41: Chapter 41 The Strange Realities of the Red Collectibles

On the way back to Huangshan Base City.

Chu Hong and Wang Suming sat inside the compartment of the armored vehicle.

Director Huang Miao and Wang Qinghai sat opposite them, and as for Hu Jiaojiao?

Sorry, this was an armed armored vehicle belonging to the Huangshan Base City military. Pioneer Squads like the Over-the-River Dragon, despite their prominent reputation and strong strength, were ultimately private armed forces.

If it were any other time, Director Huang Miao and the others would have just put on a show and let Hu Jiaojiao board.

But right now... Red-quality collectibles.

Without any communication whatsoever, the two unilaterally took over the return escort mission for Chu Hong and Wang Suming.

"Student Chu Hong, we are absolutely safe here now. I wonder if you could let us see what red-quality collectible you fished out from the mystic realm this time?"

Both of them wore eager expressions.

However, Chu Hong did not take the item out immediately.

Instead, he looked at the two of them with a light chuckle.

"Director Huang, Director Wang, there is no rush to look at the item yet. I wonder if the two of you can tell me what is so special about this red-quality collectible? Looking at the reaction of those Pioneer Squads outside just now, it doesn't seem as simple as mere rarity."

Director Huang Miao and Wang Qinghai were visibly startled.

However, Director Huang Miao immediately smiled and patted his forehead.

"Oh my, I was so anxious that I forgot... Student Chu Hong has only undergone the initial awakening so far and has not yet undergone the secondary awakening, so it makes sense that you are unaware of the value of red-quality collectibles."

He pondered slightly, his expression turning a bit solemn: "Actually, someone would have told you about this matter once you completed the assessment and entered Source Energy University, or when your source energy reached the level of secondary awakening and you headed to the Pioneers Guild for the secondary awakening."

"In fact, among some students whose parents are Pioneers, this is not much of a secret."

Director Huang Miao took a deep breath.

"Red-quality collectibles have actually transcended the preciousness of collectibles themselves; they can already be said to be a nation's reserve of foundational heritage!"

Both Chu Hong and Wang Suming could not help showing looks of astonishment.

Seeing this, Wang Qinghai nodded gently: "Don't be so surprised. Actually, Director Huang calling red-quality collectibles a reserve of foundational heritage is putting it mildly. The mystic realm you are currently in contact with, the Thunder-Horned Lizardman Tribe, is officially classified as only ordinary-grade. Further up, there are even more terrifying mystic realms, and even higher-level mystic realms have threshold requirements just to enter."

"These mystic realms yield higher returns, but correspondingly, the risks and dangers also climb exponentially."

"And if the Pioneer Squad dispatched into them can have a red-quality collectible on hand, it will increase the entire team's survival rate by at least thirty percent!"

Wang Suming gasped in a breath of cold air, truly witnessing a higher Pioneer field today.

"Director Wang, but aren't collectibles—other than usable items or weapon-type collectibles—like ordinary collectibles such as craft collections and daily-use items, only usable as materials by synthesizers or processors?"

He thought of his four-grid large gold [dog-head gold nugget].

In fact, besides selling it off or keeping it at home as a show-off ornament to worship.

For him, who neither had synthesis skills nor could process collectibles.

This thing had no other use.

Wang Qinghai shook his head gently.

"No, red-quality collectibles are different... As long as it is a red-quality collectible, it will inevitably have its unique function or ability. For example, Student Chu Hong, that golden-quality longsword of yours—if it were red quality..."

"In addition to being used as a source energy weapon in combat, it can also provide the user with some skill assistance, and its power would be absolutely terrifying."

Both Chu Hong and Wang Suming fell silent.

However, Wang Suming's silence was entirely due to being shocked by this information.

As for Chu Hong, his silence was because he thought of his cheat [Special Service Department].

He currently had two red-quality collectibles in his hands: the [Masked Worm] and the [brain domain reading device]. No wait... Chu Hong suddenly widened his eyes, and could not help but gasp in a breath of cold air.

"Holy shit!"

Chu Hong suddenly remembered that he had also given that woman Xu Daili a small red [precious gold watch]!

At the time, he just thought that thing was like a more precious collectible in his past life's games, and didn't think much of it.

