CHAPTER 407: CHAPTER 407 MAJOR ACTION

"Therefore, our analysis concludes that this group of giant Exotic Beasts has a clear purpose, unified thinking, sufficiently high intelligence, and an extremely strong invasive intent toward our defensive lines."

"I suggest we eliminate them as soon as possible. Once they complete their unification and lead a large number of Exotic Beasts to attack us proactively, we may not be able to withstand it."

After hearing the explanation, all the senior figures present simultaneously drew in a sharp breath. Fifty-odd beasts, each with strength equivalent to a Titled Strongman, leading the endless Exotic Beasts of the Pioneer Space to attack them? The entire Jade Country only had a little over a hundred Titled Strongmen.

Of course, this calculation didn’t imply that this group of giant Exotic Beasts could contend with Jade Country. The Exotic Beasts were strong, but humanity’s Titled Strongmen wouldn’t be foolish enough to clash with them head-on. Humans were smaller, which wasn’t a disadvantage.

Given equal strength and combat power, the smaller the physique, the greater the power that could be wielded. For example, Ant-man!

"Then, let’s deal with them ahead of time. The enemy has fifty giant Exotic Beasts; our side will need at least twenty combatants at the peak level or higher..." Mo Tai hesitated as he reached this point.

"Old Bao, Old Qi, and I will definitely have to go. Old Zuo will likely join as well; that makes four top-tier combatants. The Vermilion Bird Squad, with their superb coordination, can unleash the combat power of ten Titled Strongmen as a fifty-member team, so count that as ten. We’ll need to draw at least fifty peak Star Sea realm experts to even have a fighting chance. Do we have fifty peak Star Sea realm experts?"

"Counting the support from various academies, gathering fifty shouldn’t be a problem. But Mr. Mo, you cannot participate; you need to remain at the command center. We can’t afford to stake everything on this with no fallback plan."

"That’s right. Besides, with a major battle on the front line, won’t those Exotic Beasts seize the opportunity to launch a sneak attack? Such things are not without precedent. If we launch a thousand-mile decapitation strike, other fronts will undoubtedly erupt in chaos."

After considering it, Mo Tai finally sat down. "Alright then. If a crisis arises on the front line, send word to me immediately. With my Godly Steps, it will only take me twenty minutes to reach the battlefield."

Once the operational direction was set, the remaining time was dedicated to discussing details. Wang Lan and Yu Ruoyun were merely observers. As the discussion progressed, a clear battle plan began to take shape on paper.

"Report!" Just as the discussion was nearing its end, a voice reported from outside the operations room. A messenger, drenched in sweat, arrived at the meeting room door and called out loudly.

"What is it?"

"The Academy of Sciences’ projection results are out."

Mo Tai took the paper and read it carefully. A few minutes later, the paper was passed around, and everyone in the meeting room took a turn to read it.

"The projection results indicate the opening of a targeted Different Dimensional Space. Openings of Different Dimensional Spaces are typically random; even using a Space Stone cannot guarantee what kind of Different Dimensional Space will appear.

However, the situation occurring in the East Sea Pioneer Space is highly unusual. From the frequency of repeated Exotic Beast outbreaks, we can infer over twenty instances of spatial merging.

Furthermore, based on the collected data on the habits and physiology of the Exotic Beasts, it is highly probable they originate from the same Different Dimensional Space. From this, we can deduce that the same Different Dimensional Space underwent twenty-odd integrations, each time sending dozens of super-giant beasts.

There are two possible conclusions. First, someone opened a targeted space near the Pioneer Space, similar to a fixed space like the Nine-Layer Pagoda. Then, due to the immense mass of the East Sea Pioneer Space and its close proximity, this space was forcibly absorbed by the Pioneer Space, and its Exotic Beasts were transferred into the Pioneer Space.

The second possibility is that the target space is directionally transmitting outwards. If this is the case, there must be Demon Clan forces within that space, using spatial transmission technology to deploy powerful Exotic Beasts into the Pioneer Space to fight on their behalf."

After reviewing the information, everyone fell into deep thought.

"It should be the second scenario, right?" Zuo Ming asked softly.

"Most likely. If there were a targeted space near the East Sea Pioneer Space, it would have been absorbed long ago. Besides, who would dare open a Different Dimensional Space so close to the Pioneer Space? The commotion alone would be impossible to hide, wouldn’t it?"

"The Demon Clan nearly achieved their descent last time, which indicates their plan to invade the Human World has already begun. Historically, the Demon World always brought vast numbers of Exotic Beasts when they descended. Although there’s no precedent for them testing the waters, it doesn’t mean the Demon Clan wouldn’t try it first.

After all, our era is completely different from previous ones. Our technological and military strength is incomparable to that of a hundred years ago. The Demon Clan has started to take us more seriously."

"Regardless of the reason, this operation is imperative. Old Qi, go and assemble the Star Sea realm Pioneers. I want them at the command center within an hour."

"Yes!" Titled Strongman Qi Hu acknowledged and turned to leave.

"Mr. Mo, Wang Lan and I also want to participate," Yu Ruoyun suddenly stood up and said.

"You two are..." But Mo Tai swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

Wang Lan and Yu Ruoyun, working together, had killed three giant Exotic Beasts. Apart from the three Titled Strongmen present, no one else dared claim they could achieve such a feat.

If they didn’t utilize such combat power, would they instead have other peak Star Sea realm Star Martial Warriors fill the gap with their lives? Logically, Wang Lan and Yu Ruoyun’s participation was entirely justifiable. If not for their status as national treasures, Mo Tai might have even compelled them to join.

