Chapter 268: Controversy

When the voices of those mentors fell, Jiang Jiang Qinge, Li Luo, and the others fell silent as well. They stared at the piled strategic resources, and for a moment their expressions grew extremely complicated.

A transport that had only just been completed an hour ago...

In other words, the next time the transmission tower opens, we'll have to wait another seven days?

What could happen in those seven days?

If that great Calamity other really does come attacking, how are we supposed to resist it?

At this moment, a lump of frustration gathered in everyone's chest, and they nearly cursed out loud—this one hour is just too much to bear?!

"If only we'd traveled a little faster." Senior Qiu Bai said with some vexation.

Tian Tian said irritably, "What's the point of saying useless things like that? We haven't stopped moving for even a moment—who could've known it would happen to fall in this exact hour?"

"Fate really does toy with people." Student Xin Fu sighed.

Jiang Jiang Qinge recovered quickly, however. Her delicate brows knit tightly as she said, "Regardless, let's send the intelligence back to the academy first. Hopefully once they receive the news, they can come up with some plan."

The other mentors nodded repeatedly.

Then one of the mentors took out a leaf, green as jade, and handed it to Jiang Jiang Qinge. She took it, her slender hands pressing it between her palms.

She closed her eyes and focused her spirit. Light radiated from her palms as light-phase power flowed into the leaf, and at the same time she fed some information into it.

After finishing, she walked to the ancient tree root in the center of Shi Ta and pressed the leaf against the root.

Then everyone watched as the leaf gradually merged into the root and vanished.

This sent the message back, but the academy would still need some time to receive it.

"Let's hope that other keeps devouring other Others for the next seven days, instead of heading toward the stronghold." Senior Qiu Bai said.

"Don't pin your hopes on the enemy."

Li Luo shook his head, then said, "Mentors, could you issue a warning and recall all the teams out on missions?"

The mentors hesitated for a moment, then said, "For one, the stronghold's warning has a limited range. It can only reach teams that aren't too far away."

"And another thing is..."

"This intelligence about the great Calamity is known only to you. The other students may not fully believe it. Under circumstances where the intelligence isn't completely confirmed, if we recall the teams out on missions and then can't give them a convincing enough reason, then I'm afraid..."

He didn't finish, but both Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge understood what he meant. After all, the other teams hadn't encountered that great Calamity other. If they were all recalled and then the great Calamity other never showed up, the other teams would inevitably grow resentful, thinking Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge were playing them, deliberately wasting the time they could've spent earning points.

That was a perfectly normal reaction. After all, every team had done a great deal of preparation before heading out, and being suddenly recalled would inevitably disrupt their plans.

Jiang Jiang Qinge was silent for a few breaths, then said decisively, "No matter what they think, what needs to be done must be done. Release the warning. Whatever consequences come, I will bear them alone."

Whether others believed her or not, Jiang Jiang Qinge honestly didn't care. But considering the worst-case scenario, the more people who remained outside, once the great Calamity other came attacking, those people would be eroded by the great Calamity and become its puppets. In that case, the enemy would grow stronger while they grew weaker, which would be even more disadvantageous to them.

Seeing this, the mentors said no more. They began operating inside the tower, and after a while, Shi Ta suddenly emitted a faint trembling sound. Waves of energy light radiated from the tower's peak, spreading to extremely distant places.

And as those energy waves spread, Li Luo and the others felt the "Green Wood Tokens" they wore begin to grow faintly warm.

Any student within the range of those energy waves would receive this warning.

Generally speaking, at this point they would rush back to the stronghold to find out what had happened.

In any case, the more teams recalled at a time like this, the more strength they'd have to face the great Calamity when it came.

Jiang Jiang Qinge, Li Luo, and their group walked out of Shi Ta and found that the teams still inside the stronghold were streaming toward them with puzzled looks, clearly having received the warning.

Beside Yi Yi Lisha, Si Si Qiuying, Qian Ye, and others were among them. But unlike the others' puzzlement, they actually knew what had happened. Yet their expressions held some surprise—clearly they hadn't expected Jiang Jiang Qinge and Li Luo to have the mentors inside Shi Ta issue a recall warning.

This way, the matter had really blown up.

Teams came forward one after another, finding Shi Ta's mentors to ask what had actually happened. Shi Ta's mentors didn't answer, only saying they'd brief everyone once all were assembled, and asking them not to leave the stronghold for now.

So those teams could only wait, full of questions.

And this wait stretched on for most of the day.

Outside Shi Ta, the number of teams visibly grew. More and more teams kept rushing in from afar, and a great deal of murmuring began to spread.

