67: Chapter 68 The Front Lines Open

The old fire pattern on the corner of the Temporary Pass had only just lit up halfway when the figure of a Black-Armored Guide appeared at the end of the rocky slope—arriving so quickly, as if he had been waiting nearby, just for this fire pattern to ignite!

The crowd around the qualification battlefield had not yet dispersed, and the commotion had yet to die down, when that Black-Armored officer stepped over the rubble and walked over quickly. His gaze first swept over the scorching hot Temporary Pass in Lu Jin's hand, then glanced at the deep red firelight that had not yet faded by the training stake. His tone was as cold and hard as quenched iron: "Zhuixing Academy New Team Four?"

Lu Jin raised his eyes and nodded indifferently.

The Black-Armored Guide held out his hand directly, concise and to the point: "Pass."

Qiao Ye subconsciously stepped forward half a step, his brows furrowed: "We just finished the qualification battle, and you're collecting the passes already?"

The man didn't even lift his eyelids, his tone devoid of any ripples: "It's not collection, it's verification. For Front Station authorized status, without pass verification, you can't even touch the door."

Lu Jin didn't waste any more words and handed the Temporary Pass over directly. The Black-Armored Guide pressed down heavily with two fingers, the military fire in his fingertips instantly triggering the old fire pattern on the pass. A very faint Guide Mark immediately emerged on the corner of the Temporary Pass—it was neither the Grey Star fire pattern of the academy, nor a common transit seal; the lines were narrow and tortuous, like an old road sealed away for many years, forcibly scorched out from the black iron pass.

After verifying, he tossed the Temporary Pass back to Lu Jin and stated the terms in a rapid-fire tone: "Front Station Guide Mark, effective upon qualification battle. The third Military Court transport vehicle in the afternoon goes straight to the Front Station on the periphery of the No. 7 Rift Zone. It won't wait for anyone."

Qiao Ye's eyes lit up instantly, his tone full of surprise: "So fast? We just passed the qualification battle, and we can enter the Front Station immediately?"

The Black-Armored Guide finally raised his eyes to glance at him, his tone carrying the cold hardness of someone who had seen it all: "When the Front Station doesn't open, you could talk until your lips are worn thin and still not get in; once the opening is made, every point-seizing team complains that they aren't getting in fast enough—delaying a second could mean seizing one fewer node."

Wen Zhao picked up the conversation, asking simply and practically: "The Guide Mark has lit up, does that mean we are no longer just a team registered by the academy, but can seize nodes and calculate military merit according to Military Court rules?"

"Correct." The Black-Armored Guide nodded, his tone remaining crisp, "From this moment on, you are a Front Station authorized team. You enter under the academy's name, keep accounts according to Military Court rules, receive pensions if killed in battle, and earn military merit for seizing nodes."

Ning Yanqiu's gaze remained fixed on the Temporary Pass in Lu Jin's hand, her voice not loud, yet precisely grasping the key point: "What is that old fire pattern?"

The Black-Armored Guide paused, rarely explaining an extra sentence: "An old Guide Mark. It generally only lights up after claiming ownership of old roads, old supply points, or old markers. It's not necessarily useful, but it will never light up for nothing—the old things inside the Front Station are sometimes more precious than new nodes."

After speaking, he turned and left without leaving a single word of nonsense, only dropping a cold shout when he had taken two steps: "Third transport vehicle in the afternoon, latecomers are disqualified!"

Qiao Ye stared at his back and clicked his tongue, his tone carrying a bit of complaint: "These people from the Military Court, they speak harder than nails, not leaving any room for human sentiment."

Wen Zhao flipped the Line-Marking Nail in his sleeve upward and caught it steadily, saying indifferently: "Hard is better. Nails are less trouble than cotton, saving us from beating around the bush or playing mind games."

Lu Jin didn't respond, only tucking the Temporary Pass back into his sleeve. The old fire pattern on the pass had already faded, but that scorching sensation had not dissipated; like a stream of heat, it pressed firmly into the bones of his palm, faintly burning—that old pattern was definitely not simple.

In the afternoon, the Military Court transport vehicle arrived on time.

