170: Chapter 170 Departure for Thunder Prison Volcano! Is the Guide Girl a Little Fierce?

Early the next morning.

Lin Fan was woken up by his phone ringing.

He rolled over on the corridor bench and nearly fell to the floor.

Caller ID: Instructor Lei Zhan.

"What is it?"

"I've dealt with all the people you wanted. The other two nurses in the hospital with ties to Tianlong have been taken away by the Martial Arts Association, and their statements are basically the same as Attending Physician Zhou Zheng's."

"Good."

"There's one more thing," Instructor Lei Zhan's tone was a bit subtle, "Did you offend some big shot?"

"I've offended plenty of big shots. Which one are you talking about?"

"Early this morning, two Level 4 Grandmaster Awakened appeared near the hospital. They stayed for ten minutes and then left. It looked like they were scouting."

Lin Fan sat up.

"What direction did they come from?"

"Northwest."

Northwest again.

"I've already recorded their movement patterns and will send them to you."

"Alright, thanks."

"Don't thank me. Just don't knock on my door at three in the morning asking me to hit you next time."

"No promises."

Instructor Lei Zhan hung up.

Lin Fan got up, stretched his limbs, and pushed open the ward door.

Lin Yue was already awake, sitting on the bed. Her spirits were much better than yesterday.

Xia Wanqiu was feeding her porridge, while Murong Yan was leaning against the window, scrolling through her phone.

"Brother!"

Lin Yue's eyes lit up when she saw Lin Fan.

"Good morning," Lin Fan walked over and touched her forehead. Her temperature was normal. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better! My chest doesn't feel tight anymore, and..." Lin Yue raised her arm and clenched her fist, "I feel like I have some strength in my hands now."

Lin Fan felt a stir in his heart.

The short-term restorative effects of the vein cleansing agent were indeed working.

After stopping those suppressive drugs from Tianlong, the effects became even more apparent.

"Can you eat?"

"Yes! The porridge that Sister Xia Wanqiu made is delicious!"

Being called "Sister," the tips of Xia Wanqiu's ears turned red.

Lin Fan glanced at the porridge. It was nourishing porridge with added spiritual ginseng slices, which helped with meridian recovery.

"Not bad. From now on, you're in charge of taking care of my sister."

"I'm not your family's nanny." Although she said that, Xia Wanqiu scooped another spoonful of porridge for Lin Yue, her movements incredibly gentle.

Lin Fan turned to look at Murong Yan, "Are you ready for the Thunder Prison Volcano trip?"

"I can leave anytime," Murong Yan pocketed her phone, "But, what about your sister..."

"I've already arranged everything," Lin Fan pulled up the information on his phone, "Head Nurse Qin Ya is keeping watch here, Instructor Lei Zhan has arranged for two people from the Martial Arts Association to be on the hospital perimeter, and Li Youwei's informants will also monitor Tianlong's movements."

"You're quite trusting of that Li Youwei."

"She has a vendetta against Tianlong, and her brother is still in their hands. She wants to take down Tianlong more than anyone else. Our interests are aligned."

Murong Yan huffed and didn't say anything else.

Lin Yue tilted her head on the bed, looking at Lin Fan, then at Xia Wanqiu and Murong Yan, and spoke softly.

"Brother, are you going on a long trip?"

"Yeah, just a trip to a volcano. I'll be back in two or three days."

"A volcano... will it be dangerous?"

"No, it's just to soak in a hot spring."

Lin Yue stared at him for three seconds, then handed over the dried sweet potato in her hand.

"Then take this with you and eat it if you're hungry."

Lin Fan took it and stuffed it into his pocket.

"I'll bring you a gift when I get back."

"Okay."

Lin Yue smiled. Although her face was still a bit pale, that smile made Lin Fan feel much more at ease.

Three months.

He had three months.

That was enough.

An hour later, Jiangcheng Airport.

Lin Fan, Xia Wanqiu, and Murong Yan stood in the departure lounge.

Destination: Southern Frontier, where the Thunder Prison Volcano was located.

Luosha arranged a private jet, and the school paid for it. Lin Fan was very satisfied with that.

After the plane took off, Lin Fan leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes to rest.

Xia Wanqiu was reading the data on the Thunder Prison Volcano on her tablet next to him.

Murong Yan sat opposite them, her legs propped up on the back of the front seat, a highly arrogant posture.

