53: The first step in raising pigs is to build an auspicious location!

“Teleportation complete. Welcome to Simulated Secret Realm No. 073.”

“We wish you a pleasant hunt.”

The dazzling white light faded, replaced by a damp, muggy air.

Lin Yuan opened his eyes.

They were deep within a primeval jungle.

Around them were towering trees, tens of meters high, their canopies blocking out the sun, allowing only dappled light to filter through the gaps.

The air was filled with the scent of earth, and… an incredibly dense spiritual energy.

“Such thick spiritual energy!”

Shi Lei took a deep breath, his face filled with awe.

“Data analysis: The spiritual energy concentration here is 1.5 times that of headquarters, and its purity is higher.” On Mo Chen’s terminal screen, data streams scrolled furiously.

This was their battlefield.

“Alright, enough marveling.”

Su Wanqing’s voice rang out, pulling everyone back to reality from their shock.

“Let’s begin the plan.”

She looked at Lin Yuan.

“Lin Yuan, you…”

“I’ll cover the rear and provide you all with the greatest mental support!” Lin Yuan immediately interjected, his face full of righteousness.

Su Wanqing: “…”

She silently swallowed the rest of her sentence.

“Mo Chen, analyze the nearby terrain and find the most suitable location to establish a defensive position.”

“Liu Yan, scout the 300-meter fan-shaped area ahead. Be careful to avoid other teams.”

“Shi Lei, stay alert!”

“Yes!”

The three immediately took their orders.

Liu Yan glared fiercely at Lin Yuan, then her figure flickered and disappeared into the depths of the jungle.

Mo Chen quickly operated his terminal, and a 3D topographic map was projected before everyone.

“Reporting, Captain Su.”

“According to data analysis, about one kilometer to the front-left, there is a circular valley. The entrance is narrow, and it’s surrounded by mountains on three sides, making it a natural defensive terrain.”

Mo Chen’s finger tapped on the map.

“The only trouble is that there’s a stable energy aggregate within the valley, rated… C-rank High-tier.”

A C-rank High-tier simulated mutated beast.

For most teams, this would be a tough nut to crack, requiring careful handling.

But Su Wanqing’s face showed no hesitation.

“That’s the spot.”

She glanced at Lin Yuan, “Let’s go.”

…Ten minutes later.

The Jiangcheng Branch Bureau team arrived at the valley entrance.

There was a narrow crack here, only wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side.

Passing through the crack, their vision suddenly opened up.

A basin covering several thousand square meters appeared before them, with lush green grass and a small pond in the center.

“What a great place!” Shi Lei’s eyes lit up. “I alone could guard the entrance here!”

“Good feng shui. Burying people… oh no, entertaining guests would definitely be comfortable here.” Lin Yuan nodded in satisfaction.

Just then.

“Roar—”

An angry roar came from deep within the valley.

The ground trembled slightly.

In the center of the valley, the seemingly flat grassland suddenly bulged!

Several black vines burst out of the ground, intertwining and weaving together, eventually forming a colossal creature over ten meters tall!

“Simulated Mutated Beast: Mountain Ghost Vine Demon”

“Rank: Warlord Rank”

“Prepare for battle!”

Captain Su let out a low cry, and a chilling aura instantly spread.

“Shi Lei, front!”

“Understood!”

Shi Lei roared, his entire body glowing with an earthy yellow light, and charged towards the monster!

“Mo Chen, weakness analysis, apply force field!”

“Analyzing… Target’s core is located beneath the black rock on its chest. ‘Weakness’ force field applied!”

Mo Chen calmly operated his terminal, and an invisible ripple enveloped the Mountain Ghost Vine Demon.

The monster’s movements visibly slowed down by a beat.

“Liu Yan, sever its roots, harass its flanks!”

“Understood!”

Liu Yan transformed into an afterimage, deftly weaving through dozens of flailing vines, her dual blades flashing with cold light, continuously severing the vines attempting to root themselves underground.

“Ice Cone Array!”

Su Wanqing raised her hand and pointed, dozens of ice cones condensed and shot towards the Mountain Ghost Vine Demon’s chest!

“Bang bang bang!”

The ice cones collided with the black rock, exploding into bursts of icy mist.

A textbook-perfect team battle began.

However.

On the edge of this tense and fierce battlefield.

At the entrance of the valley, an extremely discordant scene unfolded.

Lin Yuan found a clean large stone, sat down, pulled out an energy bar from his backpack, and slowly munched on it.

“Yeah, Shi Lei, a little to the left, don’t just tank it!”

“Liu Yan, beautiful! That sway of the waist, oh no, that movement technique, so agile!”

