167: Chapter 167 Split Operations

After listening to Chen Xi's meticulous analysis, which peeled back the layers of the situation, Shen Ye felt a chill run down his spine.

He had originally thought he grasped the truth, but he never expected that he might just be a mouthpiece being used by someone else.

"The ferocious beasts haven't disappeared... The cycle is still continuing..."

Shen Ye muttered to himself, "It seems that merely 'knowing' and 'avoiding' cannot solve the problem."

Chen Xi looked at Shen Ye and offered a final piece of advice: "Captain Shen, since that Black-Robed Man is yourself, you should have a way to contact him, right?"

"Or perhaps, that place where he appeared... can you go there again?"

"I want you to go see him one more time."

Chen Xi's voice was calm and firm: "Take our current questions and confront him. See what other secrets he's hiding. See if you can pry out more specific information about the 'space-time rift'."

"Only by figuring out his true intentions can we know how to proceed."

After the analysis with Chen Xi, the confusion in Shen Ye's eyes gradually dissipated, replaced by a firm determination.

He stood up and tightened his black cloak: "You're right. I also feel that things aren't that simple."

"That altar... is a node connecting the past and the future. Since he could appear there once, perhaps he can appear a second time."

Shen Ye looked at Xia Qing: "Xia Qing, it looks like we'll have to make another trip."

"No problem!" Xia Qing shrugged: "We've already been tricked once, so one more time doesn't matter. I also want to ask that old guy to his face what exactly he's trying to do!"

Shen Ye turned to look at Chen Xi and cupped his hands: "Chen Xi, thank you for your analysis. If it weren't for you, I might still be trapped in his logical trap, unable to get out."

"I'm setting off now to that altar. If there's any new information, I will come back to find you immediately."

Chen Xi nodded: "Be careful on the road. I have a premonition that this trip... might not go that smoothly."

"Take care."

"Take care!"

On this night when a storm was brewing, Shen Ye and Xia Qing did not linger; they once again donned the night and left the Adventurer Camp.

Watching their backs disappear, Chen Xi stood at the entrance, lost in thought for a long time.

"Captain..." Li Murou approached and asked in a low voice: "What about us? Are we still going to continue doing missions?"

Chen Xi withdrew his gaze: "Do them! Of course we have to do them!"

"No matter how many conspiracies the future holds, only strength is the hard truth."

"As long as we are strong enough to beat that so-called Mother Nest and that Black-Robed Man into the ground, the truth will naturally surface."

He glanced at the balance on his wristband, and a burning soul for making money ignited in his eyes: "We're still short of 500 military merit points! Xiao Xiao's advancement cannot stop!"

"Tomorrow, we'll change locations and keep grinding!"

The next morning, at the Adventurer Camp, in the Mission Center hall.

In front of the huge electronic display screen, Chen Xi stood quietly.

His gaze passed over the dense list of D-Rank and C-Rank Missions, locking tightly onto the few lines in the red zone.

"Beep beep." His wristband vibrated, and a message from Wang Shan popped up.

[Wang Shan: Captain Chen, good news! The extraction of those twenty Frost Giant Python spines and thirty Thunder Wing Illusion Butterfly hearts went very smoothly! We expect to have the thunder origin core refined by tonight! I have fulfilled the mission!]

Seeing this message, Chen Xi's tight lips finally relaxed a little, and he replied with a single word: "Good."

Everything is ready; all that's missing is the final element.

For Su Xiaoxiao to advance to the SS-Rank profession [Valkyrie of Thunder Punishment], she needs three core materials.

The first two have already been handled by Wang Shan, and now, the only thing standing before them is the last one—the void spirit stone.

Price: 500 military merit points.

And the current account balance of the Nirvana Battle Team: 320 points. Shortfall: 180 points.

"If we do C-Rank Missions, even with the double subsidy, we'd still have to run another trip, which is too much of a waste of time."

Chen Xi's eyes narrowed, and he made a decision.

Time is life, and the sense of crisis brought by the Black-Robed Shen Ye was like a thorn in his back; he had to make the team achieve a qualitative leap as quickly as possible.

"Click!"

Under the shocked gazes of everyone in the hall, Chen Xi's finger skipped over all the C-Rank Missions and pressed directly onto a B-Rank mission that was emitting a dangerous red light!

[B-Rank Mission: The Anomaly in Storm Canyon]

[Objective: Go deep into Storm Canyon, investigate and clear out the recently abnormally violent Thunder Eagle flock, and bring back a sample of the source of the anomaly.]

[Danger Assessment: Extremely High (It is recommended that a full team of Lv.60 or higher go)]

[Base Reward: 300 military merit points.]

[Three-Star Privilege: If the source of the anomaly is perfectly resolved, an additional reward of 200 military merit points!]

"This is the one." Chen Xi decisively pressed the accept button.

"Beep—! Mission locked! Please note, the mortality rate for this mission is extremely high, please proceed with caution!"

This piercing prompt sound instantly silenced the noisy hall.

Immediately after, a burst of incredulous exclamations erupted.

"Holy sh*t?! Am I seeing this right? That freshman team accepted a B-Rank Mission?!"

"They're crazy! Absolutely crazy! Is Storm Canyon a place for people to go? The lightning elements there are rioting, even the air is electrified; if a Professional below level 40 goes in, their skin will get scorched!"

"Although they performed brilliantly before, this is a challenge that spans a major tier! Aren't they getting too big for their boots?"

Facing the questioning, mocking, and pitying gazes around him, Chen Xi's expression remained unchanged.

He turned around and looked at his three teammates, who were also somewhat surprised, and smiled faintly: "How about it? Do you dare to go crazy with me?"

Su Xiaoxiao gripped her magic staff, lightning faintly appearing in her eyes, and a proud arc formed at the corner of her mouth: "Lightning element riot? For me, that's natural nourishment."

As an Ice Thunder Battle Method user, she feared lightning the least.

Although Li Murou shrank her neck, she still firmly hugged her zither and stood behind Chen Xi: "As long as the money is enough, this B-Rank Mission... this young lady dares to give it a try!"

Ye Fei touched the beast-taming tattoo on her wrist, a hint of wildness flashing in her eyes: "My intuition tells me that the ferocious beasts there... seem to be calling out to something. I want to go see."

"Good!" Chen Xi waved his hand, his momentum like a rainbow: "Then let's set off! Target—Storm Canyon!"

"Before tonight, I want to have 500 military merit points in hand and buy that stone back!"

Two hours later. An off-road vehicle stopped at the entrance of Storm Canyon.

As soon as they got out of the car, a violent gale mixed with fine electric currents rushed toward them, blowing their clothes until they snapped loudly.

The sky was so gloomy it felt like it was pressing down; within the dark clouds, purple lightning serpents slithered wildly, and the roaring sound was endless.

"The magnetic field here... is so chaotic." Li Murou frowned in discomfort.

"Everyone be careful." Chen Xi activated Card Affinity Reflection, and his vision switched instantly.

The data flow ahead was extremely chaotic, and red danger signals were flashing wildly in the depths of the canyon.

"Caw—!!!" Suddenly, an extremely shrill eagle cry tore through the sky.

Several giant Thunder Eagles with wingspans exceeding three meters swooped down from the clouds.