More and more teams, upon receiving the recall, began hurrying back to the stronghold.

At the same time, some teams began shouting impatiently, demanding to know the reason for this recall warning.

Seeing that the time was about right, Jiang Jiang Qinge exchanged a glance with Li Luo, and the two of them stepped forward at the same time.

With Jiang Jiang Qinge's appearance, the noise in the field immediately died down. Reverent yet burning gazes fixed upon this girl—the undisputed leader of the Three Star Hall and its most admired maiden.

Jiang Jiang Qinge stood on the steps, her figure slender and graceful, her dark hair tied in a ponytail. Her face remained as flawless and exquisite as ever, her tall nose and the gentle rise and fall of her brow, her red lips lightly pressed together, radiating a pride that belonged to her alone.

Especially those clear, pure golden eyes, which made people unable to stop themselves from getting a little lost in them.

This caused many people to not dare look into those beautiful golden eyes for too long, lest they lose all composure.

Li Luo's looks were actually already top-tier, but standing beside Jiang Jiang Qinge, he still couldn't help being somewhat overshadowed by her radiance. If it weren't for the occasional glances of appreciation from some young girls, Li Luo would have been completely ignored.

Under the gaze of all those eyes, Jiang Jiang Qinge showed no sign of stage fright. Her breathtaking face remained calm, her voice without much ripple: "In the outer region, we encountered a wandering other. Its strength may have reached the great Calamity level, so we issued a recall warning."

"Because we suspect that other will ultimately lock its target on the location of the stronghold. Anyone still out on missions at this time will be in extreme danger."

Jiang Jiang Qinge's words were quite brief, but that didn't diminish the devastating impact of the intelligence at all. Everyone's face was one of horror, and the sound of hissing gasps rose here and there.

"A great Calamity other?!"

"How could that kind of other possibly appear in our region?!"

"..."

A wave of doubtful voices rose. Many were skeptical—after all, generally speaking, a great Calamity other simply couldn't appear in their region.

If it weren't for Jiang Jiang Qinge's usually high reputation within the academy, many people would have scoffed at this intelligence, thinking it was just a scare tactic.

But even so, some still refused to believe it.

"So going forward, I hope everyone will stop going out on missions and remain in the stronghold while we wait for reinforcements from the academy." Jiang Jiang Qinge said.

The students exchanged uncertain glances. Staying in the stronghold meant they couldn't earn points, which was no small loss for them.

"Jiang Jiang Qinge, the great Calamity other you mentioned—did you clash with it head-on?" Finally, a student ranked among the strongest in the Three Star Hall asked in a low voice.

Jiang Jiang Qinge shook her head. "We didn't clash head-on, but we encountered the Huan Jing of malevolence it left behind. From the power of that Huan Jing of malevolence, we estimated its level."

"But there are also Calamity-level Others especially skilled in Huan Jing of malevolence, which is why you might be under that illusion."

"And if it were merely an ordinary Disaster-class anomaly, it would not warrant such caution from us," the Three-Star Academy student continued.

Some students nodded, agreeing with him; no one wanted to waste time on such meaningless waiting.

"Senior Sister Jiang, could it be that you, along with Li Luo and the others, are unable to deal with the Level Three Purification Tower, so you've concocted this excuse to prevent the rest of us from earning more points?" Suddenly, a voice rang out.

Li Luo looked and saw a familiar face; it was Song Song Qiuyu.

"What nonsense is a Two-Star Academy student like you spouting? How could Senior Sister Jiang's strength and character be compared to yours?" However, soon, several Three-Star Academy students glared angrily, defending Jiang Jiang Qinge.

"Am I not allowed to question? Forcing us to stay here for so long for no reason, isn't that just wasting our time? We haven't even seen that Great Disaster anomaly; how do we know if it's real or fake?" Song Song Qiuyu's willow brows shot up as she retorted.

Others nodded as well, and suddenly, two voices erupted in the gathering, creating a noisy and chaotic uproar.

Jiang Jiang Qinge's expression remained indifferent as she said, "First, I never truly intended to forbid you from going out. If you really wish to leave, then go ahead; I will not stop you."

"Furthermore, regarding that anomaly, based on its movement trajectory, I believe it is not only us who have encountered the Evil Thought Huan Jing it left behind."

Jiang Jiang Qinge's golden eyes fixed upon the crowd in the gathering; her calm voice made everyone's hearts suddenly chill.

"Among you..."

"... perhaps some have also encountered it."

"Even..."

"... have already been contaminated."