barely approaching professional grade.

If he were alone, he could completely achieve a twenty-four-hour speedrun.

But this is a battlefield; solo fighting ultimately cannot control the situation, he must get used to teammates, get used to the team.

Relying on himself alone, there's no way to bring out too many "contaminated items".

Qin Shi sorted his thoughts, then continued forward; his brows furrowed slightly, his consciousness sea seemed to fluctuate, his gaze abruptly shifted, looking toward the distant rolling black hills forming a continuous undulating curve.

"Captain. The Boss seems to have spotted me? No logic, I'm over a thousand meters away from him..."

The tall, ponytail-wearing woman pressed her earphone, somewhat unable to believe it.

"Told you to seriously read the Boss's 'resume'! Slacking off again on the sly!"

Amidst the crackling static interference, the captain's voice was rather muffled, only a gentle tone could be discerned:

"Our Boss cultivates both the martial path and the spiritual path; even if you spy through tactical lenses, he can easily detect it.

And the Boss's martial path follows the Old Martial Arts school line; they have the keenest grasp of Qi mechanisms.

You were careless."

The tall, ponytail-wearing woman pouted, but wasn't surprised by the Boss's monstrous talent.

In fact, the "clients" with the means to hire a support team like them are mostly direct descendants of the Nine Surnames Great Clans, or "good seedlings" from some academic clique or meritorious nobility.

In the tall woman's words, purely filthy rich households!

"Captain, garbage cleanup complete. The Boss and them headed toward the contaminated zone."

"Understood, next Ama and I will provide support services. You just stand by outside to receive them."

Conversation ended, the tall woman removed her earphone, cradled that long spear, and gazed at the blood-red setting sun completely sunk into the horizon.

Thick darkness will envelop the wilderness; in the coming period, vassal creatures usher in the "riot cycle", aggressiveness multiplying.

The tall woman sat quietly, like a swarm of electronic eyes dense and numerous, like dandelion seeds flying up.

These "water birds" manufactured via the mechanical path bear the 【Divine Machine】 emblem and prayer words on their surface, able to withstand the wilderness's erosion.

The tall woman's consciousness linked with countless water bird electronic eyes, her brain sea cutting out numerous scenes, different perspectives converging with each other to form a complete three-dimensional map.

"Right now it's a calm period, the Western Front Battlefield hasn't launched a full-scale advance, not enough to trigger any turmoil."

The tall woman braced the big gun against her shoulder, eight hundred meters around her belonged to her forbidden zone.

Any corrupted creature intruding would be harvested by a single bullet.

The "beyond visual range" domain characteristic, combined with the Firearms Proficiency ability.

Made the tall woman like a grim reaper, invincible in all directions.

……

……

Qin Shi stepped into the abandoned town, obviously this place was once a human settlement.

Later the pollution level gradually increased, everyone was evacuated to the fortress city.

Most of Hengzhou New Star's wilderness areas formed this way.

Human "reclamation" and the Star God's "pollution" are like a tug-of-war, constantly seesawing.

That's why every so often a vigorous Great Expansion movement needs to be launched.

Reclaim those lost lands that fell, rebuild them, until the next wave of pollution tide arrives.

"Someone stayed here."

Qin Shi walked into that wooden house bar, inside empty yet a wisp of faint bloody smell lingered, the floor still had black red stains remaining.

"Looks like a gunfight."

Zhao Su keenly discovered bullet holes in the wall, he reached out and touched them, reaching a conclusion:

"There's a sniper. This is an armor-piercing bullet, the warhead is alloy tungsten, can penetrate even an armored vehicle."

Gao Pao tensed up hearing this, scanning all around, guarding against dangerous targets that might leap out from the dark place.

"Whether enemy or friend, they've already left."

Qin Shi roughly guessed this was the Support Team's "masterpiece".

He smiled, Ying Huang really reliable, that unreliable Cow and Horse Squad actually had a sniper configured.

This kind of elite-level tactical unit, even in Baiyang Bi Lei Cheng not often seen.

"Rest twenty minutes, wait for the moon to come out, then enter the contaminated zone."

Qin Shi said softly.

According to the Combat Manual's safety norms, they should camp on the spot, then wait for dawn, when pollution radiation is weakest, vassal creatures' aggression also greatly reduced.

Only then is it good to carry out exploration!

But Qin Shi chose "Full Clear Map", must penetrate to the extreme range, rather than avoid the pollution's peak, better to directly meet the difficulty head-on.

"Eight hours of forced march, roughly can reach the Administrative Building."

Qin Shi pondered, spirit spreading, operating the Self-Cultivation Furnace.

Situated in the vast wilderness, energy factors like tide like waves, swarming in, pouring through relaxed pores into the mortal body's hundred bones.

Frankly speaking, this feeling of improving with every breath, made him somewhat intoxicated, like drinking fine wine, tipsy.

"One tube of Black Medicine not strong enough. If Instructor Lin can get hundred percent purity, I should be able to completely open the Fifth Great Limit."

Qin Shi inner vision himself, the Perfect Core like a stable rotating star, releasing light and heat.

The Four Great Limits, like shackles opened, letting the body faintly emit roars, like one muffled thunder after another rolling.

Those messy chaotic energy factors refined by the Self-Cultivation Furnace, then absorbed and fused by the Hundred Aspects Refining Force, finally converging into the Perfect Core.

This series of processes, like a complete production line, efficient and swift.

Even at the Professional Level stage where life force growth is hard as climbing heaven, Qin Shi relying on the Perfect Core's power still maintains a quite terrifying cultivation progress.

"One hundred thirty-nine points, roughly just entering Professional Level Third Stage, but considering my life force purity, should be able to approach Professional Level Fifth Stage combat power."

