97: Chapter 98 Catching a turtle in a jar? Indeed, it was catching a turtle in a jar.

Eastern border, outside Eagle Beak Rock.

The lingering images of the disappearing spatial rift had not yet fully dissipated, and the air was filled with chaotic spatial fluctuations.

Several powerful figures descended almost simultaneously into this area that had just undergone a drastic change.

The leader was none other than the commander of the 7th Legion, Lieutenant General Zhao Weiguo.

His expression was as grave as still water. As his gaze swept over the few empty troop transport vehicles, his fists clenched involuntarily.

Major General Chen Tianhai, Major General Li Wushuang, and other Advanced generals followed closely behind, all of them looking livid.

General Qin Feng was the last to arrive.

His body was still wreathed in violent ripples of Origin Qi, and his aura was somewhat unstable.

When he saw the situation on the scene, especially when he perceived the violent aura belonging to the three Peng Clan demon kings, the pupils of this usually calm Peak Yuanhuang Rank powerhouse contracted sharply.

"Secret Realm opened... Peng Clan ambush... three demon kings..."

General Qin Feng's voice was terrifyingly deep, "How could this happen?!"

"Isn't this just like being trapped like a turtle in a jar?!"

He looked sharply at Major General Li Wushuang: "Old Li! What is going on?! How could the movements of the 7th New Recruit Company be exposed?! And at such a critical location, attracting three Peng Clan demon kings?!"

Major General Li Wushuang's expression was extremely ugly, and he gritted his teeth, "We are investigating! But the situation is not optimistic! That Secret Realm is a randomly opened ancient Secret Realm; the internal situation is unknown, and it takes time to force it open! Furthermore, three Peng Clan demon kings were also sucked in!"

Three Peng Clan demon kings!

These are no ordinary Yao Beasts!

They are frontline elites who have been fighting the Human Race for years, crawling out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood!

Each one possesses combat experience and killing instincts far surpassing those of the same rank!

Their strength is almost equivalent to a half-step Yuan King of the Human Race!

And what about the 7th New Recruit Company?

The strongest, Platoon Leader Sun Hu, is only at the Peak Yuanling Realm.

Most of the other new recruits are merely Yuan Practitioners or Yuan Masters.

Although Xia Youchu is gifted and has just broken through to the Yuanling Realm, facing three tacitly cooperating, bloodthirsty Peng Clan demon kings...

General Qin Feng's heart sank to the bottom.

He had originally planned to give Xia Youchu the gift he had painstakingly applied for from headquarters once she finished her basic training, to serve as an aid for the battle at Luoying Ravine.

It was a special Formation Plate called the Small Heavenly Star Formation Plate. Once activated, it could draw upon the power of the celestial stars for a short time, forming a Star Domain similar to a Yuan Emperor's Domain, sufficient to turn the tide of battle at a critical moment.

For this item, he had almost gotten into a fight with the old guys in the logistics department.

But now... the gift is ready, but the person might be gone?

And right under his nose, ambushed by the damned Peng Clan, and sucked into a dangerous, unknown Secret Realm!

"Investigate! Investigate this to the very end for me!!"

Major General Chen Tianhai's beard and hair stood on end, his eyes wide with rage, and his violent Peak Yuanhuang Rank aura swept out uncontrollably, shattering the surrounding rocks into dust!

"I want to see which traitorous bastard dared to collude with the Peng Clan and harm my Human Race soldiers!!"

Lieutenant General Zhao Weiguo took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the anger and anxiety in his heart, and ordered in a deep voice:

"Immediately attempt to locate and stabilize the Secret Realm entrance. Spare no cost to open a rescue channel as soon as possible!"

"Major General Li Wushuang! Major General Chen Tianhai! You two will personally be responsible for the internal investigation! Control everyone who has come into contact with the mission information of the 7th New Recruit Company! Investigate level by level for me! Dig three feet into the ground if you have to, but drag that traitor out!"

"Seal the news! Do not let this matter spread for now to avoid causing panic and further actions from the Peng Clan!"

"Yes!" The generals ordered in unison, filled with Killing Intent.

Major General Li Wushuang acted extremely quickly.

The Shadow Blade Brigade was originally a special unit responsible for intelligence and purging traitors. Under his personal supervision, clues were quickly gathered.

The mission of the 7th New Recruit Company was issued temporarily, so the scope of those who knew was limited.

Very quickly, the focus of the investigation narrowed down to a few people.

Among them, Logistics Director Zhou Fu and his nephew, the new recruit Zhou Kai, were the most suspicious!

Especially Zhou Kai, who had contacted unidentified personnel multiple times through encrypted channels before the mission set off, behaving suspiciously!

Zhou Kai did not appear outside; he had also been sucked into the Secret Realm.

Thus, Major General Li Wushuang personally led men to find Logistics Director Zhou Fu.

This logistics director's face was ashen, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

Under the interrogation methods of the Shadow Blade Brigade, he quickly broke down, tearfully confessing that Zhou Kai had inquired about the route of the 7th New Recruit Company and threatened to teach Xia Youchu a lesson.

"Idiot! This damned idiot!!"

Logistics Director Zhou Fu pounded the ground, "I warned him! I warned him not to cause trouble! Not only did he not listen, but he actually dared... dared to leak military intelligence?! He deserves to die! He deserves to die!!"

However, no amount of regret could fix it.