There was no long vehicle that emphasized pomp like the academy's, only a short black iron carriage armored on all four sides. The bottom of the vehicle was embedded with old military fire rails. As soon as it stopped, a hot breeze carrying the smell of fuel oil leaked through the cracks in the carriage, rushing towards their faces. When the door opened, there were already quite a few people inside, a mixed bag: some wore academy emblems, some had Military Court patterns pressed onto their armor, and there were also several veteran point-seizing teams, their armor seams and boot edges still stained with unwashed grey grime and bloodstains from battle—one look and you could tell they were ruthless characters who had been struggling on the front lines for years.

As soon as Zhuixing Academy New Team Four boarded, the carriage fell silent for an instant, and all eyes turned towards them in unison.

Someone recognized Ning Yanqiu, a flash of astonishment crossing their eyes; others first caught sight of the blacklist pattern on the edge of Lu Jin's sleeve, their eyes filled with a bit of scrutiny. But when they saw the Temporary Pass in Lu Jin's hand that had lit up with the Guide Mark, all scrutiny and contempt instantly turned into serious attention—that was the proof of Front Station authorized status, the qualification to enter the entrance of the Relic Ruins to seize the first round of nodes!

Qiao Ye deliberately pressed the Shield Bear against his leg, sitting even more steadily, his back straightening up a bit. Wen Zhao, on the other hand, had an indifferent expression, as if he hadn't noticed those gazes, slowly organizing the small fire pouches into his sleeve belt one by one. Ning Yanqiu sat by the window, her profile reflecting the rapidly receding ruined camps and grey slopes outside the vehicle, her gaze as calm as a pool of deep ice, completely unaffected by her surroundings.

Once the transport vehicle left the military training camp, the scenery outside instantly changed—there were no longer the familiar guard camps or broken trenches, nor the shattered boundary belts where Night Beasts appeared. Replacing them was a stretch of land burned black, as if scorched by raging fire for a thousand years. The distant broken cliffs extended outward in layers, and thin lines of fire occasionally darted out from the cracks, as if old fires remained unextinguished underground, stirring in the shadows. Further ahead, the sky became increasingly low and heavy, the thick clouds pressing down until it was hard to breathe. The entire Relic Ruins boundary belt was like a huge old furnace; the fire wasn't fully lit, but ash was constantly pouring out, permeating with an aura of deathly silence and danger.

Qiao Ye clung to the carriage window for half the journey, finally unable to hold back, and lowered his voice: "This is the real Relic Ruins; it's much more dangerous than in the simulation field!"

Wen Zhao sneered, his tone carrying a bit of warning: "Don't get excited too soon. The one thing the real front line doesn't lack is greenhorns like you who think they can have a big fight—many people fall precisely because of the words 'underestimating the enemy'."

In the front section of the carriage, a weather-beaten veteran team member heard this, tilted his head to look at Wen Zhao, and actually smiled. His voice was not loud but very practical: "This kid is right. In the Front Station, surviving is more important than seizing nodes."

Qiao Ye originally wanted to retort, but upon second thought, he shut his mouth—he also realized that the further they went, the more composed the people in the carriage became. It wasn't fear, but familiarity—familiarity to the point of knowing that once the door ahead opened, many things could no longer be calculated according to the academy's rules; life and death would depend entirely on strength.

Just then, Ning Yanqiu suddenly raised her hand, her fingertips gently tapping the black ash by the window, her tone plain yet carrying a hint of a reminder: "Look over there."

Lu Jin looked in the direction she pointed, and saw a section of black wall already clearly visible between the distant faults. The wall was not high, but extremely long, like an old iron ridge nailed along the periphery of the Relic Ruins, spanning between heaven and earth. Three-colored war flags were planted on top of the wall: the Black-Red Flag of the Military Court, the Grey Star Flag of the academy, and the Silver-Patterned Flag of the Temple. The three flags stood side by side, yet were estranged from each other, with a half-foot distance deliberately left in the middle, none touching the others, faintly revealing a sense of tension.

Behind the black wall, the lights of fire towers, tent clusters, armored short vehicles, material-carrying teams, and aerial patrol sentries connected into one, spreading out even larger than the entire military training camp. Voices, vehicle noises, and the sounds of machinery colliding could be heard faintly, a scene that was busy yet heavily guarded—the Front Station on the periphery of the No. 7 Rift Zone had arrived!

