Chapter 137: Shifting Forward, Like the Wind

This operation is somewhat abrupt.

Lin Ke himself also knows this.

But there's no way; time isn't that ample.

The local apprentices of the opposing faction and the friendly faction in the northern region won't let Lin Ke leisurely conduct research and experiments,

Then leisurely take the abundant research results, finish the grand competition, and take first place.

Moreover, there is a grudge-bearing 'Pureblood Will' lurking in the dark, which may jump out and bite at any time.

This 'world' has limited area; the position of the River-center Sandbar is not remote either, so scouting-type arcane devices are not just for show.

Lin Ke's team being stationed at the River-center Sandbar is no longer a secret.

Not only Lan Ni. Tai Le and her team know this.

These past days, many people have been scouting the situation of the River-center Sandbar on both banks of the great river.

If we delay further, what comes will not be scouting but an attack.

Moreover, Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke sent a private message late last night, saying the Pureblood Will unexpectedly learned that Lin Ke is stationed at the River-center Sandbar and is now formulating an attack plan.

The credibility of this information is high.

Among those who came to scout, Lin Ke has encountered a member of the Pureblood Will whom he once met face to face.

Only then did he decide to speed up, to finish research and experiments as soon as possible, produce some preliminary results that aren't rigorous, to verify his guess.

Regardless of the verification outcome, he must immediately shift focus, the sooner the better.

Exit the tomb chamber, stand outside the bronze door, and be ready to close it at any moment.

Lin Ke held his breath and waited silently.

He didn't know how long had passed.

Even with Lin Ke's physique, he felt his body becoming somewhat stiff.

This was due to maintaining a single posture for too long.

Isn't that so?

Lin Ke felt a slight disappointment, looking at the motionless skeleton of the God Slayers.

It seems he still needs to think of a method, to find some special 'place' or 'role' to verify his guess about submitting the 'report'.

That would again stir up many troubles.

After all, looking around, it's either the enemy faction or the northern-region apprentices of our faction who are destined unable to cooperate wholeheartedly.

The only ones he can barely trust are Lan Ni. Tai Le's team.

This is truly picking a general from among dwarves, making do with the material.

He slowly closed the bronze gate, Lin Ke walked out of the secret passage, and then shut the iron door.

He called everyone back, first filling all the side tunnels near the secret passage, carefully erasing the digging traces.

After thinking, Lin Ke set several concealed traps at the necessary points along the way to the secret passage.

That way, anyone who comes besides Lin Ke's team, or whom Lin Ke has specially informed of the location, will receive an enthusiastic 'welcome'.

Even if they cannot be stopped from exploring the secret passage and tomb chamber, he wants to disgust them a little.

Afterward, Lin Ke organized the team to miniaturize three sets of commonly used experimental equipment, pack whatever could be carried, and bury what couldn't.

The experimental logs and data drafts were simply burned.

Anyway, Lin Ke has firmly memorized everything in his memory palace, ready to recall whenever needed.

Just fill it in.

At the tunnel entrance, Lin Ke glanced toward the tomb chamber, still seeing no movement, then gave up and said to Mo Li,

Okay.

Mo Li responded, leading a few earth-system 'workmates' to fill in the painstakingly dug laboratory and tunnels one by one, restoring them to their original state.

Let's go, we'll meet up with Lan Ni. Tai Le.

Lin Ke waved his hand, led the way out of the tunnel, and arrived at the surface of the River-center Sandbar.

The Central Flying Disc and four reconnaissance puppets were dispatched in advance.

They were conducting real-time scouting of the surroundings, to prevent an ambush when they crossed the river.

Upon reaching the riverbank, they still prepared to cross using the climbing rope method.

This time they did not use the Central Flying Disc to bring the rope across first.

Lin Ke employed the Floating Double-layer Water Shield Lingbu Microstep, skimmed across the great river, carrying a long rope to the hill, and fastened the rope securely.

Mo Li, five brothers, and the three socially anxious individuals crossed the river in order.

After everyone had climbed the rope and reached the hill, Lin Ke ran another trip to the River-center Sandbar.

First, to retrieve the rope;

Second, he still wasn't ready to give up.

He wanted to take advantage of the fact that the effect of the Water System Zero-ring Sorcery Watermark Technique he had applied to the report had not yet faded, to sense whether the watermark had been triggered.

Unfortunately, the report remained in its original state, not having been picked up, let alone flipped through.

He sighed, and Lin Ke returned to the hill with disappointment.

Let's go, Lan Ni. Tai Le is waiting for us at their base.

Lin Ke glanced at his fully equipped teammates, suppressed other thoughts, and pointed a direction.

After these days of getting along and cooperating, the team members have developed tacit understanding.

They didn't need Lin Ke to arrange; they self-organized into groups.

Some cleared the path, some guarded the flanks, some did real-time scouting, some took up the rear.

Not long after walking, the group arrived at a narrow entrance, a mountain ravine that is easy to defend but hard to attack.

