Chapter 187: Mission

"Yifan, on the task board of the Blood Drop software, someone has posted a mission to recruit five experts as bodyguards to protect the employer as they head to the southwest border of China to explore an ancient tomb."

"I've checked the data; that place is a bit sinister. Folklore says that people have seen zombies in that area; they are impervious to blades and bullets, possess immense strength, and can tear tigers and leopards apart with their bare hands."

"I don't know if these legends are true or false, but even if they are, it doesn't matter. No matter how powerful a zombie is, a single rocket will blow them into pieces."

"If one isn't enough, then two or three. Anyway, with the power of modern thermal weapons, we have ways to deal with them no matter how formidable the zombies are."

"The reward for this mission is very generous. As long as you pass their assessment, each person gets 500,000 Chinese Yuan upfront, and after the mission is completed, another 2 million each. This is a huge sum of money. We spent a year or two fighting through a hail of bullets on the Middle East battlefield and only earned about that much."

"Yifan, I'm tempted. I happen to be going back to my hometown, so I can do this mission on the way. Didn't you say last time that you bought a villa and didn't have much money left?"

"Women nowadays all want cars and houses for marriage, plus sky-high bride prices. If you don't have money, you can't get married at all. How about it? Are you interested? Let's go take this mission together as brothers," Jiang Hailong said.

On the Game Panel, time ticked away. With only a little over two days left before Meng Yifan had to return to the Great Martial Heavenly Dynasty World, he originally didn't want to take on any more missions.

But after hearing Jiang Hailong say that this mission involved exploring an ancient tomb and seemed to be related to zombies, Meng Yifan became interested all of a sudden.

"Exploring an ancient tomb—the employer wouldn't be a grave robber, would they?" Meng Yifan asked.

"Who cares what they do? We are mercenaries. As long as the employer pays, we sell our lives for them. That is the principle of us mercenaries. Besides, with the Death Organization guaranteeing it, we don't have to worry about the employer welching on the debt. Yifan, this is a chance to make money; let's do it together."

Jiang Hailong said dismissively. Being in the mercenary business meant having one's head tied to one's belt; as long as the price was right, they would do anything.

"Hailong, let me look at the mission details first before deciding whether to take it." Meng Yifan opened the task board of the Blood Drop software and quickly found the mission Jiang Hailong had mentioned.

In the mission introduction, there was a picture of an ancient tomb gate. After Meng Yifan saw the winding, crisscrossing patterns on the blue stone gate, his expression changed drastically, and he said in surprise: "This is a Gathering Yin Array, somewhat similar to the runes on my Array Disk. This ancient tomb is not simple; it is very likely related to an Immortal Cultivator. Could this be the burial place of an Immortal Cultivator?"

In official historical records like the Twenty-Four Histories, there are many accounts of the deeds of Immortal Cultivators. If one adds folklore, unofficial histories, and miscellaneous notes, the records regarding Immortal Cultivators are even more countless.

These records all indicate that Immortal Cultivators truly were active on Earth in the past, and they even severely influenced the five-thousand-year historical progression of China.

"The Blue Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise; the year is Jiazi, and the world shall be prosperous." Behind the mighty Yellow Turban Rebellion was the shadow of the Nanhua Old Immortal.

Zhu Yuanzhang came from the Ming Cult and initially relied on the power of the Ming Cult to rebel. By his side was the brilliant Liu Bowen, whose remaining "Song of the Baked Cake" could even predict events a thousand years later. Meng Yifan guessed that Liu Bowen was very likely an Immortal Cultivator himself; otherwise, it would be impossible for him to be so miraculous.

From this, it can be seen that Zhu Yuanzhang's ability to overthrow the Yuan Dynasty, establish the Ming Dynasty, and become an emperor for the ages as a beggar was also aided by Immortal Cultivators.

Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, the world has undergone great changes, and Earth entered the End of Dharma Era. The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi became thin, and Immortal Cultivators disappeared without a trace. Those "half-immortals" who appeared among the people claiming to be able to divine, read feng shui, and predict fortune were basically charlatans and not worth mentioning.

"This tomb gate is carved with a Gathering Yin Array. The tomb might really be the burial place of an Immortal Cultivator. If so, could there be Immortal Cultivation Techniques, Spirit Stones, or Dharma Treasures among the burial objects?"

Meng Yifan's eyes lit up. He had a Nine-Element Spiritual Root and could practice any Nine-Element Immortal Cultivation Technique, but he suffered from not knowing where to find a real one.

In the Great Martial Heavenly Dynasty World, Immortal Cultivators were high and mighty with great power. Meng Yifan had used all his trump cards to barely kill the Wanxiang Tower Master, Zuo Moyan, and obtain the Nine Yin Corpse Refining Art, becoming a true Immortal Cultivator.

However, because he killed Zuo Moyan, he also provoked his teacher. According to Zuo Moyan, his teacher was a Fourth-grade Immortal Cultivator with vast supernatural abilities and boundless magic power, who could crush Meng Yifan like a bedbug.

Meng Yifan didn't say it out loud, but he was very wary in his heart. He didn't regret killing Zuo Moyan; the deed was done, and regret was useless. What he needed to do now was to quickly improve his strength to deal with the crisis that could arrive at any time.

Thinking of this, Meng Yifan had already decided to participate in the mission. He carefully observed the picture of the tomb gate and felt that the array on it should not have much effect left after the passage of time.

The thin Spiritual Qi on Earth also meant that even if there were some methods set up by Immortal Cultivators inside the tomb, their power should be far less than before. Meng Yifan felt he should be able to handle it.

"Hailong, I'll take this mission," Meng Yifan said.

"Great! I'm setting off to return to the country now. You should also head to Huacheng. We'll meet in Huacheng after two o'clock this afternoon, and then we'll go for the interview together."

"The commission for this mission is very generous. There are many mercenaries who want to take it, and the employer is very picky. They only want five people, and if you aren't a true expert, they won't take you."

After Jiang Hailong finished speaking, he closed the Blood Drop software and hurried back to the country.

Meng Yifan checked the time, booked a high-speed train ticket on his phone, then got up and changed into looser sportswear.

Domestic gun control is strict; one certainly couldn't carry an AK47 on a high-speed train. However, these were not issues. Once he arrived in Huacheng, Meng Yifan had special channels to obtain handy weapons.

Meng Yifan now carried a small space with him, in which he could put two Desert Eagles, two hand grenades, and some spare magazines. In critical moments, these weapons could barely handle a crisis, and perhaps he could even catch the enemy by surprise.

"It's a pity I didn't bring the Ghost Head Blade." Meng Yifan felt some regret. The space in his Ring was very small, only ten centimeters in length, width, and height; the Ghost Head Blade couldn't fit at all, so Meng Yifan usually hung it at his waist.

This time, crossing back to Earth was the same as the last time—a Divine Soul crossing. However, for some reason, the Game Panel had also brought back that small space inside Meng Yifan's Ring.

If he had known this would happen, Meng Yifan would have definitely stuffed the Binding Demon Rope into the Ring in advance so that he could have a handy Dharma Artifact on Earth.

The high-speed train was fast. In just over an hour, Meng Yifan appeared in Huacheng. He took a taxi to a Huacheng hotel, checked into a room, sent the room number to Jiang Hailong, and then waited for Jiang Hailong to arrive so they could go to the interview together.