"Thunder Prison Volcano, an S-rank Secret Realm, is active year-round with a large number of high-level fire and lightning-attribute monsters,"

Xia Wanqiu read the data,

"there are currently three known Level 7 Monsters: the Flame Prison Flood Dragon, the Thunder Flame Giant Python, and the Lava Demon Ape."

"Hmm, three Level 7s," Lin Fan counted on his fingers, "One for warming up, one for leveling up, and one for dessert."

"Are you talking about fighting monsters or eating?"

"Is there a difference? To me, they're all a feast."

Xia Wanqiu was speechless and continued reading.

"Additionally, there is an unknown creature suspected to be Level 8 that haunts the core area of the volcano. So far, no one has successfully approached that area."

"A Level 8?" Lin Fan's interest was piqued.

"The data says the temperature within five kilometers of the core area exceeds 3,000 degrees. An ordinary Level 5 Martial King can't last ten minutes in that temperature."

"3,000 degrees," Lin Fan rubbed his hands together, "Hot enough."

"What are you happy about?" Murong Yan kicked him from across the aisle, "Can you withstand 3,000 degrees?"

"If I can't withstand it, I'll upgrade until I can," Lin Fan said matter-of-factly, "Anyway, the hotter it is, the more Defense increases. The hotter, the more satisfying."

"...The word you say the most in your life is 'satisfying'."

"Don't you think this word has charm? In just one word, it expresses the most instinctive human happiness."

"Shut up."

Three hours later, the plane landed in Red Stone City in the Southern Frontier.

As soon as they left the airport, a wave of heat hit them.

This city was only 80 kilometers away from the Thunder Prison Volcano, and the air was filled with a faint smell of sulfur.

"Luosha said the guide is waiting for us at the exit."

Lin Fan took out his phone, ready to dial.

"Are you Lin Fan?"

A voice came from the side.

Lin Fan turned his head.

A woman was standing by a pillar next to the exit with her arms crossed.

She was about 1.7 meters tall, with short black hair tied in a neat ponytail, and her skin was a healthy honey color from the sun.

She was wearing a black tight-fitting combat suit with the zipper pulled up to her collarbone.

The muscle lines on her shoulders and arms were firm but not exaggerated. A short blade hung at her waist, and there were scorch marks on her boots.

Her features were heroic, with thick, straight eyebrows, a sharp nose bridge, thin lips, and a cold expression.

Her entire demeanor could be summed up in two words: tough fighter.

"Mu Qing?"

"Yeah."

"The guide sent by the Martial Arts Association?"

"Yeah."

"Level 5 Martial King?"

"Are you done asking?"

Lin Fan nodded, "First impression, eight points. I'm deducting two points because your attitude isn't very enthusiastic."

Mu Qing's eyebrows twitched.

"I'm here to carry out a mission, not to wait on you."

"Understandable," Lin Fan smiled, "Let me introduce myself first. My name is Lin Fan, a student at Modu Martial Arts University. This is Xia Wanqiu, my exclusive healer, and this is Murong Yan, my chief sparring partner."

"I know who you are," Mu Qing looked Lin Fan up and down, "The pervert from the National League who just stood there and took hits."

"You watched the match?"

"Watched the live replay three times."

"Oh? Which part did you watch three times?"

"The part where you were forced to your knees by Hundred-Fold Gravity," Mu Qing's mouth twitched, "It was very stress-relieving."

Murong Yan snorted with laughter behind them.

Xia Wanqiu also turned her head away, her shoulders shaking.

Lin Fan, "...You're quite the snarky guide."

Mu Qing ignored him and took a folded map out of her pocket, unfolding it.

"Thunder Prison Volcano is divided into the outer area, middle area, and core area. The outer area is the activity range for Level 4 to Level 5 Monsters, the middle area has Level 6 to Level 7 Monsters, and the core area..."

She paused.

"I've never been to the core area. Everyone who went in never came out."

"Doesn't that make it tailor-made for me?" Lin Fan said enthusiastically.

Mu Qing looked at him with a subtle expression.

"Do you know how many teams I've led into the Thunder Prison Volcano?"

"How many?"

"Thirty-seven."

"How many came out alive?"

"Thirty-six."

"What about that one?"

"They stupidly rushed into the core area themselves," Mu Qing folded the map, "There were five of them, all Level 5 Peak Martial King, and not even their ashes were left."