Lin Ke's group stopped outside the entrance, not entering directly.

They quietly waited for Lan Ni. Tai Le's team to come out.

Why do we need to meet up with Lan Ni. Tai Le's team again?

This time, that time.

In just a few days, the situation has changed too fast, too much.

The whole "world" has already turned into a mess, with fighting everywhere.

Lin Ke daily "stoked the flames" in the camp channel, and indeed succeeded in stoking.

Not only is the Mengluo Team competing with the opposing camp for "monsters",

but more and more positive-camp teams are choosing to strike before the negative camp, going to sabotage, playing "Annihilation-style Salvation".

It's just that the Mengluo Team consists of elites and experts, gaining richer results and attracting more hatred.

Added to the academy's issued main quest 2—camp versus camp (what the enemy wants to do is what you must destroy)—the stimulus,

the conflict between the two camps suddenly surged.

Not only do they kill on sight,

but more and more people, like Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke, are setting aside camp missions to focus solely on fighting and camp confrontation.

As long as I kill all the enemies, I consider myself successful.

Even without completing the camp mission, without succeeding in saving or destroying the world, it's merely a reduction in some score.

It's no big deal.

Not long after, Lan Ni. Tai Le's team, likewise preparing to move forward, walked out of the mountain gorge.

"I'll follow your command."

Upon seeing Lin Ke's face, Lan Ni. Tai Le immediately expressed her stance.

Either don't do it, or do it absolutely.

Since we've already given up on completing the main quest on our own, planning to rely on Linke Grand's strength, Lan Ni. Tai Le will never waver lightly.

Even if there are any emotions in her heart, she suppresses them.

"If anyone among you says yes outwardly but disobeys inwardly, agreeing to all actions on the surface while secretly shirking work, don't blame me for kicking them out of the team."

Lan Ni. Tai Le not only expressed her stance to Lin Ke, but also turned around and sternly warned her own team members.

Whether this is sincere or just lip service, Mo Li, who originally wanted to find fault, now has nothing to say.

"Yes."

"No problem."

"Just so decided."

Five members of the Newblood Mutual Aid Society responded in unison; the other five members of other apprentice organizations appeared scattered.

Two teams differing by only one member, in this regard, still have a distinction, and can even be said to have a gap.

Lan Ni. Tai Le lacks in team cohesion.

Lin Ke observed Lan Ni. Tai Le's performance throughout, his feelings toward her being rather complex.

He feels a slight wariness, but more so admiration.

Not every twelve- or thirteen-year-old can sense the times and adjust strategy according to the wind.

Nor can everyone, regardless of age, promptly adjust their mindset, shifting from resistance to smooth cooperation.

This transition, if spoken nicely, is called defection; if spoken harshly, it's called treason.

"Repaying kindness with kindness, Lin Ke did not simply take over Lan Ni. Tai Le's team."

"Instead, he appointed Lan Ni. Tai Le as vice-captain, responsible for leading the original members."

"This arrangement yields multiple benefits."

"Specifically what benefits there are, I won't list them all."

After the two teams merged, the primary issue was deciding which direction to move.

Lin Ke had already decided, but still exercised democratic spirit, simply drawing a few strokes on the ground, sketching the terrain within a 30-li radius.

Pointing to a place not too far from here—a basin with one side facing a river, two sides backed by mountains, and only one entrance between the two mountains—he said:

"I plan to relocate here, build a base and defensive line, then observe the situation and adjust counter-strategies as circumstances change. What do you think? If you have any different views, opinions, or suggestions, speak up boldly."

As he spoke, Lin Ke looked toward Lan Ni. Tai Le.

Lan Ni. Tai Le glanced at the sketch, compared it with the terrain she had memorized, and found that Lin Ke's chosen spot is indeed a good place.

Easy to defend, hard to attack, not inferior to the mountain gorge behind.

The problem is, has such a good spot not yet been taken by others?

"She immediately said: 'The place is good; if it hasn't been occupied by others, I agree.'"

"After that, no one spoke."

"Because Lan Ni. Tai Le raised the most crucial question."

"Everything else is minor details, not important."

"Lin Ke explained: 'Last night, I went to scout earlier and found no traces of human activity; I don't know the current situation either, so I can only adapt.'"

"After receiving a private message from Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke last night, Lin Ke immediately prepared to relocate the base."

"After scouting several candidate bases in succession, he finally found that the mountain valley basin was still the most suitable."

"He paused, then emphasized: 'No matter what, this place has already been discovered; we can't stay here any longer.'"

"As soon as his words fell, they unified their thoughts and set off immediately."

"The two teams did not march side by side; they split into front and rear echelons, advancing in an 'i' formation while scouting forward."

"Even though there was a round UFO overhead, four scouting puppets around, plus the scouting magic device Lan Ni. Tai Le somehow obtained, Lin Ke still dared not relax in the slightest."

Having experienced Cuixi. Luqiya's long-range bombardment and witnessed Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke's dive-bombing, Lin Ke deeply understood what beyond-visual-range combat is.

