306: Core Meeting

The smoke and dust dissipated.

At the bottom of the deep pit, violent turbulent energy remained, twisting and spiraling. The spatial nodes, the grayish-white light pillars, and the vortex passages had completely vanished, leaving only a mess behind.

Shang Wan Ning sheathed her sword and landed, her boots crushing charred rocks. Her wrists felt slightly numb; the divine power of the peak eighth-rank consumed a significant amount of energy.

Meng Jiang followed closely behind, her green robes stained with dust, her breathing slightly hurried.

"Your Majesty?"

You Yu led his men forward, warily staring at the turbulence at the bottom of the pit.

"It's temporarily sealed." Shang Wan Ning's voice was slightly hoarse as her gaze swept across the collapsed rift valley and then looked upward.

"But the source is still there, and that's the real trouble."

Meng Jiang steadied her breathing and nodded, "Harder to deal with than Zhu Yan. A Ning, the Underworld needs to make plans early."

"Back to the Netherworld. Let's have a meeting."

Shang Wan Ning gave the order decisively, recalling the son of heaven sword.

"You Yu, take your men to clean up the scene and confirm if there's any residual pollution. Report any anomalies immediately."

"Yes!" You Yu took the order.

Shang Wan Ning and Sister Meng exchanged a look before tearing through space, their figures vanishing into the void... Netherworld, the Council Hall of Jiaotai Palace.

Shang Wan Ning sat in the main seat, her phoenix robe slightly disheveled, a lingering murderous aura between her brows.

Meng Jiang sat on the left, eyes closed as she regulated her breathing, her face slightly pale.

Ling Qi stood on the right, her gaze behind her gold-rimmed glasses calm as water, her fingertips quickly swiping across a floating jade tablet screen.

You Yu's emergency report was projected onto the center of the hall via the system screen:

Location: Demon West Wasteland (Original Rift Valley Coordinates)

Event: On-site investigation after the spatial node explosion.

Results:

1. Node core confirmed destroyed, spatial passage annihilated.

2. Residual energy turbulence level: High-risk (continuously decaying), sealed by the formation of Underworld Soldiers, no approach allowed.

3. High-intensity alien energy residue detected on-site, characteristic analysis match completed—99.8% match with the core pollution source of the ancient ruins in Country F (Code Name: Flesh Broodmother).

4. Captured a small amount of active biological tissue samples (sealed). Structural analysis shows: Not any species known in the Demon, Netherworld, or Human Realm. Highly corrosive with strong spatial affinity.

5. No trace of Zhu Yan's remnants found (presumed swallowed by spatial turbulence or alien species).

Recommendation: Raise the alert level for the entire territory and strengthen monitoring of spatial weak points. Request the transfer of alien samples to the Research Institute for deep analysis.

The text of the report was cold and ominous.

"Flesh Broodmother..."

Shang Wan Ning's fingertips tapped the armrest, each tap echoing in the heavy Yin energy.

"Heh, Sabrina Child's 'toy'."

Ling Qi pushed up her glasses, the lenses reflecting light: "A Ning, You Yu's report confirms our worst fears."

"The power tentacles of the Outer God have already reached into the heart of the Demon. This time it was a node; next time it might be a stable passage."

Meng Jiang opened her eyes, the purple tint in her gaze not yet faded. "The power of those tentacles is very sinister. In a direct confrontation, the Underworld will suffer."

"The energy fluctuations before the node exploded far exceeded the ordinary eighth-rank."

"I know."

Shang Wan Ning interrupted Sister Meng, her phoenix eyes sweeping across the core members of the Underworld present.

"I didn't call you here to discuss whether we can win. It's to discuss how to fight, where to fight, and what to use to fight!"

She stood up, walked to the Netherworld territory map, and pointed her finger heavily at the location of the Demon West Wasteland.

"Passive defense is a dead end."

"Sabrina can open one node, she can open a second, a third! When her army presses down, what will the Underworld use to stop them?"

"Your Majesty means..." Ling Qi's eyes flashed.