“Captain Su! Captain Su! Don’t hold back your ultimate!”

He ate and loudly gave “tactical guidance,” his voice full of excitement.

Liu Yan, who was entangled with the vines, stumbled, almost getting hit by a vine.

She gritted her teeth in anger. If she wasn’t in battle, she would rush over right now and shove that energy bar into Lin Yuan’s mouth!

Shi Lei and Mo Chen also looked helpless.

Was this what Captain Su meant by “fully assisting Lin Yuan”?

It looked more like the four of them were working for this master, clearing the field!

Su Wanqing’s face was already so cold it was almost freezing.

She took a deep breath, concentrating all her energy on the battle.

“Breath of Ice Phoenix!”

An extreme cold current erupted from her palm!

“Crack crack crack—”

The Mountain Ghost Vine Demon’s body, from bottom to top, was rapidly frozen into an ice sculpture!

“Now!”

Su Wanqing cried out.

“Shattering Earth Strike!”

Shi Lei seized the opportunity, smashing his fists heavily onto the ground!

A massive fissure spread from beneath the ice sculpture, causing it to lose its balance and collapse with a crash!

“Swish!”

Liu Yan’s figure, like a ghost, appeared on the chest of the fallen monster.

Her dual daggers combined into one, she plunged them down with all her might!

“Crack!”

The ice and rock shattered simultaneously, revealing the pulsating energy core within.

“It’s over.”

Su Wanqing pointed her fingers like a sword, and a condensed ice spear instantly pierced through the core.

“Roar…”

The Mountain Ghost Vine Demon let out an unwilling wail, its body disintegrated with a crash, turning into countless specks of light that poured into everyone’s terminals.

“Killed C-rank High-tier energy aggregate, gained points: 500 points.”

“Current team total points: 1500 points.”

“Hoo… hoo…”

Shi Lei and Liu Yan both leaned on their knees, panting heavily.

This battle was clean and decisive, but the consumption was not small.

“Done!” Shi Lei wiped his sweat, excitedly shouting at Lin Yuan, “Brother Lin! This place is cleaned up! Can we start working now!”

Everyone’s gaze focused on Lin Yuan.

The pigsty was built.

Next, it was Lin Yuan’s turn to make his appearance.

Lin Yuan shoved the last bit of the energy bar into his mouth, clapped his hands, and stood up.

Under everyone’s expectant gazes.

He took unhurried steps to the center of the valley, to the softest patch of grass.

Then… he pulled out a pillow and an eye mask from his storage bracelet.

With a plop, he lay down on the ground.

“Alright, this place with good feng shui lives up to its reputation.”

“You all go about your business, digging pits, setting up defenses. I’ll take a nap first, to conserve my energy.”

“…”

Inside the valley, there was dead silence.

Shi Lei’s smile froze on his face.

Mo Chen’s hand, holding his terminal, trembled slightly.

The cold aura around Su Wanqing, which had just calmed down, began to surge uncontrollably again.

“Lin! Yuan!”

Liu Yan almost squeezed out his name, word by word, through clenched teeth.

She rushed to Lin Yuan in two strides, glaring down at him.

“What do you mean?!”

“We worked so hard to take this place, and you’re just sleeping here?!”

“What about the pig-raising plan?!”

Lin Yuan pulled down his eye mask and opened one eye.

“What’s the rush?”

He said slowly.

“You said it yourself, it’s about raising pigs. Raising pigs, don’t you have to fatten them up before slaughtering them?”

Liu Yan was stunned.

Lin Yuan rolled over, found a more comfortable position, and continued: “The competition has just begun. Those teams out there are all dirt poor, with only their initial points. If I work myself to death to lure them over, and you kill them, one pig only earns five hundred points. Why bother with all that effort?”

He patted his pillow, a hint of smugness in his voice.

“Let them fight first, let them snatch, let them painstakingly farm monsters. When they’re all fat and strong, carrying thousands or tens of thousands of points, then I’ll go out.”

“That’s what you call harvesting.”

“Don’t you understand ‘casting a long line to catch a big fish’? What we’re doing is sustainable overfishing! Going out now is too shortsighted!”

Liu Yan opened her mouth, her chest heaving violently.

She found that she… couldn’t find any words to refute him!

This twisted logic sounded so shameless!

But on closer inspection… it actually made some damn sense!

“You… you…”

Liu Yan trembled with anger, her pointing hand shaking.

Lin Yuan put his eye mask back on, his voice muffled.

“Don’t make noise, don’t disturb my thoughts about the optimal route.”

“Mo Chen, help me analyze which direction has the most ‘potential’ pigs.”