Major General Li Wushuang watched this farce expressionlessly and waved his hand, "Take him! Escort him to below the Secret Realm entrance and make him kneel! Await punishment!"

The cold command declared Logistics Director Zhou Fu's fate.

In the military, leaking military secrets leading to major casualties—as his direct superior who knew but didn't report it and failed to discipline him, he was equally culpable!

Soon, Logistics Director Zhou Fu was dragged like a dead dog to the foot of Eagle Beak Rock and made to kneel there.

The soldiers who arrived around them looked at this sinner who had indirectly caused dozens of their comrades to fall into a desperate situation, their eyes almost spitting fire!

General Qin Feng stood not far away, looking at Logistics Director Zhou Fu kneeling on the ground, then looked up at the void hidden with Killing Intent, his eyes as cold as blades.

That scum Zhou Kai had better already be dead in the Secret Realm, otherwise... he would definitely make him pay a price ten thousand times more painful than death!

Xia Youchu... Ling Tian... You must hold on!

...Inside the Secret Realm.

The scenery was completely different from the outside world.

This seemed like a forgotten ancient world.

The sky was a strange dark red, with no sun, moon, or stars; only some strange plants emitting eerie light and floating glowing Ore provided faint illumination.

The air was filled with thick, unmelting Origin Qi, but it was also mixed with a scent of decay and desolation.

The ground was hard, dark red rock, covered with crisscrossing rift valleys and oddly shaped, craggy stone forests.

Some oddly shaped plants grew tenaciously in the cracks of the rocks, emitting scents that were either alluring or dangerous.

Xia Youchu and dozens of new recruits, along with the three Peng Clan demon kings and the dozens of Peng Clan Yao Beasts under their command, were randomly scattered and transported to different areas of this Secret Realm.

After the brief dizziness and the discomfort of spatial transition, the survivors discovered in horror that they were in a completely unfamiliar environment.

"This... where is this?"

"Where have we been transported to?"

"Platoon Leader! Platoon Leader Sun Hu!"

Panicked shouts echoed through the stone forest.

However, the response to them was not the reassurance of comrades, but—

"Screech—!!"

A Peng Clan cry full of violence and excitement!

The three Peng Clan demon kings obviously realized that this was an undeveloped ancient Secret Realm; far from being panicked, their eyes erupted with greedy light!

Such dense Origin Qi! So many strange plants never seen before!

This is simply paradise!

And for them, those scattered, panicked Human Race new recruits were the best blood-food and toys!

"Disperse and hunt! Leave none alive!"

The leading Peng Clan demon king had dark golden wings, and its eyes were sharp as knives; it issued a cold command with its Mental Energy.

It was named Red Feather King, the leader of this squad, and was the most powerful.

The other two demon kings: one had feathers as black as ink, named Dark Feather King.

The other had claws like refined iron, named Iron Claw King, specializing in strength and defense.

As the command was issued, dozens of Peng Clan Yao Beasts pounced on the Human Race new recruits who were alone or gathered together!

"Ah—!!"

Shrill screams instantly pierced the silence of the Secret Realm!

A new recruit at the Yuan Master Realm was ambushed from behind by a Peng Clan Yao Beast; its sharp claws easily tore open his Origin Qi shield and grabbed him into mid-air!

Blood fell like raindrops!

The Peng Clan Yao Beast cruelly tore the new recruit in half in front of the other new recruits below and began to devour him in large mouthfuls!

"No!!!"

"Fight them to the death!!"

Some broke down crying, some roared in despair, and some mustered their courage, picking up weapons to try and resist.

But in the face of an absolute gap in strength, their resistance seemed so pale and powerless.

Platoon Leader Sun Hu, at the Peak Yuanling Realm, held a battle saber, covered in blood, protecting seven or eight new recruits beside him, fighting with two or three Peng Clan Yao Beasts.

But his situation was also precarious, with several wounds deep enough to see bone already on his body.

"Hehehe! Weak humans! Become our nourishment!"

Dark Feather King appeared like a ghost behind a lone new recruit, its pitch-black wings like sharp blades, easily severing the opponent's head, its eyes flashing with cruel pleasure.

Iron Claw King was even more direct; it descended from the sky like a meteorite, smashing into the middle of a group of new recruits, its massive iron claws waving, instantly slapping three or four new recruits into meat paste!

An aura of despair permeated the Secret Realm.

Xia Youchu was transported to a relatively remote part of the stone forest.

Just as she saw the situation around her, she heard screams coming from all directions.

Watching her comrades being cruelly slaughtered, her eyes were as cold as frost.

However, before she could make a move.

A Peng Clan Yao Beast with a wingspan of over five meters, with strength equivalent to a Peak Yuan Master, swooped down towards her.

Its sharp claws aimed directly at her head!

In its view, this lone Human Race female soldier was just another appetizer.

"Seeking death!"

Xia Youchu's eyes turned sharp, and the Swallowing Heaven Demonic Art instantly operated, pitch-black Origin Qi condensing in her palm!

Hum!

Just at this moment, a dark golden figure, as if teleporting, abruptly appeared between her and that Peng Clan Yao Beast!

It was Ling Tian!

His body was too large, and he was still a bit dizzy after experiencing the spatial teleportation.

At this moment, looking at that mongrel bird that dared to attack Xia Youchu without knowing its place, a trace of impatience flashed in his eyes.

He was already a bit depressed because he couldn't fly for the time being, and now these feathered beasts were still flitting about in front of him; it was simply too arrogant!