A slight lapse, being discovered beforehand by others, while he himself remained unaware.

What awaited was an merciless bombardment.

Perhaps Lin Ke could survive the bombardment by flexibly using the Defender 3202 set, life-saving magical device, and Water Shield Technique.

But others, including Mo Li who also wore the Defender 3202 set, would die on the spot.

The set's defense is fine.

The weakness lies in the physical strength, impact resistance, and defensive ability of the apprentice mage.

If he were to devise an attack plan now, he would likely start from impact and vibration.

Lin Ke would not be so arrogant as to think only he could understand this.

Otherwise, why would a rich guy like Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke have his small waist pouch filled with an seemingly endless enhanced-version self-exploding fire thunder?

Advancing quickly while being cautious, avoiding if possible, detouring if possible.

In short, the principle is to avoid surprises.

About to reach the mountain basin, an accident still occurred.

Two squads of dirty-faced, somewhat disheveled troops stepped ahead and entered the basin.

It seemed they were preparing to rest here.

At the moment Lin Ke spotted the opposing side, they obviously also noticed Lin Ke's group.

Both sides immediately went on alert.

The opposing side's movements were skilled, their coordination seamless.

In an instant they charged into the basin, then scattered and hid, set up defenses, and prepared for a counterattack.

Several more soared into the sky, circling above the two mountaintops, ready to strike at any moment.

Lin Ke saw a familiar figure.

"Don't attack lightly; only act when you hear my order."

He first issued orders to his own two troops, emphasizing: "Do you understand?"

"Understood!"

Mo Li led the Benevolent Brother Group and Social Anxiety Group in a unified response.

"Understood!"

Lan Ni. Tai Le, a step slower, also shouted loudly.

But her ten team members failed to respond in time, appearing extremely incompetent.

This made Lan Ni a little annoyed.

Lin Ke spoke up again, angrily shouting: "Do you understand?"

At the same time, a chilling killing intent emanated from him, enveloping the ten confused individuals.

"Understood!"

At that moment, Luci. Bei Li and Ba Mi Er. Ba Er Wei Si, the two who had been far off observing the mountain pass explosion, were the first to come to their senses, leading eight companions in loudly answering.

He forcefully waved his hand, signaling to deploy formation and maintain vigilance.

Lin Ke fiddled with his wristwatch and sent two private messages.

One to Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke, one to Meng Luo. Bu Li Sai Ni Ao, both with the content: "Did you encounter me?"

Not long after, they both replied almost simultaneously.

Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke only replied with a "yes".

Meng Luo. Bu Li Sai Ni Ao replied: "Yes. Cooperate? Or retreat?"

The replies revealed sensitivity, tension, and a response as if facing a formidable foe, prompting Lin Ke to immediately make a judgment.

The opposing side obviously encountered something, and very likely found itself in a state of being pursued by a strong enemy.

A rather difficult choice lay before Lin Ke.

Either retreat just like that, or temporarily achieve cooperation.

By principle, to avoid trouble, Lin Ke should hesitate not to choose retreat.

But Lin Ke did not immediately make such a decision.

If Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke and Meng Luo. Bu Li Sai Ni Ao's teams were indeed being pursued, Lin Ke leading his team to retreat now could only return the way they came, unable to continue forward.

Otherwise, it was highly likely he would crash headfirst into the forces pursuing Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke and Meng Luo. Bu Li Sai Ni Ao.

He would become a scapegoat for Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke and Meng Luo. Bu Li Sai Ni Ao's teams.

"Wait a moment."

Lin Ke then replied to Meng Luo. Bu Li Sai Ni Ao with two words, then stated his inference and concerns to everyone, and solicited opinions again.

"Nothing to hesitate about, cooperate with them."

After hearing Lin Ke's words, Lan Ni. Tai Le was the first to express her stance.

She has her own set of logic.

Leaving the pleasant sandbank and stream was because she discovered that people with unclear intentions had conducted multiple reconnaissance, and she definitely could not go back.

Now she also could not go forward.

Caught in the middle, advancing or retreating is awkward.

Besides cooperating with the North District apprentices of the same faction, there is no other choice.

Mo Li merely said softly: "I'll follow you."

The Benevolent Brother Group and Social Anxiety Group follow Lin Ke, while Lan Ni's team listens to Lan Ni.

Opinions instantly unified.

Lin Ke glanced at everyone, including Lan Ni's team members, not missing a single one, and said in a low voice: "If that's the case, then let's cooperate with them. But everyone must be more careful, understand?"

"Understood!"

This time, everyone responded in unison.

Indeed, they all understood.

"Action."

Lin Ke issued the order, took the lead, and led the two teams cautiously toward the mountain basin.

Preparing to meet up with Iris's and Meng Luo's teams.

Just as they were about to enter the basin, Lin Ke's steps paused slightly.

He quickly concealed it and continued forward.

Just now, it seemed as if someone whispered in his ear, like a breeze blowing past, saying:

"You're not bad."

(End of chapter)