218: Lightning rescue and "smoke grenade" tactics

Inside the council chamber, the atmosphere was grave yet swift.

Wen Youyi, Zhao Iron Pillar, Senior Brother Li, and Mu Wanqing, who had rushed over from the Alchemy Workshop, gathered around the sand table.

The sand table was already marked with the general terrain of the Blackwood Forest and the estimated area where the Peddler's last signal was emitted.

"The situation is as follows," Wen Youyi succinctly recounted the emergency.

"The Peddler is in imminent danger. It is highly likely that there is a Scavenger among the enemies. A frontal assault is inadvisable; we must finish this quickly and retreat in a single strike."

Zhao Iron Pillar rubbed his hands together: "Boss, just tell me what to do and I'll do it! It's the perfect time to test my newly Breakthrough-ed cultivation and my gear!"

He patted the broadsword on his back, which had been modified by "Flowing Silver" to look even more ferocious and heavy.

Although Mu Wanqing was concerned about refining the spirit purifying pill, she knew the situation was urgent.

She analyzed calmly: "The environment of the Blackwood Forest is complex, filled with poisonous miasma, and visibility is obstructed. This is both a disadvantage and an advantage."

"The disadvantage is that it is difficult for us to spot the enemy, but the advantage is that it is also difficult for the enemy to spot us. Furthermore, the complex environment can interfere with many detection methods."

Senior Brother Li pushed up his glasses and pointed to several spots on the sand table: "We can utilize this. I suggest we do not break directly into the core area, but rather create chaos on the periphery to lure the tiger away from the mountain!"

"Explain in detail," Wen Youyi encouraged.

Senior Brother Li clearly had a plan ready: "We can deploy some 'gadgets.' One type is the 'Phantom Talisman Puppet,' which can simulate powerful energy fluctuations and life signs to attract enemy attention; another is 'Restless Spirit Dust,' a fine powder that can make the Spiritual Qi in a certain area extremely violent and chaotic for a short time, interfering with perception and Spell casting; finally, we can also prepare a few high-power 'Heaven-Shattering Thunders.' Not for lethality, but to create a larger commotion and energy explosion to completely muddy the waters!"

Wen Youyi's eyes lit up: "Good idea! Using smoke bombs and a feint! Iron Pillar, you lead the combat team, equipped with the strongest concealment Talismans and the anti-poison pills provided by Senior Sister Mu. Take advantage of the chaos to cut in from the flank, locate, and rescue the Peddler."

He looked at Mu Wanqing: "Senior Sister Mu, this time we need you to come with us. Your Medicinal Pill knowledge and understanding of pharmacology and toxicology are crucial in a place like the Blackwood Forest."

"Also, bring all the basic Medicinal Pills just refined, especially those for healing and recovering Spiritual Qi."

Mu Wanqing nodded without hesitation: "It is my duty."

Wen Youyi finally looked at Senior Brother Li: "Senior Brother Li, you are responsible for remote support and extraction."

"Control the hummingbird Puppet to monitor from high altitude and provide us with vision. Once we rescue the person and send the signal, you must immediately activate the preset interference Formation to cover our retreat to the designated meeting point, then activate the short-distance teleportation Formation to return directly to the ark!"

The plan was meticulous, and the division of labor was clear.

The base began to operate efficiently again.

Senior Brother Li took the technical team to rush the production of "Phantom Talisman Puppets" and "Restless Spirit Dust," while Zhao Iron Pillar selected elite team members and checked the equipment.

Mu Wanqing opened the Alchemy Workshop's warehouse and sorted and packed various Medicinal Pills.

Half an hour later, everything was ready.

The "ark of hope" quietly ascended again, using its excellent stealth performance to arrive silently above the outskirts of the Blackwood Forest.

Through the observation Formation, one could see the vast forest land below, shrouded in grey-black miasma, filled with danger amidst the dead silence.

"Begin operation!" Wen Youyi ordered.

The hatch at the bottom of the ark opened, and several "Phantom Talisman Puppets" were dropped down.

After landing, these Talisman Puppets immediately simulated the Spiritual Qi fluctuations of a Late Stage Qi Refining Cultivator and moved rapidly in the opposite direction of the Peddler's location.

Immediately after, specially made containers exploded at different locations in the forest.

Colorless and odorless "Restless Spirit Dust" permeated, and the surrounding Spiritual Qi began to become restless.

