Chapter 317: I Have No Ticket

From the phone came Situjun's deep voice, "Your flight should be arriving for pickup, hurry up and board, time is tight here!"

After hanging up, Lu Jing stood, glanced at the time, and walked toward the ticket gate.

A uniformed ticket clerk, looking sprightly, stood there; seeing Lu Jing approach, she smiled and said, "Sir, boarding time hasn't arrived yet, the flight's departure has been delayed, please wait in the lounge over there."

Lu Jing's movement attracted a man and a woman who were also waiting for the flight.

The woman covered her mouth and giggled, "Look at that young man, does he think the fighter jet is here to pick him up......"

The man laughed and added, "Young people, it's normal not to know; it's probably his first time on a plane. I guess he's on the same flight as us."

Lu Jing ignored them and said evenly, "My plane is ready to take off, please hurry, I'm pressed for time."

The female ticket clerk frowned slightly and politely asked, "Sir, could you present your ticket? I can check the exact departure time for you."

"I don't have a ticket."

Lu Jing shrugged.

"Then how did you get into the waiting hall?"

The ticket clerk asked instinctively, since entering the waiting hall requires showing a ticket.

The man and woman beside them struck a pose as if ready to watch the spectacle.

"That kid is too funny, how did he slip in?"

"Who knows, maybe there's something off about this place."

The man tapped his own head.

At that moment, a soldier in military uniform stepped out of the fighter jet.

The soldier marched with strong steps into the waiting hall, respectfully saluted Lu Jing and reported, "Report, Eastern Military Region, 315th Corps Zhuang Junchu, here to receive you!"

"Alright, let's go."

Lu Jing gave a slight nod.

Zhuang Junchu personally opened the ticket gate barrier, clearing a spot for Lu Jing.

Under everyone's gaze, the two walked out, one after the other.

When the fighter jet's hatch opened, Lu Jing stepped inside.

Boom—

The engine roared, the fighter jet surged to its maximum speed on the runway, then shot into the sky.

In just a few breaths, it vanished into the horizon......

"Whoa! I'm not dreaming, this kid, it's not......"

The man in the waiting hall stared in shock, "What on earth is this youngster's background, to have someone from the Military Region personally escort him!"

"I'm dumbfounded; I expected an old man with white hair, but it's a teenager of eighteen or nineteen—unbelievable......"

The woman slapped her forehead, recalling what she had said while joking with the man, and felt a wave of dread.

"Did you just take a close look at that soldier's uniform?"

The man inhaled sharply and exclaimed, "He has two stars on his shoulders, indicating he's not an ordinary soldier—at least a lieutenant!"

While the two were exclaiming, the ticket clerk who had doubted Lu Jing finally recovered from her shock.

She quickly grabbed the nearby electronic megaphone, "The boarding queue issue is resolved, please prepare for ticket check and boarding......"

Boom—

The fighter jet broke the sound barrier, surged to the peak of the clouds, and its hull gradually stabilized.

Through the window, Lu Jing watched the layered white clouds; he's flown many planes, but this fighter jet is his first.

It must be said, it's considerably faster than a commercial airliner, though the seat is a bit narrower than first class.

"Attention, we will arrive at the Eastern Front Zone in one hour!"

After entering the stratosphere, the fighter jet engaged autopilot, and Zhuang Junchu, as the pilot, finally relaxed.

"Hmm, are you one of Situjun's people?"

Lu Jing glanced at Zhuang Junchu, not really understanding the insignia on his uniform.

"Yes, I'm a lieutenant under Lord Seat!"

Zhuang Junchu smiled, extended his hand, and shook Lu Jing's.

"Situjun's been busy lately, the front line tight?"

"Yes, Lord Seat is now overseeing the front line and hasn't slept in three days and two nights," Zhuang Junchu explained, "I'll take you straight to the front."

"Hmm."

Lu Jing nodded, feeling a bit more anticipation.

The last time he went to the Cave was to take part in the Dragon Imperial New Star contest, slaying a captive exotic beast, which is incomparable to the hordes of exotic beasts on the battlefield.

The two chatted casually along the way, mostly Lu Jing asking and Zhuang Junchu answering his questions about the Cave.

Under Lu Jing's barrage of questions, Zhuang Junchu didn't feel annoyed; he felt honored.

Although he looked like just a teenager, his résumé was terrifying!

Dragon Imperial New Star, undefeated top scholar, slashing the Martial Marquis!

Those phrases kept flashing through Zhuang Junchu's mind.

Zhuang Junchu is now in his forties, possessing late‑stage Martial Master Realm strength; his dream is to break through to the Martial Marquis Realm within his lifetime.

Yet Lu Jing, only eighteen or nineteen, has already slain a Martial Marquis Realm strongman that Zhuang Junchu dreams of confronting—how could one not be amazed......

"Tell me the details about the Cave front line," Lu Jing continued, "I recall the Caves are graded; what grade is the one we're heading to?"

When Dong Ningxue last took Lu Jing to the Cave, she had already given him a rough overview of the Cave's grades.

Cave difficulty ranges from low to high, with grades: D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS......

The last time they went was a B‑grade Cave, where even a master faces the risk of death.

"This time the Cave appeared very suddenly, in the coastal area of Wei Province, preliminarily rated as Grade A, with very high danger!"

Zhuang Junchu said solemnly: "The scope of a Grade A Cave is huge; the manpower needed cannot be compared to that of a Grade B Cave. Although a large number of masters have been mobilized, the battle situation remains very tense......"

"Is it a Grade A Cave......"

Lu Jing's expression shifted slightly; even a Marquis Realm expert entering a Grade A Cave would die inside if slightly careless.

If the aberrant beasts inside were to run out, the casualties would be immeasurable.

Lu Jing still wanted to ask more information about the Cave, but Zhuang Junchu shook his head and smiled: "Actually, I don't know much either; the higher the military rank, the more one knows about Cave intelligence......"

"For someone as strong as you, once you join the military and your background is clear, you can be immediately granted a military rank, which is tied to your strength and military achievements."

"You mean I can become an officer as soon as I go in?"

Lu Jing felt a hint of interest: "I don't know what military rank my current strength could earn."

After a moment's thought, Zhuang Junchu smiled: "It will definitely be higher than mine; at the very least, it would be the rank of lieutenant colonel."