229: Chapter 229 Lin Kong's Investigation

Deep within her eyes, two clusters of eternally burning golden divine fire seemed to dance quietly.

As she stood up, a heart-palpitating pressure of flames flowed around her body, yet it carried an introverted sense of holiness.

[Holy Flame Goddess - Lin Yan]

[Quality]: Low-Grade Mythic

[Growth Potential]: 6-Star Divine-Grade

Law of Fire Mastery: Complete mastery of the Law of Fire's Origin (Burning, Purification, Destruction, Rebirth). Can manipulate all fires in the world over a vast range, granting flames "Law" characteristics. Immunity to fire damage is greatly increased, and she can invoke deeper levels of "Divine Flame."

"How do you feel?"

Lin Tian asked with a smile. He could feel the terrifying power within Lin Yan, as vast as a volcano yet controlled with ease.

Lin Yan clenched her fist, and with a "poof," a cluster of golden flames ignited in her palm. It appeared gentle, yet it caused the surrounding space to ripple slightly.

Divine fire flickered in her eyes, and her voice carried an uncontrollable excitement and loyalty:

"Lord, I feel as if... the flames have come to life, becoming an extension of my will. Before, I was merely wielding fire, but now... I am part of the fire itself. Thank you, Lord, for making this possible!"

"Good! This is exactly the effect I wanted!"

Lin Tian clapped his hands in satisfaction.

Having handled the internal upgrades, Lin Tian's thoughts immediately turned to external threats. He walked to the window and looked out at the heavy night shroud to the south.

"Lin Kong."

He called out through the mental link.

Almost the second after he called, the space somewhere in the study rippled like water.

Draped in gilded silver light, the slightly illusory figure of the Ethereal Divine Guard, Lin Kong, emerged silently and knelt on one knee:

"Lord, Lin Kong awaits your orders."

"Lead the team personally, gather those two thousand Space Hunters, and set out immediately."

Lin Tian's tone was serious as he pointed toward the south.

"Follow the route of Gos's last retreat, as well as the direction we predict the Minotaur Kingdom's reinforcements might come from. Conduct the highest level of close-range reconnaissance. I want to know their border troop deployments, key passes, and... whether any new, larger-scale armies are gathering or on the move."

"Remember, your current mission is to investigate, not to fight. Should you encounter any situation, the transmission of information is the first priority. Avoid all unnecessary combat."

He paused and then added:

"Make good use of your new abilities. Establish hidden teleportation nodes to ensure information can be sent back immediately. I want to know that southern land like the back of my hand."

"This subordinate understands!"

The silver galaxy in Lin Kong's eyes shifted slightly, already grasping the importance of the mission.

"I will not fail your trust, Lord. I shall report back every movement in the south!"

"Go then, and be careful."

"Yes!"

Lin Kong's body flickered and vanished as he merged into the surrounding space.

Soon, at a certain spot outside Lintian City, over two thousand subtle spatial ripples flashed in succession, like pebbles dropped into a lake, before returning to calm.

Two thousand hunters who had mastered the power of space had become like ghosts blending into the night, silently spreading toward the vast and unknown lands of the south.

Only after arranging all this did Lin Tian feel his tense nerves relax slightly.

He walked to the study door, watching the lights in the distant barracks gradually go out and listening to the noise slowly subside.

"Pass down the order: except for essential sentries and patrols, the entire army is to rest."

He instructed the messenger standing by the door, his voice carrying a hint of fatigue.

"Today... everyone worked hard. Let them have a good meal and a good night's sleep. Tomorrow... there will be tomorrow's matters."

"Yes! Lord!"

The command was passed down, and the barracks fell completely silent, with only even snoring and the faint crackle of burning torches to be heard.

After continuous high-intensity combat, evolution, and deployment, even an army made of iron needed a breather.

Lin Tian himself felt a deep weariness surge into his heart.

He returned to his desk but did not rest immediately. Instead, he opened the Regional Chat Channel again, silently watching the online count—which now stood at just over two thousand—with a profound gaze.

The cleanup list was nearing its end, meaning the dividend period of the "hunt" was about to pass.

The coming struggles would be more direct and cruel, unfolding between the true "strong" and the "survivors."

The threat of the Minotaur Kingdom was imminent, the shadows of the mysterious "Karl" and the "contamination" lingered, and the "Ancient Secrets" revealed by Luo Fan hung overhead like the Sword of Damocles.

"The road is still long..."

Lin Tian whispered to himself and turned off the light screen.

He walked to the window for one last look at the deep southern night sky, where his eyes were sent and where unknown enemies lay.

Then, he extinguished the light and returned to his room to rest.

Leading a thousand of the most elite Space Hunters, Lin Kong silently seeped into the vast and unfamiliar lands of the south like drops of silent ink spreading in the night.

They were not marching; they were traversing.

Every time the silver-gray spatial ripples shimmered slightly, their entire formation would blur and dissipate, only to reappear dozens or even a hundred kilometers away.

Long-distance instantaneous teleportation was used by them as naturally as breathing; space seemed to have become a scroll that could be folded at will.

In just a few minutes, this ghostly team had crossed a linear distance of over a thousand kilometers, leaving Lintian City far behind.

The scenery along the way turned into blurred blocks of color during the frequent spatial jumps.

Over an hour later, when Lin Kong stepped out of a spatial ripple once more and stabilized himself, the sight before him caused his silver-gray pupils to contract slightly.

On the distant horizon, a crude, heavy stone city filled with a primitive aura crouched in the darkness like a giant beast, its outline faintly visible under the thin starlight.

Upon the towering stone walls, massive totem poles and flickering torchlight could be vaguely seen.

The air began to fill with a faint scent unique to large orc settlements—a mixture of leather, Ore, smoke, and livestock.

"The direction is correct."

Lin Kong thought to himself, his figure merging completely into the shadow of an ancient tree, his presence suppressed to the absolute limit.

His sharp gaze swept over the city's scale, layout, and faint signs of activity.

"The walls are about fifteen meters high, built with massive stones. The craftsmanship is crude but solid. The buildings inside are low and dense, mostly stone houses or large tents. Estimated resident population... no more than five hundred thousand."

"This should be a border town of the Minotaur Kingdom, not the Royal Court."

He did not alert this border city, nor did he even get too close.

After confirming the general direction and the traces of Minotaur activity, he gave a light wave of his hand. The thousand Space Hunters behind him turned into invisible ripples once more, jumping forward into the depths.

Reconnaissance, not assault.

This was the core of the Lord's strict command.

Their mission was to be the eyes and ears, the silent shadows.

For the journey ahead, Lin Kong adopted an even more cautious approach.