227: Scouting Hummingbirds and a First Look at the Fog

In response to the unusual movements in the Misty Ghost Domain, the base's technical resources were fully mobilized.

Senior Brother Li and Ying led the technical team, combining the stabilization properties of the spirit purifying pill with the natural resistance of Star Power against negative energy to begin the emergency development of anti-interference reconnaissance Magical Artifacts.

A few days later, the first batch of improved Scout hummingbird units and bedrock communication talisman units were fresh off the line.

The new Scout hummingbird was only the size of a sparrow, with a shell crafted from a lightweight star iron alloy, covered by a thin layer of calming moss that could absorb and neutralize spiritual fluctuations.

Its core drive and sensor Systems had been redesigned, resulting in stronger resistance to energy turbulence and improved stability and range for image transmission.

The bedrock communication talisman looked more like a palm-sized metal plate engraved with complex star runes.

Once activated, it could form a weak but stable Star Power field around the holder, effectively resisting spiritual erosion, and could conduct short-range, anti-interference voice and information transmission through star resonance within a certain distance, making it far more reliable than traditional sound-transmitting jade talismans.

Good stuff! Zhao Iron Pillar picked up a bedrock communication talisman and input a trace of Star Power.

The surface of the talisman immediately lit up with soft starlight, forming an invisible barrier that enveloped him, and he immediately felt a sense of clarity in his mind.

With this thing on, I feel like my brain is a lot sharper!

Wen Youyi also tested it, and the results were indeed significant.

Although it could not completely immunize against powerful spiritual attacks, it should provide excellent protection against the potential spiritual interference on the periphery of the Misty Ghost Domain.

With the equipment ready, the reconnaissance mission was immediately scheduled.

This time, Wen Youyi decided to lead the team personally.

It was not that he did not trust others, but the situation in the Misty Ghost Domain was special, possibly involving spatial or rule-level anomalies, which required his sensing ability from the star core and his judgment of the overall situation to handle.

The reconnaissance team was lean and elite: Wen Youyi led the team personally, Zhao Iron Pillar served as the main combatant and guard, Wang Wu was responsible for reconnaissance and information recording, and Mu Wanqing accompanied them to provide medical support and deal with potential abnormal states such as poison barriers and curses.

In addition, they brought ten improved Scout hummingbird units and plenty of bedrock communication talisman units, as well as various types of Medicinal Pill.

The ark of hope set sail quietly once again, carrying the reconnaissance team toward the endless swamp where the Misty Ghost Domain was located.

A few days later, the ark arrived at the outskirts of the endless swamp.

Looking down from high altitude, below was a boundless, dead world composed of dark green waters, rotting vegetation, and exposed black mudflats.

In the deepest part of the swamp, a massive, gray-purple fog wall that seemed to connect heaven and earth was clearly visible; that was the Misty Ghost Domain!

Even from a great distance, one could feel the unsettling, oppressive aura emanating from the fog.

The range of the fog... has indeed expanded significantly compared to the records.

Wang Wu compared the map in his hand, his expression grave.

Wen Youyi nodded: The ark will hover here and activate maximum stealth.

We will approach using the small landing craft.

The small landing craft moved like a flying fish skimming the water, silently heading toward the edge of the fog.

The closer they got, the stronger the feeling of oppression became.

The air was filled with a faint, fishy-sweet smell, and faint, distracting whispers seemed to begin appearing in their ears.

Activate the communication talismans!

Wen Youyi ordered.

Everyone immediately activated their bedrock communication talisman.

Soft starlight enveloped their bodies, and the annoying whispering immediately diminished by more than half, and their minds returned to clarity.

This thing really works!

Zhao Iron Pillar shook his head and grinned.

The landing craft stopped at a relatively solid mudflat about five miles from the edge of the fog.

Everyone got off the craft and hid in a grove of dead, strange trees.

Release the hummingbirds!

Wen Youyi signaled.

Wang Wu controlled three Scout hummingbird units, which flew silently like real birds toward the fog that seemed to be slowly writhing as if it had life, with dark purple light rolling out from its edges from time to time.

Through the images sent back by the hummingbirds, everyone could see more clearly.

The edge of the fog was not stationary but was pushing outward extremely slowly, devouring the original swamp.

Visibility inside the fog was extremely low, the images were blurry and distorted from time to time, and one could only vaguely see some twisted, strange plant shadows and traces of cracked ground.

The low, non-human roars, captured by the hummingbirds, also became clearer, which was hair-raising.

Watch the three o'clock direction!

Wang Wu suddenly whispered.

In the blurry image transmitted by one hummingbird, a body of water near the edge of the fog suddenly churned violently.

A huge, mucus-covered, tumor-ridden tentacle-like black shadow suddenly reached out and quickly retracted back into the depths of the fog!

What the hell is that?!

Zhao Iron Pillar widened his eyes.

Mu Wanqing carefully observed the image, her beautiful brows furrowed: It doesn't look like any known Yao Beast... its form is twisted, full of... malice.

It looks like a product contaminated or twisted by some kind of power.

Just then, another hummingbird that had flown a little further captured an even more shocking image—in a moment when the fog was relatively thin, a huge, broken stone architectural outline, with a style completely different from modern buildings, seemed to appear vaguely in its depths, like a corner of the ruins of some sunken city!

But the image flashed and disappeared, and the fog closed in again.

Architectural ruins!

Wen Youyi was deeply shocked!

This could almost certainly confirm that the interior of the Misty Ghost Domain was definitely not simple!

That was likely the ruin related to the Return to Ruins!

However, before they could continue observing, an accident happened!

A hummingbird that had approached the fog suddenly sent back a sharp alarm and a violently shaking image, as if it had been attacked by something!

Immediately after, the signal was interrupted!

Almost at the same time, everyone felt a cold, violent spiritual shock wave rushing toward them from the direction of the fog like a tide!

Even with the protection of the bedrock communication talisman, they felt a sense of palpitation and dizziness!

Not good! We've been discovered! Retreat!

Wen Youyi made a decisive decision.

Everyone did not hesitate, quickly boarded the landing craft, engines full blast, and sped toward the direction of the ark.

Behind them, the gray-purple fog surged violently, as if something had been alarmed, emitting even angrier and clearer roars, and the speed of the fog's expansion seemed to have increased slightly!

It was not until the landing craft rendezvoused with the ark and quickly ascended to get away that the feeling of being locked on and the palpitation gradually disappeared.

The first reconnaissance, although it lost a hummingbird, had huge gains!

It confirmed the expansion of the fog and the abnormal creatures inside, and more importantly, captured key information about the possible existence of ancient architectural ruins!

There... must be secrets hidden there!

Wen Youyi looked back at the ominous foggy area that was gradually shrinking, his eyes incomparably firm.

Next time, they might really have to step into this ghost domain!