Qin Shi made an assessment.

Of course, he didn't include the tenfold amplification bonus in the calculation.

Because he improves every day, even he himself doesn't know just how terrifying the Full Body Three Stages really is.

"Should set off."

Qin Shi gripped the Perfect Grade Electric Shock Military Saber, this weapon that never leaves his body passed Huangquan Training Camp's approval, can be freely used.

This is also one of the reasons Qin Shi chose Huangquan Training Camp.

The rules there are relatively loose, as long as your performance is excellent enough, win instructor recognition, you'll obtain many privileges not matching a recruit's treatment.

"Brother Qin. Today is Black Moon Night!"

Gao Pao pointed at the dark sky covering the four fields like a veil.

Dim stars dotted about, surrounding an incomparably eerie black moon.

"Black Moon……"

Qin Shi raised an eyebrow.

"Luck really too good, actually ran into Black Moon Night."

The contaminated zone long wrapped and permeated by Netherworld Rifts, dense energy turbulence constantly accumulating, then condensing into "Black Moon".

This black moon is not a physical entity, but energy values high to a certain degree, affecting the material world to project an "Xiang Zheng".

It's equivalent to a large buff, able to enhance vassal creatures' all-around attributes.

"Continue set off. The Black Moon's energy tide hasn't reached peak value yet."

Qin Shi pondered a moment, still chose to execute the exploration mission.

"You don't have to follow closely behind me, if danger level too high, just withdraw first."

Gao Pao, Zhao Su faces grave, understood the severity.

On Black Moon Nights appearing in the Contaminated Zone, large numbers of Vassal Creatures often gather to form a "Terrifying Beast Tide".

……

……

"Captain, the Boss seems a bit reckless.

Insisting on acting even on a Black Moon Night, he treats his own life too lightly."

A slender figure in a tight combat suit pressed her Earphone, receiving messages from squad members.

They had not fully entered the Contaminated Zone, only lingering at the "Doorway", so they could still use Communication Devices.

"We're Workers, Cow and Horse laborers, understand?

The Boss's decision isn't for us to question."

That slender figure had ear-length Short Hair, curves extremely even, like a Female Leopard with extremely powerful Explosive Power, exuding a Healthy Beauty aura.

"Then... Captain, do we follow in too? This is a Black Moon Night! Vassal Creatures will hold a Ritual, construct a 'Nest', and give birth to Chief Level ones.

Meaning, if the Boss and them have bad Luck, there's a high Probability they'll run into several newly born Chief Levels."

The squad member in the Earphone asked hesitantly.

"Our Cow and Horse Squad is renowned far and wide, we can't smash the Signboard."

Double Blades were strapped to the Short-Haired woman's back, like Ancient Era Yingzhou Warriors.

"Apply a Skill on me, Pledge your Mental Link with me. Once we step into the Contaminated Zone we can't communicate, we need to stay within about Two Hundred Meters of 'Communication Range'."

"Okay."

The petite Watermelon Head bounced along, quietly appearing behind the Short-Haired woman.

She should be a Spiritual Path, Mental Power condensing Spiritual Symbols.

One after another, Profound Ancient Spiritual Symbols carrying Symbolic Meaning intertwined into a Stable Pattern.

Firmly "Spiritual Field Imprint" on the Short-Haired woman's Neck, like an exquisite lock-shaped tattoo.

Simultaneously, a grain-of-rice-sized Key Pattern emerged on the petite Watermelon Head's right Ring Finger.

"Settle! Captain!"

Watermelon Head's voice Sweet Voice, combined with her Fine Branches and Fruits astonishing proportions, made Male Creatures unconsciously slap on a certain Stereotype, identifying her as "Baby-faced Moe Girl Type".

"Hope the Boss doesn't make us pay too heavy a price."

The Short-Haired woman Plucked Off the Earphone, strode forward, as if passing through a Thin Membrane, setting foot in the Contaminated Zone.

As expected, Energy Waves mixed with Twisted Chaos eroded in instantly.

The Short-Haired woman deployed a Professional Level field, resisting the "Contamination" from the Netherworld.

She, who kept close watch on Qin Shi, felt Confusion rise in her heart.

"The Boss seems... completely unaffected? As a Spiritual Path, shouldn't he be even more able to perceive the Twisted Breath of the Contaminated Zone?"

……

……

"What are you jabbering about? Instant Refinement for me!"

As Qin Shi went deeper, he indeed discovered Something Wrong.

For instance, Strange Scenes occasionally Flashed before his eyes, various bizarre Creatures flashing past, like Afterimages lingering on the Retina.

Or he'd hear rustling whispers, like a woman's soliloquy, or like a Baby Learning to Speak, giving him a Chill down his back, Hair-raising.

Even, he would feel that in the pitch-black dark profound space, pairs of Invisible eyes harboring immense Malice stared tightly at him.

But Qin Shi was Fearless, Silently Activating the Xu Kong Meditation Method, the Ancient Mirror Reflects, letting one pale Body Shape after another manifest.

Then Super Xiao He in the Inner Landscape swung his Pickaxe, like Whack-a-mole, one per strike.

Roughly "Eliminate" seven or eight, and obtain a speck of fine essence like an Ink Crystal.

"One Hundred needed to Forge one Xu Kong Coin."

Qin Shi Shook Head, then Drew the Perfect Grade Electric Shock Military Saber, instructing Gao Pao and Zhao Su to Stay Put.

Then Sneak Into the Bian Dian Zhan!

The Stele Panel, Silent for a Long Time, suddenly Flashed Twice.

Seemed a New Achievement Activated.

【Heavenly Man Bestowed】

【Transform...】

【Initial Achievement - Insight】

(Chapter End)