Chapter 194: Breaking the Cocoon to Become a Butterfly

These teleportation arrays are all of the covert type, and there is more than one.

Every time Zhou Chu passes through a Teleportation Array, he silently keeps a count in his heart.

Because the Soul Crystal Mine belongs to the nation's top-level secrets, everything must be handled with strict confidentiality, ensuring nothing is left to chance, down to the smallest detail.

The teleportation array leading to the Soul Crystal Mine is of the utmost importance, so after riding a total of thirty-six teleportation arrays, he finally arrived in a closed space.

This closed space is the size of a basketball court, and the surrounding walls, including the ceiling and floor, are made of metal. Directly in front is a pale blue projection screen mapped onto the tall metal wall.

Ten people wearing special combat uniforms are standing by in battle array; these people all wear a golden badge, clearly indicating they are Field Officer rank officers.

Needless to ask, these ten people are the First Squad participating in this mine clearing operation.

And in front of this squad is a man wearing a gray military uniform who looks to be about sixty years old.

With a head of sharp, gray-white short hair and a burly, upright posture, he keeps his hands slightly behind his back, scanning the ten-person squad in front of him with a stern expression.

His gray military uniform's rank insignia is particularly eye-catching, featuring a winding and coiling Shenxia Dragon, giving one a sense of solemnity and majesty.

"This is the highest-ranking chief of the Military Department, Wu Guangzhou." Long Aofei turns slightly and whispers an introduction to Zhou Chu and Li Er beside him.

Zhou Chu nods.

It must be said that this Military Department chief before him carries an aura of natural authority that commands respect, making a sense of reverence well up in Zhou Chu's heart.

To be in this position, he must possess extraordinary strength and outstanding leadership skills.

At this moment, this highest-ranking Military Department officer surveys the clearing squad composed of Field Officer rank officers, then slowly begins his pre-battle mobilization speech.

Wu Guangzhou's gaze is like a torch as he says in a steady and powerful voice: "This Soul Crystal Mine clearing operation is of great significance. The Soul Crystal Mine is not only an important strategic resource for our country, but also a place that must not be tainted by the Calamity Forces. You are all elites selected through layers of screening, shouldering a sacred mission."

His gaze sweeps across every team member as he continues: "According to the Military Department's assessment, the Calamity Forces' goal in the mine is to seize Soul Crystals, and they may even destroy the mine. We must never let them succeed."

"Your squad's mission is to quickly penetrate to the center of the mine, clear out the Calamity threats inside in the shortest possible time, and ensure the subsequent exploration and mining work can proceed."

"Does everyone have confidence?"

"Yes!" the team members respond in unison, their firm voices echoing throughout the closed space.

Wu Guangzhou nods slightly, then looks toward Long Aofei and asks: "Commander Long, how is your Second Echelon prepared?"

Long Aofei steps forward, salutes, and says: "Reporting to the Chief, the Second Echelon is prepared and ready to await your orders at any time!"

Zhou Chu and Li Er then salute Wu Guangzhou: "Greetings, Chief!"

Wu Guangzhou looks them over and says: "Although you are a reserve echelon, you also shoulder important responsibilities. Once the First Squad encounters difficulties, you must immediately step in to ensure the mission is completed successfully."

After saying this, Wu Guangzhou turns around and points, and a projection screen immediately appears on the wall on the other side, displaying a detailed map of the Soul Crystal Mine and the general deployment of the enemy.

He points to several key locations on the map and deploys: "Here, here, and here are areas where the Calamity intrusion is more severe. The First Squad must concentrate its strength to break through these places."

"Second Echelon, your mission is to provide support in case the First Squad encounters difficulties during the operation. If there are wounded, prioritize transferring them out."

After giving these instructions, Wu Guangzhou walks back to the First Squad and sternly exhorts: "Although the Military Department has made sufficiently precise assessments and judgments, the situation inside the mine is complex, and the winds and clouds change in an instant."

"Once you encounter a situation you cannot handle, retreat in time and ensure your own safety. Every one of you here is a precious combat force and must not be sacrificed lightly."

Immediately after, Wu Guangzhou raises his hand to check the time: "There are five minutes left until the operation begins. Everyone, check your equipment again to ensure nothing goes wrong."

The members of the First Squad begin to check their respective equipment seriously and quickly.

Zhou Chu, meanwhile, probes his consciousness into his own mind, feeling the consciousness of the God of Nature entwined with his own Soul Power within his body.

At this moment, he can clearly feel that the God of Nature is entering a temporary dormancy under the nourishment of that abundant Soul Power.

Zhou Chu can see the God of Nature's illusory body, which seems to be becoming increasingly real and clear.

Even behind the God of Nature, a pair of light-based wings is slowly growing under the nourishment of the Soul Power.

And the edges of the wings are currently flickering softly with five-colored light, trembling slightly as if inlaid with tiny, fragmented gems.

Seeing this, Zhou Chu is filled with surprise and joy.

He knows this is the manifestation of the God of Nature before its transformation, which, according to the other party's description, is the so-called Guardian Spirit Form.

In just a few short hours, driven by the abundant Soul Power energy in Zhou Chu's body, the transformation speed of the God of Nature is quite fast.

At the same time, the body of the God of Nature is wrapped in a layer of light-based cocoon, seemingly waiting for the final moment of breaking the cocoon to become a butterfly.

And the God of Nature inside the cocoon has become extremely transparent, outlined only by green light-based lines.

Her arms are tightly hugging her body, her legs curled up, like an infant sleeping in the mother's womb, quiet and serene.

Just as Zhou Chu is observing the transformation process of the God of Nature, the five minutes are up, and the First Squad enters the Soul Crystal Mine through the light screen on the wall.

Because the Soul Crystal Mine is an absolutely isolated space, all sound waves and light-sensing signals cannot be received by the outside world.

The communication equipment on their bodies can only be used for communication between team members and cannot exchange or transmit information with the outside world.

However, this does not mean that information can never be transmitted; each of them carries a special device made of Soul Crystal Stone, and these sensing devices, under the resonance of the Soul Crystal Stones in the mine, emit sensing signals that appear weak but are actually extremely powerful in transmission.

These sensing signals spread rapidly through the energy fluctuations in the Soul Crystal Mine and are then displayed on the virtual map on the light screen on the other side.

In fact, the First Squad's mission is not only to carry out the clearing task but also to shoulder the heavy responsibility of exploring the terrain inside the mine.

Every time they explore a stretch of road, they place these devices along the way.

At this moment, Zhou Chu temporarily withdraws his consciousness and turns to look at the virtual map on the light screen.

Nearly ten minutes have passed since the First Squad entered the mine, and the virtual map has begun to show a few winding lines from the previously blank sheet.

Moreover, these lines are extending forward at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the terrain inside the Soul Crystal Mine is slowly being outlined.