Thinking about it now... No wonder that woman Xu Daili didn't even consider it before joining the command of a stranger like him who hadn't even established a Pioneer team.

Chu Hong's eye twitched, and his expression was as gloomy as if water could drip out of it.

That woman Xu Daili could not possibly not know the special nature of red-quality collectibles, and she might have thought at the time that he, Yanzu, was also well aware of the key points in it.

"Damn it, I acted too cocky..."

"Student Chu Hong, what's wrong with you?" Director Huang Miao and Wang Qinghai looked at Chu Hong's face, which turned green and pale by turns, and nervously asked.

Chu Hong shook his head.

"It's nothing..." He took a deep breath.

Forcibly comforting himself, anyway, these things were all zero-cost business to him since he had the cheat [Special Service Department].

At worst, he could just run the [Cliffside Epidemic Hospital] map a few more times afterwards.

Maybe he would fish another one out?

Being Yanzu, it was just a tiny gold watch after all, it was just a tiny gold watch...

Chu Hong muttered faintly in his heart, and when he finally recovered slightly, he reached his hand into the backpack beside him amidst the expectant gazes of Director Huang Miao and Wang Qinghai.

Along with a burst of light blooming in the compartment.

A huge animal skin scroll, one meter high and over thirty centimeters in diameter, came into view of the two.

"This is what I fished out from the corpse of the Lizardman Priest Casar..." Chu Hong said indifferently.

However.

At this moment, Director Huang Miao and Wang Qinghai seemed to have lost their hearing, all standing there in a daze, looking at the erected scroll in front of them with fanaticism and excitement.

"A red-quality collectible! This aura, it is definitely a red-quality collectible without a doubt!"

Director Huang Miao excitedly wanted to reach out and touch it, but hurriedly pulled his hand back, afraid of causing unnecessary misunderstandings. He could only take out something from his hand that looked like a smartphone from Chu Hong's past life.

There, he snapped pictures of the scroll continuously.

Very quickly.

Even without Chu Hong's introduction, the information of this collectible was sent over from the other end of the phone.

[Item Name]: lizard priests grimoire

[Item Grade]: Red

[Type]: Intelligence Resource

[Weight]: 5kg

[Backpack Grid Capacity Occupied]: 2 × 4

[Item Description]: A precious magic classic passed down for thousands of years by the sacrificial lineage of the Thunder-Horned Lizardman Tribe. It is said to be made of sub-dragon skin, recording hundreds of varying-strength lightning-type and earth-type magic, kept secretly by each successive priest.

Along with this information, there was also a voice that was so excited it was somewhat distorted.

It was a woman.

"Huang Miao! Where are you right now? Whose item is it? Let me tell you, this is arguably the most precious, most precious collectible in the [Thunder-Horned Lizardman Tribe] mystic realm! There is none other!"

"No matter who it is! Agree to his conditions! Did you hear me?"

"Even if he wants your ass, you have to give it to him! You..."

"Beep!" Director Huang Miao hurriedly cut off the voice playback, his bearded face full of stiffness and embarrassment.

Wang Suming pressed his lips together, took a deep breath, raised his head to look at the ceiling of the compartment, and remained silent.

Chu Hong coughed twice.

"Director Huang, rest assured, I'm not interested in men."

Director Huang Miao nodded repeatedly in embarrassment, cursing that damned woman who spoke even more wildly than a man to smithereens in his heart. On the surface, however, he had to show a sincere smile to Chu Hong.

"Pfft..."

A suppressed chuckle burst out from Wang Suming's mouth beside them.

The latter hurriedly turned his head away.

Director Huang Miao's eye twitched. Clearly, the impact of that voice message just now had not disappeared; in fact, in the minds of certain active-minded people present, image and even video generation had already begun...

"Slap"

Chu Hong reached out and slapped the back of this dead fatty's head for his wild imagination.

He looked smilingly at the extremely embarrassed Director Huang Miao.

"Director Huang, please go on. If I am willing to sell this red-quality collectible, what conditions is the Pioneers Guild willing to offer?"

He looked again at Wang Qinghai, who was also frowning and looking at the scroll with a determined expression.

"On Director Wang's side, what conditions can the Base City Armed Forces Department offer?"