But... the battlefield was merciless, and Star Martial Skills had no eyes. If anything happened to them, Mo Tai would have a hard time explaining it to his superiors. Mo Tai was of the Qing Emperor Bloodline, but he was merely one of the Qing Emperor’s men. Zuo Ming was of the Flame Emperor Bloodline, and the other two Titled Strongmen also belonged to the Qing and Flame Emperor factions.

All three shared Mo Tai’s thinking: Wang Lan and Yu Ruoyun must not come to any harm; they had to ensure the two could fully mature. Yet, in the current situation, their involvement would best ensure the mission’s success.

He wanted to refuse, but the words wouldn’t come out. How could he refuse? What reason could he give? With so many people watching, what would others think? Their lives are precious, but ours aren’t?

"Mr. Mo, while we don’t dare claim to be exceptionally strong, we can at least ensure our own survival. Moreover, I am a Medical Attribute Star Martial Warrior with decent healing abilities. My participation could double our chances of success." Wang Lan’s words immediately caused the eyes of many present to light up with eagerness.

With the current expedition’s lineup, pacifying a medium-sized country would be effortless. However, they were facing fifty giant Exotic Beasts, each equivalent in power to a Titled Strongman.

Never mind those at the peak of the Star Sea realm like Longya; even someone with Mr. Mo’s strength could die if they weren’t careful. Having a Medical Attribute Star Martial Warrior was like having an extra layer of insurance. If this Medical Attribute Star Martial Warrior was particularly skilled, it would be like having several extra lives.

No one present had personally witnessed Wang Lan’s medical skills, but they had all heard of them. There was a saying circulating within the Medical Attribute Star Martial Warrior community, attributed to Han Jin, the leading authority in the medical field:

"Among all those I know, no one’s healing abilities can compare to Wang Lan’s. The only one who might rival him is the Archbishop of Light from God’s Country."

Old Han’s words carried unparalleled credibility. Since he had said so, everyone accepted it. It was just that Wang Lan’s combat prowess was so dazzling that many had overlooked his medical abilities. Now that he mentioned it, everyone had a sudden realization.

"Alright, then. In that case, Wang Lan and Yu Ruoyun will join the team. However, your role is support; you absolutely must not rush in impulsively. Yu Ruoyun, you are responsible for protecting Wang Lan and creating attack opportunities for your teammates. Wang Lan, your sole task is to heal the wounded."

"Understood!"

「An hour later」

Fifty peak Star Sea realm experts had assembled.

Mo Tai personally poured wine for the more than one hundred warriors setting out. "This battle is extremely perilous, and I should be going with you. But for the sake of the bigger picture, I can only await your triumphant news here.

I offer this cup of wine as a send-off and pray for your victorious return! We will win this battle!"

"We will win!"

There were no grand declarations, no passionate send-offs. A single cup of wine was downed. Then, one hundred warriors turned in unison, charged out of the camp, and disappeared into the vastness at the world’s end.

In the Different Dimensional Space, there was no sun or moon, so naturally, there was no cycle of day and night. However, the color of the sky did change frequently. When the sky turned a deep hue, it was much like dusk.

The current expedition required them to traverse the Chaos Mist, a grayish-blue region associated with human-developed areas within the Different Dimensional Space. Such a phenomenon wouldn’t appear in smaller Different Dimensional Spaces; only those roughly the size of a city or larger would have it.

How the Chaos Mist was formed and its underlying principles remained unclear. However, since it demarcated the boundary between the regions conquered by humans and those ruled by Exotic Beasts, it was speculated that its existence was related to the differences between the Laws of human civilization and the survival Laws of Exotic Beasts.

The Chaos Mist wasn’t so thick that one couldn’t see their hand in front of their face. From a distance, the mist appeared clearly defined yet mysteriously profound. Once inside, visibility wasn’t significantly impaired.

Upon entering the Chaos Mist, extreme caution was necessary. They had left human-controlled territory and entered regions ruled by Exotic Beasts. Thanks to prior reconnaissance by the Vermilion Bird Squad, there shouldn’t be any issues with their direction.

After passing through the Chaos Mist, they would need to travel another five hundred kilometers to reach their destination. For this group of top-tier experts, such a distance was merely a journey of a little over two hours.

Distant rumbles constantly echoed, and terrifying, desolate beast roars rose and fell. Just listening to these cries was enough to send a chill down one’s spine.

"Everyone, rest here for a bit and ensure you’re in optimal condition. We’ll slow down and approach the enemy shortly. Wang Lan, do you need anything?"

"I just need Soul Beads, mid-grade or higher, the more the better."

"We’ve brought over a thousand mid-grade or higher Soul Beads for this mission; you won’t be short," a Star Traveller said, patting Wang Lan’s shoulder with a smile.

Although Wang Lan and Yu Ruoyun were powerful, their cultivation realms were, after all, still a limiting factor. Relying on their talent and Star Martial Skills, they could barely exceed the combat power of a Star Sea pinnacle expert, but their sustainability in battle would surely be insufficient.

Without Soul Beads, they would essentially be a one-shot force; after one engagement, they’d have to flee. If they couldn’t escape, they would die.

After resting for half an hour, the group cautiously advanced. When they were less than ten kilometers away, a sudden cacophony of beastly screeches erupted. Simultaneously, countless Exotic Beasts burst from the ground, not attacking, but howling at the sky.

"This is bad! They’ve already chosen a leader, and the Exotic Beast army has completed its integration!" a Star Martial Warrior from the Vermilion Bird Squad exclaimed.

"Then let’s charge straight at them!"