"A Level 5 Martial King didn't even have ashes left?" Lin Fan gasped.

But the way he gasped wasn't out of fear, but like someone smelling delicious food.

Mu Qing clearly noticed this too.

"...Are you sick?"

"You're the twenty-third person to ask me that," Lin Fan gave a thumbs up, "Congratulations."

"I don't want that ranking."

"Don't be modest."

Mu Qing took a deep breath and held it in.

"Let me state the rules. Once we go in, I'm responsible for navigation and early warning. Fighting is your own business; I won't participate. Follow my route. When I say retreat, we retreat. No room for negotiation."

"What if I don't want to retreat?"

"Then I'll retreat alone."

"How ruthless."

"I say that to every team."

"Fine," Lin Fan clapped his hands, "Let's go."

"Now?" Mu Qing frowned, "Don't you want to rest first? Adjust your state?"

"My state is always adjusted," Lin Fan twisted his neck, which made a few cracking sounds, "Let's go. I'm in a hurry. I need to get my Defense Level to over 50 within three months."

"You're crazy."

"You're the twenty-third person to say that too," Lin Fan took two steps forward, turned back to look at Mu Qing, and smiled brightly, "Guide Mu, just be responsible for taking me to the most painful place, that's all."

Mu Qing stared at his back for three seconds, then turned to look at Xia Wanqiu and Murong Yan.

"Is he really this kind of person?"

Xia Wanqiu smiled, "You'll get used to it."

Murong Yan patted Mu Qing on the shoulder, "Don't overthink it. Follow him; he'll be the one blocking the hits. You just need to lead the way."

Mu Qing was silent for two seconds.

Then she pulled the strap of the short blade at her waist and followed Lin Fan's pace.

The four of them took an off-road vehicle, left Red Stone City, and headed south along a gravel road.

The vegetation on both sides of the road became increasingly sparse, black volcanic rock began to appear on the ground, the air became drier, and the temperature continued to climb.

After driving for forty minutes, a huge rift valley appeared ahead.

The edge of the rift valley glowed orange-red, and the flowing magma below could be vaguely seen.

Mu Qing parked the car on a platform at the edge of the rift valley.

"We're here. We enter the outer area from here."

The four of them got out of the car.

Lin Fan stood at the edge of the rift valley and looked down.

The heat wave surged up from below, making his face feel a bit hot.

The volcano in the distance was half-hidden in black smoke, and occasionally a muffled thunderous sound came from inside the mountain, with the ground vibrating slightly.

"I smell it," Lin Fan sniffed, a nearly obsessive look appearing on his face.

"Smell what?" Mu Qing asked.

"The smell of experience points."

"..."

Mu Qing took a deep breath and did three seconds of mental preparation in her heart.

Then she took a climbing rope out of her backpack and tied it to a rock pillar at the edge of the rift valley.

"Follow me closely. The Rock Fire Lizards in the outer area are gregarious; once you disturb one, it will attract the whole group."

"A whole group?" Lin Fan's voice suddenly changed pitch, "How many?"

"At least thirty or forty."

"That many?"

"So don't..."

"Great!"

Lin Fan jumped straight off the edge of the rift valley.

He didn't use the rope.

He just jumped like that.

Mu Qing froze in place, the expression on her face going from surprise to shock to speechlessness; the whole process took only one second.

"He jumped?"

"You'll get used to it." Xia Wanqiu was already tying the rope.

Murong Yan rolled her eyes, "He's like this every time, more impatient than a monkey."

Lin Fan's voice came from below the rift valley, far away, but full of energy.

"It's so hot down here! Satisfying! Hurry up!"

Immediately following was a dense series of hissing sounds.

Then came Lin Fan's even louder shouting.

"Hahahaha! Lizards! Come on! All together! First come, first served!"

Mu Qing stood there blankly for three seconds.

Then she untied the rope and rubbed her temples.

"Is there something wrong with his brain?"

"Yes, and it's a serious case," Murong Yan was already climbing down, "Don't just stand there, little guide, let's go down, or he'll snatch up all the monsters in a while."

Mu Qing glanced at the increasingly dense explosions and Lin Fan's increasingly excited laughter below the rift valley.

She suddenly had a strong premonition.

This mission might become the most absurd one in her career as a guide.

And she was likely right.