392: Chapter 392 Zhenhai City!

Lin Shui's voice rang out calmly, breaking the brief silence that had fallen over the crowd upon witnessing this scene.

He took the lead, his figure disappearing into the deep entrance of the passage.

The team followed closely behind, stepping into the passage in an orderly fashion according to their queue.

The interior of the passage was not long, only about a dozen meters, and the walls on both sides were made of the same dark gray material, smooth and cold.

"This passage,"

Lin Shui's voice echoed within the passage, clearly reaching the ears of every student,

"The outer wall is primarily constructed from the Rank Seven ore 'Mystic Heavy Realm-Suppressing Stone,' mixed with various rare materials, and reinforced with solidification arrays inscribed by array masters.

It cannot be opened without a specific power to activate the corresponding array eye."

His pace was steady, and his voice was neither fast nor slow.

"This passage is one of the dedicated routes connecting the Modu University of Martial Arts campus with the front-line base of the East Sea's Zhenhai Battlefield.

Your journey there this time, as well as your return after completing your missions in the future, must all pass through here."

He paused slightly, his tone becoming a bit heavier: "When returning, you must follow the military's unified scheduling and approval, returning in batches as a group. You must never leave the team or return alone.

Keep this firmly in mind. Do you understand?"

"Understood!"

A synchronized response rang out in the passage, carrying the resonance and determination of the youth.

They soon reached the end of the passage.

At the exit on the other side, a soldier in dark red armor stood with a halberd, surrounded by a murderous aura.

The soldier's gaze was like lightning, sweeping over Lin Shui as he walked out, then scrutinizing each student who followed.

He seemed to be verifying their identities and status.

After a moment, the soldier nodded slightly and stepped aside to clear the way.

As the team fully emerged from the passage, the scene before them suddenly opened up.

The first thing they felt was the sea breeze hitting their faces, carrying a heavy, salty, and damp scent.

The low, rhythmic sound of waves reached their ears from the distance.

Along with the even more distant, faint sounds of rhythmic shouting and the clashing of metal.

They were standing on an extremely wide, grayish-white sandy beach.

The beach stretched out to the left and right, with no end in sight.

The beach was empty; aside from their newly arrived team, there was no one else.

Only in the far distance could several towering watchtowers and the sharp outlines of dark buildings be vaguely seen.

The team continued forward.

The sea breeze grew stronger, its damp, fishy saltiness constantly buffeting everyone's faces and bodies.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, at the edge of their vision, the outline of a city slowly revealed its majestic and silent form amidst the hazy sea mist and daylight.

It was a giant city with a style vastly different from inland cities.

The city walls were not built of ordinary bluestone or bricks, but were entirely a deep, almost ink-blue color.

The material was neither metal nor jade; its surface was smooth as a mirror, yet at certain angles, it reflected fine, star-like blue crystalline light.

Even more eye-catching was the layer of pale blue light enveloping the entire city's perimeter.

The light barrier flowed slowly like ripples on water; though it looked thin, it gave off a sense of indestructible weight.

It wasn't completely transparent, making the scene inside the city appear somewhat hazy.

On the surface of the barrier, complex runes flashed occasionally, clearly part of some powerful, permanent defensive array.

Atop the city walls and within a few yards outside the barrier, squads of soldiers in standard dark green armor could be seen patrolling.

Their steps were perfectly synchronized, their sharp gazes scanning every inch of the land and sea outside the walls.

Their weapons glinted with a cold light under the reflection of the ethereal blue glow.

A chilling aura of slaughter wafted toward them, even from a distance.

"Is this... Zhenhai City?"

Someone in the team exclaimed in a low voice.

Lin Shui did not look back, his pace never faltering as his voice reached everyone's ears clearly: "Indeed, this city is named 'Zhenhai.' It is the core rear base for the stationed soldiers to rest and resupply."

"The main body of the city wall is constructed from rare materials like 'Deep Sea Profound Crystal Steel' mixed with 'Blue Obsidian,' and array masters were commissioned to engrave multiple layers of complex defensive arrays.

The blue light you see on the outside is the manifestation of the 'Vast Ocean Canopy' array, which is strong enough to withstand continuous attacks from Rank Seven experts.

More importantly, it serves as a vital barrier against the innate water-based attacks of the Sea Race."

After the guards verified their transit permits, the team slowly passed through the heavy city gates and entered the city.

The scene inside the city once again exceeded the expectations of many young martial artists.

There was none of the expected urban bustle or heavy traffic, nor were there exquisite pavilions, shops, or taverns.

What met their eyes were large areas of uniform, orderly rows of military tents.

Occasionally, some buildings constructed from sturdy stone or metal could be seen.

Most were essential facilities such as warehouses, workshops, command centers, and medical stations.

The style was rugged and practical, without any superfluous decoration.

Soldiers in a hurry were everywhere; some had just come off sentry duty, their faces etched with fatigue.

Some were checking and maintaining their weapons with focused expressions.

Others were conducting small-scale tactical drills, their shouts short and powerful.

The entire city was like a massive and precise war machine, with every part operating according to schedule.

Lin Shui's voice continued: "Zhenhai City faces the most turbulent part of the main sea region.

Directly in front of it, an elite main legion of fifty thousand men is permanently stationed.

They are specifically responsible for dealing with large-scale assaults from the Sea Race; the pressure is highest here, and battles are most frequent."

He turned slightly and pointed toward the distance on both sides of the city. "On the left and right flanks of the main city, two smaller satellite cities have been built according to the terrain.

Each satellite city has about ten thousand troops stationed permanently. Working with the navy, they are responsible for guarding and pinning down the alien races in the flanking sea areas, as well as clearing out roaming enemy scouts.

The three form a pincer formation, creating a complete coastal defense line."

The students walked while digesting this information, their expressions varied.

After walking through the sea of tents for a while, the team arrived at a relatively open area.

A large tent stood here, its scale significantly larger than those around it, with command flags and markers at its entrance, clearly one of the command centers.

Before they could get close, the tent flap was pulled open, and a middle-aged man in a crisp deep blue officer's uniform with shining epaulettes strode out.

He was about forty years old, with a resolute face and eyes as sharp as lightning.

His aura was restrained, yet he naturally possessed the majesty of one who had long held a high position and made life-and-death decisions.

"Dean Lin," the middle-aged officer said respectfully to Lin Shui.

"Cang Hai, I'm leaving these sprouts from the university to you this time."

Lin Shui got straight to the point, taking out a neatly folded piece of paper and handing it over. "This contains some of their basic information. Arrange their tasks as you see fit, based on the actual needs of the front line and their individual characteristics."

The officer called "Cang Hai" took the note with both hands and responded solemnly, "Yes, please rest assured, Dean."

Having finished his instructions, Lin Shui said no more. With a slight nod to the students, he turned and left, his figure quickly disappearing among the tents.

He had completely handed the students over to the front-line officer. This in itself was an attitude—here, everything must follow military orders, and the academy's halo would temporarily take a back seat.