Sure enough, within the time it takes to burn half a stick of incense, shouting and the sounds of energy collisions came from deep in the forest!

The enemy's attention was successfully diverted!

"Now! Move!"

Zhao Iron Pillar roared low, taking the lead and leaping out of the ark like a cheetah, blending into the miasma below.

Wen Youyi, Mu Wanqing, and four other elite team members followed closely behind.

Upon entering the Blackwood Forest, a sense of oppression rushed towards them.

The light was dim, and the smell of humus mixed with a faint, fishy-sweet poisonous miasma made people dizzy.

Fortunately, with Mu Wanqing's anti-poison pills, a cool sensation protected everyone's heart meridians.

"This way!" Relying on the faint sensing of the Peddler's signal source and the blurred guidance sent back by the high-altitude hummingbird, Wen Youyi led the team to move quickly through the tangled giant trees and muddy swamps.

Along the way, they saw traces of battle—broken trees and scorched earth—showing what kind of bitter fight the Peddler had gone through.

Suddenly, Zhao Iron Pillar, who was leading the way, stopped abruptly and made a warning gesture.

On a relatively open swamp clearing ahead, a blood-covered figure was leaning against a dead tree, struggling to wield a short blade, resisting the siege of three Discipline Hall Disciples.

It was the Peddler!

Its Aura was withered, clearly at the end of its tether.

Outside the battle circle, a silver-robed, expressionless figure was quietly floating three feet above the ground, cold eyes scanning the battlefield.

It was the Scavenger!

It did not seem to be directly participating in the attack, but rather... analyzing the Peddler's combat data and energy characteristics?

"Attack!" Wen Youyi decided decisively.

Zhao Iron Pillar was like a tiger out of its cage, his heavy sword carrying a violent Aura as he rushed directly at the three Discipline Hall Disciples!

"Your grandpa is here!"

The three Disciples were startled by this sudden attack and met it in a rush.

Wen Youyi and Mu Wanqing struck at the same time.

Wen Youyi pressed his hands into the void, and his Star Domain instantly expanded.

It was not an attack, but a powerful binding force field that covered the Scavenger!

Mu Wanqing gently raised her jade hands, and several emerald green vines drilled out of the swamp like poisonous snakes, entangling the Scavenger's feet!

Their goal was not to defeat the Scavenger, but to trap it, even if only for a few breaths!

The Scavenger clearly did not expect such a well-coordinated surprise attack.

Its silver body stalled slightly in the Star Domain force field and was then entangled by the suddenly appearing vines, its movements instantly slowing down.

"Now!" Wen Youyi shouted.

A team member who had been prepared long ago rushed forward and fiercely threw a high-power "Heaven-Shattering Thunder," specially made by Senior Brother Li, at the open space between the Scavenger and the three Discipline Hall Disciples!

"BOOM—!!!"

A deafening explosion sounded, dirt mixed with swamp sewage rushed into the sky, and violent energy turbulence instantly swept through the area!

The three Discipline Hall Disciples were blasted into a mess, and the Scavenger was also submerged by the shockwave of the explosion and the subsequent energy turbulence aggravated by the "Restless Spirit Dust."

Its scanning beam flickered violently, temporarily losing its target lock.

Taking this opportunity, Zhao Iron Pillar had already swept away the three Discipline Hall Disciples who were stunned by the explosion like a whirlwind, and Wang Wu carried the dying Peddler on his back.

"Retreat!" Wen Youyi retracted his Domain, not lingering in the fight.

The team followed the predetermined route and quickly withdrew, their figures disappearing into the dense miasma and trees.

A few breaths later, the energy turbulence subsided slightly.

The Scavenger broke free from the vines, its silver body covered in mud.

It looked in the direction where Wen Youyi and the others had disappeared with cold eyes.

It did not chase immediately, but emitted an emotionless fluctuation:

"[High-priority target detected: Unknown interference source, non-standard tactical coordination. Data recorded. Threat Rank increased.]"

It looked down at the three unconscious Discipline Hall Disciples on the ground and the large crater left by the explosion, seemingly re-evaluating something.

At this moment, Wen Youyi's team had already rendezvoused with Senior Brother Li, who was providing extraction.

The light of the short-distance teleportation Formation lit up, and the group disappeared instantly from the Blackwood Forest.

Lightning rescue, successful!

(End of chapter)