Before the transport vehicle had even stopped steadily, half the people in the carriage stood up, each with tense expressions and eagerness in their eyes. The Black-Armored officer stood by the carriage door, coldly announcing: "Authorized teams first, other teams queue in order!"

Lu Jin and the four of them followed the crowd off the vehicle. As soon as their feet touched the ground, what rushed towards them was not the heat wave they had expected, but a turbid air mixed with various scents—the smell of iron, ash, fuel oil, medicinal liquid, beast blood, old soil, and the burnt smell of scorched bricks, all mixed together, choking one's throat. The ground beneath their feet was not a natural stone layer, but later-laid black boards and broken bricks. Stepping on it, one could faintly hear a hollow echo from below, as if something was hidden underground.

Lu Jin's footsteps paused slightly, his divine sense subconsciously sinking—not because of the grand scale of the Front Station, but because that hollow echo sounded too much like old passages hidden underground.

Grey Pupil's voice immediately resounded in the Sea of Consciousness, his tone carrying a bit of solemnity: "This ground isn't just empty underneath; it seems to have very ancient pathways. They weren't walked by human boots, but more like... beasts or something else."

Wu Fu's voice followed closely, thin yet sharp: "I smelled it too. Under the soil, there is the scent of an old nest. It's so faint it's almost gone, and it definitely wasn't left by this current batch of Front Station teams; it's very ancient."

A flash of solemnity crossed Lu Jin's eyes. He didn't immediately speak of this discovery, only quietly noting it in his heart—the Front Station had just opened, yet it already hid something fishy. It seemed the road ahead would not be easy.

In front of the main gate of the Front Station stood three inspection lines, clearly distinguished: on the left was the academy name inspection point, verifying team information; on the right was the Military Court pass inspection point, checking the Guide Mark and authorized status; in the middle was the Temple risk inspection point, recording the abnormal contact history of team members. The three lines stood side by side, and no one could bypass them.

Qiao Ye looked at the long queue, his brows furrowing even tighter: "To enter a door, we have to pass through three checkpoints? This is too troublesome!"

Wen Zhao replied to him in a low voice, his tone carrying a bit of insight: "This is normal. The Military Court, the academy, and the Temple—all three sides want to manage the affairs of the Front Station, yet none want to take full responsibility, so they can only each set up a checkpoint to keep each other in check."

When it was their turn, the inspection on the academy side was very fast. The official glanced at the roster, confirmed that "Zhuixing Academy New Team Four, qualification battle passed, four people, formal quota" was correct, and let them pass directly.

The Military Court side was even faster. The station guide only glanced at the Guide Mark on Lu Jin's Temporary Pass, then waved his hand to let them pass, even handing each of them a Front Station grey pass, with only their seat and number engraved on it, without any academy name identification.

"Once you enter the Post Station, look more at the ID numbers and less at backgrounds," the guide officer coldly cautioned. "Here, there are only official teams and waste teams; there are no academy teams or military family teams. Strength is the only hard currency."

But when they reached the Temple's inspection line, the speed slowed down instantly.

A Temple inspector in silver-grey robes slowly flipped open a thin booklet. When his gaze landed on Lu Jin, he lingered fully three times longer than on others. His tone was flat yet carried a chill as he read them out one by one: "Lu Jin, object of observation for the Ritual Road, pending filing for high-pollution military lines, history of contact with coordinate fire steles and old supply markers, as well as records of contact with abnormal fire seeds—are you aware of all this?"

His voice was not loud, yet it clearly spread to the surroundings. The several teams in line all involuntarily shifted their gazes this way, their eyes filled with inquiry, curiosity, and a hint of schadenfreude.

Qiao Ye's expression darkened on the spot, and he clenched his fists, itching to step forward and argue; Ning Yanqiu also raised her eyes to look at the inspector, the coldness in her gaze deepening, and the aura around her chilling by a few degrees.

But the Temple inspector did not look up and continued to ask slowly: "During your time at the Post Station, if you come into contact with any abnormal ritual materials, ancient ritual object samples, or high-pollution spore road physical objects again, you must report them for secondary inspection first. You are not allowed to hide them. Otherwise, your official status will be revoked, and you will be expelled from the Post Station. Do you understand?"

Lu Jin's expression remained unchanged, his tone still steady: "I understand."

