100: Chapter 100 He was nothing special, just an ordinary person.

The battle ended.

They didn't rush to leave, instead starting to skillfully process the giant lizard's carcass.

Although they had entered this secret realm to survey the specific environment inside,

they still believed in being frugal where possible and spending where necessary.

After exerting so much effort to kill such a giant lizard, it would be a pity to just leave it here and let it go to waste.

Tang Ningfei and Jiang Chen didn't help; instead, they stepped aside, the two of them looking at the manual that had just been flipped through.

Tang Ningfei pointed to the introduction of the giant lizard and said, "The strength of a Lava Giant Lizard is roughly equivalent to a C-rank ability user, but in the secret realm world, it seems to be called something like a Flame Crystal rank magic beast."

"Magic beasts of this level are not uncommon on this Crimson Flame Plain."

Jiang Chen hummed in agreement; as the overall strength of humanity increased, the strength of the creatures within the opened secret realms had also risen accordingly.

Previously, if such a C-rank magic beast had appeared in any secret realm, all the adventurers who entered would likely have been killed, with not a single one left.

But now, a magic beast of this level was no longer considered much of a threat.

Even if he hadn't stepped in just now, those four combatants could have handled it themselves.

Jiang Chen continued to look at the manual.

This manual was something they had bought at the camp before coming in; the information inside was a summary of various pieces of information received by adventurers who had entered, and while it was comprehensive enough, the information was vague in some aspects and even self-contradictory in others.

If they wanted the organization to be able to obtain resources here safely and efficiently in the future, they had to walk through it themselves to verify and supplement the information, creating something more reliable.

Tang Ningfei's finger slid along the text as she continued, "The resource acquisition here is roughly divided into several types. The most direct is hunting these magic beasts and collecting materials. Like that Flame Crystal just now, the Mall's buyback price is quite good."

"The other main part is fire element mineral deposits. This world's unique Flame Iron Ore and Fire Soul Crystals are rich in stable fire elements, and whether for panel recycling or other possible uses, their value is very high."

"And the reserves are not small."

Jiang Chen listened carefully; this information was very useful for the subsequent resource collection plans.

"The last type," Tang Ningfei flipped to the later part of the manual, where several pages were dedicated to describing the world's indigenous intelligent race, "is the inhabitants of this world, the Flame Beastmen."

"Beastmen?" Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow.

"Yes."

Tang Ningfei nodded, pointing to a simple sketch showing a creature with a burly build, dark red skin, and a humanoid outline that appeared much more rugged.

"Like other magic beasts, killing them yields hides and crystal cores."

"However... they are natural fire element manipulators, and adult individuals generally have strength around D-rank."

"Furthermore, they have a system of civilization, unlike these wild magic beasts."

"There are three relatively large tribes on the Crimson Flame Plain: Wind Flame, Burning Fang, and another, the Blazing Flame Tribe. The number of beastmen in each of their tribes is around a thousand."

Jiang Chen nodded and asked, "Does it say to scout them for information?"

Tang Ningfei shook her head, "No, our main objective is the mineral deposits within the secret realm. Unless necessary, we won't take the initiative to provoke them; there's no benefit in a head-on confrontation."

Jiang Chen expressed his understanding; the two worlds weren't connected indefinitely, and this secret realm entrance would close sooner or later.

So, there was no benefit in wiping them out; it was better to obtain the mineral resources here and earn more points.

"So the focus of our exploration is temporarily on magic beast distribution, mineral site confirmation, and trying to bypass the activity areas of the beastmen tribes?"

"Exactly." Tang Ningfei put away the manual.

By now, the team members had also properly stored the valuable parts of the giant lizard.

...

The group set off again, maintaining a tight formation as they moved toward the next scheduled exploration area.

Tang Ningfei's gaze occasionally swept across the semi-transparent information panel in front of her.

On it, brief messages were being sent back one after another from squads dispatched in different directions, mostly regarding terrain, sporadic encounters with magic beast types, or markers for suspected mineral sites.

She browsed quickly, pausing occasionally, sketching a clearer outline of this Crimson Flame Plain in her mind.

After walking for a while, Jiang Chen, who was at her side, suddenly spoke: "Any news?"

Tang Ningfei didn't react for a moment, turning her head to look at him with slight confusion, not understanding which news he was referring to.

Jiang Chen added: "News about that Gu Changming."

After reporting the news of Gu Changming's appearance in the secret realm, the higher-ups had indeed given it extra attention.

A powerful lone wolf would naturally be a good thing for the organization if he could be recruited.

Therefore, making contact with and recruiting him in this secret realm had also become an incidental mission objective for their trip.

She withdrew her gaze and shook her head: "No. None of the messages from the other squads contain anything related to him."

Hearing this, Jiang Chen pursed his lips, a flicker of imperceptible disappointment flashing across his face.

"There's no need to rush." Seeing this, Tang Ningfei spoke to comfort him, "Shouju Camp is ours now, and the secret realm entrance is also guarded. As long as he hasn't left the secret realm, we'll run into him sooner or later. Even if he goes out, the people outside will notify us immediately upon receiving word."

Jiang Chen nodded, his expression softening slightly.

The two continued forward, and Tang Ningfei glanced at Jiang Chen, asking curiously: "Do you really want to find him that badly? What do you plan to do if we actually run into him? ... Challenge him to a duel?"

That last part was a half-joking probe.

Jiang Chen shook his head, "I don't know. It's just that after watching that recording last time, I've always wanted to meet him and see if his strength is really as powerful as it appeared in the recording..."

"As for a du... match." He paused, seemingly feeling that the word "duel" was somewhat inappropriate, "Perhaps after he joins us, I'll find an opportunity to have a match with him."

Then, he turned and asked: "What about you? You met him at the camp entrance last time; how did he feel?"

"Compared to before... when he killed the Shadow Devourer, has there been any change?" Jiang Chen looked at Tang Ningfei.

Tang Ningfei thought back seriously, but that meeting had been too brief; he had just happened to pass by her and greet her.

"It's hard to say." She shook her head, "I feel... there's no obvious change. He's still like before, just ordinary, nothing special."

As she spoke, Tang Ningfei changed the subject.

"But based on my feeling, he didn't even give me the sense of pressure that you do when we fight." Tang Ningfei said, "You're already C-rank, and you have the organization's resources backing you; no matter how strong he is, how much stronger could he be?"

These words were partly to comfort him and partly out of her certainty in Jiang Chen's strength.

Jiang Chen was one of the top talents being focused on by the organization, with a C-rank rating; his equipment, supplies, and points support were not things a lone wolf could easily match.

No matter how strong Gu Changming was, limited by these factors, his advantage might not necessarily be maintained.

As time progressed, he ultimately wouldn't be a match for a peer who had systematic resource support.

Hearing this, Jiang Chen smiled, relaxing a bit at her words and playing along, "True."

As the words fell,

a clear vibration suddenly came from the ground beneath their feet without any warning.

Sand and stones bounced slightly, and a rumbling sound traveled along the ground, coming from far to near.

The team came to an instantaneous halt.

Tang Ningfei and Jiang Chen also immediately reined in their casual thoughts, their gazes looking all around.

In the distance, on the horizon where the crimson and the gloom met,

a blurry, constantly shaking black line was slowly emerging.