Chapter 225: Instance Descent into Reality!

Inside the Special Affairs Group Headquarters in Yanjing, a meeting room was filled with people.

Su Yuanshan stood on the stage, calmly announcing the results of the urgent investigation, while Chang Jinze, Ji Huai, and others were seated among the attendees below.

"D-rank Instance: The Alabaka Mountain Range still has 20 minutes left before the deadline for clearance; the instance remains in the 'Being Cleared' state."

"This instance refreshed at 9:30 a. m. three days ago, entered that state at 9:34, and at that time we had personnel assigned to continuously monitor and statistically track the instance's clearance status and quantity changes 24/7."

"According to the monitoring results, the Alabaka Mountain Range has remained in the cleared state for over 71 hours straight, with no refresh, even during the periods when the dream realm entrance was open."

"We have urgently investigated the disappearances of supernatural beings in the country over the past three days; based on current findings, the clearer is likely not a player from the Yanhuang State."

At the end of the investigation results, Su Yuanshan used an uncertain descriptor for the first time.

After all, it's impossible to be completely precise in such a short investigation of just one hour.

After Su Yuanshan finished speaking, the entire meeting room fell silent.

Moments later, an elder seated at the head cleared his throat lightly, and the whole hall became solemn.

This elder was not the strongest individual among the attendees, but he held an extremely high status; before the Supernatural Descent, he was a heroic commander who led southern and northern campaigns for the nation, and after the Supernatural Descent he was entrusted in a crisis and became the highest responsible person of the Special Affairs Group.

Head of the Special Affairs Group, Zhai Weiguo.

"Two matters." Even though he was already in his sixties, Zhai Weiguo's voice remained strong and resonant, needing no amplification equipment to carry steadily throughout the meeting hall.

"First, the descent of instances is not a disaster for just one family or one nation; we must always be prepared to respond after a descent, even if the descent occurs outside Yanhuang."

"All available satellite forces are already in place." The deputy head of the Supernatural Equipment Department seated lower spoke solemnly: "The First Generation Imperial Observatory Synchronous Satellite has entered its preset orbit, completed self‑debugging, and entered operational status."

Upon hearing this, the morale in the meeting room rose considerably.

The First Generation Imperial Observatory is an attempt by the Special Affairs Group's Supernatural Equipment Department to combine technology with the supernatural, applied to synchronous satellites.

It possesses monitoring capabilities far surpassing the precision of ordinary synchronous satellites.

Seeing people walking on the street via satellite is merely an exaggeration with other satellites, but under the astonishing supernatural monitoring capability of the First Generation Imperial Observatory, it is absolutely not false!

Before the instance descent, the First Generation Imperial Observatory had already completed its R&D work; as instances descended, three First Generation Imperial Observatory Synchronous Satellites, after being rushed to completion with overtime, were smoothly launched into space, preliminarily achieving full coverage of Blue Star.

With their existence, the Special Affairs Group is confident it can determine the instances' locations immediately after they descend.

"Personnel from Special Affairs Groups across the region have already been dispersed to different urban areas to ensure that, upon an instance descending within Yanhuang cities, they can respond immediately to maintain order and public safety." The deputy head of the Supernatural Coordination Department seated lower spoke solemnly.

"The special aircraft are ready; no matter where the instance appears, we will set out at once." The head of the Supernatural Combat Department spoke calmly.

The statements of the three senior officials eased Zhai Weiguo's expression somewhat.

"This is a disaster, but also an opportunity." He spoke slowly, setting the tone for this instance that has yet to be cleared: "The risk of instance descent increases sharply with the number of instances, becoming uncontrollable in the future; therefore we must make more comprehensive preparations."

"D-rank instances are already the weakest; if we can properly handle this instance descent, we will gain more experience for dealing with possible higher‑rank instance descents in the future, allowing us to respond more calmly."

"However, the premise of all this is that we must find out why this D‑rank instance has remained uncleared for so long." Zhai Weiguo's voice trailed off slightly, and then killing intent surged onto the aged face, as if carved from mountains of corpses and seas of blood: "If there is a traitor among humans, they shall be punished!"

As the words "shall be punished" echoed in the meeting room, everyone's expression turned cold and stern.

In a D‑rank secret realm, a formal‑rank player has the strength to clear it smoothly; even if they cannot, they would not be stuck inside for so long without exiting.

There must be a problem here.

At present, the greatest possibility is that someone is doing this intentionally.

Should a cataclysmic descent occur, if such a rotten apple truly exists, everyone would be able to punish them.

"Old team leader, according to statistical analysis of other instances, there is currently another instance showing a situation similar to that of the Alabaka Mountain Range." Su Yuanshan pondered briefly, then spoke.

In an instant, everyone's gaze turned toward him.

Zhai Weiguo's eyes narrowed: "How long? What rank?"

"This instance still has 25 hours and 13 minutes until the clearance deadline." Su Yuanshan spoke solemnly: "Just like the Alabaka Mountain Range, it entered the 'Being Cleared' state shortly after refreshing and has remained so to this day."

"The instance that appeared the next day?"

"It seems we only need to resolve this instance at hand today."

However, before everyone could breathe a sigh of relief, the latter half of Su Yuanshan's words fell like a heavy hammer.

"Its rank is B‑rank."

Zhai Weiguo fell silent instantly, and the others' expressions likewise shifted uncertainly.

Being able to remain inside the instance for dozens of hours without killing the boss and still clearing it means one's strength must at least surpass that of the instance boss.

In other words, one's own strength must tower above the instance itself.

A D‑rank instance is merely the weakest; achieving this is not entirely impossible.

But a B‑rank instance…

In the meeting room, everyone's gaze involuntarily swept over Ji Huai.

At this stage, after ruling out those who could possibly do it, for others to keep a B‑rank instance in the cleared state is hell‑level difficulty.

Just…

If the hypothesis of a human traitor is refuted, the most likely alternative hypothesis would entail consequences far more terrifying than the appearance of a human traitor.

"Wait!" Zhai Weiguo spoke solemnly, glancing at the time: "There are still ten minutes."

"In ten minutes, the truth will come to light!"

——

While the Special Affairs Group Headquarters was holding a tense meeting, on the flight route from Changxing City to Yanjing City, a passenger aircraft, following its planned ascent, completed its climb and entered the stratosphere up to ten thousand meters above the troposphere.

Qin Chuan opened the window shade beside him, seeing the unobstructed sunlight tint the clouds beneath the aircraft with a brilliant gold, and for a moment he lost himself in the sight.

This was his first time ever on an airplane.

He, who had deliberately purchased a first‑class ticket, now felt this novel experience doubly fresh.

The golden sunlight streamed through the sealed window, bathing the youth's handsome face in gold, likewise gilding his complexion and prompting the flight attendants in first class to glance frequently toward his direction.

But this peace and beauty did not last long.

The airplane, which had been flying smoothly, suddenly shuddered violently.

Immediately, exclamations burst from every spot in the cabin.

"That... what is that?!"

(End of chapter)