The other party finally looked up and gave him a deep look. His tone sounded like a warning, yet also like he was making a note in advance: "It is good that you know. The eyes of the Temple are watching every corner of the Post Station the entire time. Do not harbor any delusions of luck."

Just then, the black-armored guide officer at the Military Court's inspection line suddenly interjected coldly, his tone carrying a hint of impatience: "You can make your risk notes, but don't block the path for the official teams. His pass is approved, so he should be allowed in. If you delay the node schedule, can you take responsibility for that?"

The Temple inspector glanced at him, and in the end, did not make things more difficult. He simply pressed a silver line heavily onto the grey booklet and coldly spat out two words: "Proceed."

Crossing the three inspection lines, the scene inside the Post Station finally unfolded before their eyes, far more massive and chaotic than it appeared from the outside.

In the center was a vast combat operations stone plaza. At the end of the stone plaza stood a full combat map wall, densely marked with various nodes and routes. Further out, three circles of tents and material sheds arched outward layer by layer, as if surrounding a massive Black Well, each performing its own duties. On the left were the maintenance camp and material warehouses, piled with large amounts of equipment and supplies. On the right were the weapons platforms and emergency injury sheds, from which the sounds of clashing equipment and the moans of the wounded could be heard from time to time. In the innermost layer were the administrative posts for each faction at the Post Station. The Military Court had the most people, busy to the point they barely touched the ground; the academy people were next; and although the Temple people were few, they were all stationed at every key junction, their gazes sharp, remaining on high alert throughout.

Looking further, several teams that had arrived earlier were already busy: the Beiyue Academy team was organizing bridge cables, seemingly preparing to seize the Rift Gate Fire Bridge node; the Xuanhe Academy team was calibrating well hooks, their target clearly the Outer Fire Well. Closer to the internal affairs stone pavilion stood several short flags pressed with dark gold Sun Gold patterns. The flags were small, but the material was extremely luxurious, and a Sun Gold seal plate hung from the flagpole, looking quite imposing.

Qiao Ye just glanced at them, and his voice subconsciously lowered, his tone carrying a hint of gravity: "It's the Pei family. They actually arrived so quickly!"

Wen Zhao nodded, his gaze fixed tightly on those Sun Gold short flags: "The Pei family is a veteran military family with deep resources and strong manpower. They must have been eyeing the Post Station nodes for a long time, so it's not strange that they arrived quickly."

When Ning Yanqiu looked over there, her gaze instantly turned cold. Standing under those Sun Gold short flags were several people dressed in understated clothing, yet each of them had an extraordinary bearing, their positioning extremely orderly. The young man in the center did not wear a large robe embroidered with the family crest, only a line of dark gold pressed onto his cuffs and collar. He looked ordinary, yet carried an aura of someone in a high position. The two attendants holding booklets and the grey-armored guard beside him had sharp gazes and steady auras; it was clear they were not ordinary errand runners, but the Pei family's core personnel.

The other party also happened to see them, his gaze lingering on Lu Jin for a moment, then he gave a very faint nod, as if acknowledging a greeting, or perhaps just recognizing this potential opponent in advance. Deep in his eyes, a trace of imperceptible inquiry was hidden.

Lu Jin's expression remained unchanged, and he directly averted his gaze—whether it was the Pei family or other teams, in the Post Station, there were only opponents, no acquaintances. Strength was the only right to speak.

Besides the Pei family, the Temple side was not idle either. Under the silver-grey short shed, a number of black boxes for secondary inspection had already been piled up. Several inspectors were checking lists according to the teams, their expressions serious. When Lu Jin swept his gaze over, he was shocked to see two fine-patterned silver boxes specifically for sealing high-pollution samples—these silver boxes were used specifically to store dangerous ancient ritual objects and spore road samples. Placing them here did not look like they were just passing through; it looked more like they had known for a long time that someone would bring "dirty things" into the Post Station.

"This place, truly no one is pretending anymore; it's obvious they are guarding against each other," Qiao Ye cursed in a low voice, his tone carrying a bit of displeasure.

Wen Zhao, however, had already cast his gaze toward the combat map wall in front, his tone grave: "Don't look at the people first; look at the map first—in the Post Station, the most valuable thing isn't anyone's face, it's which node opens first. Whoever touches the node first can seize the initiative."