"Preemptive strike." Shang Wan Ning's tone was firm as she drew a blood-red 'X' over the region of Country F.

"Before her lair fully awakens, we'll take out her 'Broodmother' and cut off the claws she's stretching out."

A dead silence fell over the hall.

Attacking the lair of an Outer God was a crazy idea that made one's heart skip a beat.

Meng Jiang frowned, "A Ning, the risk is too great. We know nothing about the interior of the Ativi Continent."

"Although Sabrina's true body is sleeping, her followers and polluted forces are by no means easy to deal with."

"If the main force of the Underworld is bogged down in Ativi and the Netherworld is empty, what if the Immortals and Gods of the Source Realm or other Evil Gods take advantage of the opening?"

"Who said we're using the main force?"

The corner of Shang Wan Ning's mouth curled into an arc as she turned to look at Meng Jiang and Ling Qi. "An elite squad, a decapitation strike."

"The goal is clear: destroy the Broodmother core and disrupt its energy cycle. We don't seek annihilation, only to deal a heavy blow and halt her encroachment."

Ling Qi calculated rapidly in her Sea of Consciousness: "An elite squad is feasible. Few people, high mobility, small target—not easy to be cornered by a large-scale encirclement."

"But the candidates and equipment..."

"I will lead the team personally."

"Your Majesty, you cannot." Meng Jiang and Ling Qi spoke in unison.

"Wanling, don't be reckless. You are the pillar of the Netherworld; how can you lightly step into such a dangerous place?" Ling Qi's attitude softened considerably.

Shang Wan Ning raised her hand to suppress their objections: "It's precisely because I am the pillar that I must go! At the peak of the eighth-rank, combined with the son of heaven sword and the Law of Reincarnation, I am the sharpest blade against an Outer God's pollution."

"If anyone else goes, I won't be 'at ease,' nor will they necessarily be able to break through the Broodmother core's defenses."

Her gaze swept over Meng Jiang: "Sister Meng will stay in the Netherworld to oversee the overall situation and guard against any movements from the Source Realm. Ling Qi will be responsible for intelligence and logistical support to ensure the squad has no worries during the operation."

"As for the squad members..."

Shang Wan Ning pondered for a moment. "Judge Tudor must go; his divine office has a natural restraint against filth and evil. A-Yu..."

She paused for a moment but eventually relented.

"Take her. Her 'Demon Affinity' and spatial talent might find a way out in the distorted environment of the Broodmother. Add You Yu for tactical command and external support."

Ling Qi recorded quickly on the jade tablet, her brows furrowed: "The White-Haired Loli? Her cultivation level..."

"Late sixth-rank, that's enough."

"The key is that she's slippery enough and her life is tough enough." Shang Wan Ning made the final decision. "As for equipment, all special equipment from the Research Institute targeting filth and space will be prioritized for the squad."

"Sister Meng, draw a few more dozen of your Reincarnation Karmic Fire Talismans for me."

Seeing the undeniable determination in Shang Wan Ning's eyes, Meng Jiang finally nodded slowly.

"Fine. I will prepare them. But, if you can't win, then run quickly. There's no shame in it."

Shang Wan Ning twitched the corner of her eye: "Don't worry, I haven't had enough of the tea AQi brews yet."

She turned her head toward Ling Qi: "Secretary-General, I'm giving you three days. Integrate all intelligence regarding Ativi and formulate a detailed plan for infiltration and destruction."

"Equipment, supplies, retreat routes—I want everything to be foolproof."

"Understood!"

Ling Qi responded solemnly, her hands moving like shadows across the jade tablet.

"As for Tudor and Chen Yu, I will notify them personally." Shang Wan Ning took one last look at the blood-red 'X' on the territory map, the battle intent rising in her eyes.

"Meeting adjourned."

Meng Jiang grabbed Ling Qi, who wanted to say a few more words, and hurried to slip away.

She sent a voice transmission to the Secretary-General: "It's fine. After Her Majesty gets beaten a few more times, her personality won't be so flighty."