Lu Jin was also looking at the combat map wall, his gaze deep and focused.

The combat map wall was already crowded with teams, the noise of people deafening, yet every sentence was filled with substantive information: "If they open the Fire Well in the first round, the route rights for everything that follows will change completely; the Military Court will definitely intervene!" "Not necessarily, the Outer points are too deep. Opening the Post Station first fits the Military Court's style better—secure a foothold first!" "I think the Fire Bridge is the most likely. Whoever gets the gate rights to the Fire Bridge first can block the routes of other teams later!"

Grey Stele Post, Outer Fire Well, Rift Gate Fire Bridge—three place names rolled back and forth in different people's mouths, each one concerning the life-and-death gamble of the first round at the Post Station.

Listening to these discussions, the temporary pass in Lu Jin's sleeve suddenly grew faintly hot again, a familiar heat spreading from his palm. Instructor Gu Pingchuan's advice, the records on the second page of the sealed scroll, that phrase "Find the Well first, then find the Gate," and the densely packed combat map wall before him, all instantly intertwined in his mind, causing a jolt in his heart—the old road they had been chasing for so long was no longer just words on paper, but real nodes laid out before all the Post Station teams, which anyone could contest, anyone could seize!

Just then, from the highest point of the Post Station stone plaza, a short and powerful bell chime rang out!

This bell chime instantly suppressed all the chaotic noise on the stone plaza. Everyone subconsciously fell silent, their gazes uniformly cast toward the combat map wall—the first round of nodes was about to open!

The several Military Court map officers in front of the combat map wall stepped back simultaneously. The large map in the very center, covered by a black cloth, was suddenly unveiled, and a blinding red light instantly lit up, illuminating the entire wall!

This was not a complete map of the ruins, but only the first-stage combat map available for the outer Post Station. The mountain lines, faults, dead ditches, old walls, and fire veins on it were all clearly marked in red and grey. On the outermost circle, there were also the shadows of three main nodes that had not yet fully lit up; they were precisely the three places everyone was discussing: Grey Stele Post, Outer Fire Well, and Rift Gate Fire Bridge.

Qiao Ye stared at the combat map wall, his breathing growing light, and he lowered his voice: "It really is just these three nodes. It looks like the first round is going to be a real scramble!"

Wen Zhao did not answer him, his gaze growing increasingly heavy—everyone could see that these three nodes affected the whole situation. Whoever touched one of them first would cause the tactics for the entire outer area to change accordingly, potentially even determining subsequent life and death.

The Military Court map officer did not keep them in suspense, raising his hand and slamming the first Post Station combat order heavily onto the combat map wall!

As the black-bottomed, red-patterned combat order landed, the shadow of the node on the far left of the combat map wall immediately lit up with a "hum"—it was not the Fire Well everyone had guessed, nor was it the Rift Gate Fire Bridge, but a point pressed at the edge of the outer area, which looked the most inconspicuous and the most like old ruins—Grey Stele Post!

In front of the combat map wall, there was first a deathly silence. Everyone was stunned, clearly not having expected that the first round would open this seemingly useless old Post Station; immediately afterward, the entire stone plaza was like someone had thrown a fire into ash, instantly exploding into chaos!

"Opening the Post Station in the first round? Is the Military Court crazy?" "No, the Military Court must have a plan. Opening the Post Station first is to find a foothold for the Post Station and control the supply rights!" "That's right! Whoever seizes the Grey Stele Post can get the first supply and recovery rights, and will have a massive advantage when seizing other nodes later!"

Everyone was discussing it, their expressions varied—some surprised, some ecstatic, some unwilling. Only Lu Jin, staring at that glowing grey-red node, felt his gaze slowly sink, his expression growing increasingly grave.

Ning Yanqiu stood to his left, her voice extremely low, carrying a hint of certainty: "It matches the first station on the sealed scroll."

Lu Jin nodded slowly, his fingertips tightening slightly—not only did it match, but it was faster than he had anticipated. The first round of the Post Station was opening precisely that old supply marker route, the very first point to truly land on.

On the combat map wall, the four characters for Grey Stele Post shone brighter and brighter, like a leaping flame, illuminating everyone's eyes—a life-and-death struggle surrounding the old Post Station was about to begin!