Back in their room, the two began to recount their experiences.
They had gotten up early, worried about the issue mentioned the day before, so they made a special trip to the police station to confirm that the police hadn't released anyone.
"They should at least wait until we've left, right? Otherwise, it would be a total loss of face."
However, upon arriving at the police station, they were hit with the devastating news of Su Cheng's death.
The folks at the K City police station even tried to comfort them: "He's dead, so what? He was nothing but a thug anyway."
Their attitude didn't seem at all like they intended to investigate the truth.
Xu Chengdong said, "We saw the body with our own eyes. They were carrying it out and even asked us if we wanted it."
The man with the beard was utterly disdainful: "Why are people in K City all like this?"
Bai Yue listened quietly to their narrative.
Since they had seen it with their own eyes, faking the body was unlikely. So, Su Cheng was truly dead?
In a place like K City, and with someone like Su Cheng who had many enemies, his death wasn't surprising. But it still felt odd.
Cao Xun said, "He got what he deserved. Why bother about it so much? We're not the cops."
The bearded man and Xu Chengdong exchanged glances.
Although there was some truth to those words, the fact that a living, breathing person just yesterday had become a cold corpse today left a bitter taste in their mouths, regardless of who that person was.
"I'm a bit worried that Su Cheng's death is related to the Source Crystals," one of them said.
Upon hearing this, all three turned their attention to Bai Yue.
Xu Chengdong was puzzled, "But wasn't Su Cheng the boss of this whole operation? Who would have a reason to kill him?"
Cao Xun realized, "Are you suggesting there might be someone else above him?"
Bai Yue replied, "A prize as big as this, Su Cheng couldn't have swallowed it alone. By revealing the location of the Source Crystals to us, he might have stepped on someone else's toes. So, killing him isn't out of the question."
The room fell into silence at his words.
What they had thought was a straightforward three-star merit mission—to find the Source Crystals—turned out to be entangled in a complex web of dark interests far beyond their imagination.
Seeing everyone's solemn faces, Bai Yue offered some reassurance, "Don't overthink it. At the very least, this confirms that the information Su Cheng gave us was true. All we need to do now is find the Source Crystals. We can leave the rest for the military to sort out."
"Yeah, you're right," Xu Chengdong quickly agreed.
Su Cheng's murder was an unexpected twist for them, but their mission remained unchanged despite the surprise.
The waters of K City were deep, and the unfolding events were beyond what they, mere military academy students, could resolve. The priority was to advance the mission by completing the merit task as soon as possible.
The three of them left the room.
Just as Bai Yue was about to follow, he noticed Mu Sihan leaning against the window, seemingly lost in thought.
"What's up?" Bai Yue inquired.
Hearing his voice, Mu Sihan looked up. After a moment of silence, he averted his gaze and said, "I was just thinking... how his death came so easily."
Bai Yue was taken aback. Mu Sihan wasn't the type to speak such melancholic words.
He knew Mu Sihan had lived here before, but back then, the other was just a kid. What sort of connection could he have with Su Cheng?
"Don't misunderstand," Mu Sihan's voice was cold. "That guy was nothing but a pure bully."
When Su Cheng was younger, Mu Sihan was still very small. To him, the group of people represented by Su Cheng were terrifying entities.
However, no matter how terrifying they seemed at the time, they were all dead now. Even dying in such a ludicrous way, blatantly murdered at the police station.
Mu Sihan stepped out of the room, pausing as he brushed past Bai Yue: "You should be careful too."
He turned his head to look, "People like Su Cheng, there's more than one of them."
Bai Yue stood still, not moving until Mu Sihan had left, then turned to look back.
What was he warning him about?
Bai Yue pondered. The task of finding the Source Crystals, he had a feeling it wouldn't go smoothly.
The news of Su Cheng's demise was shared with the other students from the Emperor One Military Academy.
Despite not wanting to incite panic, the current enthusiasm among them was palpable, with many convinced that the mission was on the brink of completion.
Therefore, it became imperative to raise their alertness.
Intelligence had pinpointed that the Source Crystals were buried deep within the mountains, a hundred kilometers from K City.
After regrouping, the students from Emperor One Military Academy took a rented hovercar, reaching their destination by noon.
Upon disembarking, they were immediately captivated by the sight before them.
A colossal mountain range loomed before them, its summit reaching into the clouds, nearly invisible from the ground.
Given that Lia Star was undeveloped, the majority of its territories remained pristine and untouched.
"Could there be any wild beasts here?"
At these words, everyone instinctively tightened their grip on their weapons.
This mountain was too secluded, with no information available online. To them, it was a completely unfamiliar and unknown place.
However, there was mention of the approximate coordinates of the source crystals in the intel. As long as they followed the map, they should be able to find their target.
"A bunch of cowards, what's there to be scared of?" the bearded man scoffed, waving his arm grandly. "Follow me! The first to find the source crystals wins!"
With that, he took the lead and charged ahead.
His words might have been childish, but having someone take the lead was indeed heartening. Many were inspired and quickened their pace into the depths of the mountain.
The path ahead was smooth sailing at first.
Though undeveloped, it seemed people had been here before, trampling down a path that was easy to follow.
But as they ventured deeper, the weather gradually worsened. A thin mist began to rise all around.
Bai Yue walked in the middle of the group, originally surrounded by dozens of others. But as they moved on, the fog thickened, making it nearly impossible to see anyone even a meter away.
He stopped in his tracks, tapping the shoulder of the person in front of him: "Wait, let's proceed when the fog clears."
"Ah, okay!" Xu Chengdong agreed.
Those nearby who heard him also halted.
Looking around, Bai Yue realized that only a few of the original group remained by his side.
The other military academy students, moving at various speeds, had unwittingly scattered.
"Let's try to get in touch," Cao Xun suggested, pulling out his phone.
But upon seeing the lack of signal in the top corner, he clicked his tongue. "No service."
This was tantamount to being completely cut off. Although everyone was equipped with a communicator before entering, the devices had a limited range and could no longer reach those who had strayed.
Xu Chengdong, ever the optimist, chimed in: "Maybe they've reached the destination ahead of us. Let's just wait here."
At this point, it seemed they had no other choice. With visibility so low that even discerning north from south was a challenge, proceeding was out of the question.
The others either sat down where they stood or leaned against nearby trees, waiting for the fog to lift.
At the same moment, back at the Emperor One Comprehensive Military Academy.
The patrol team had been monitoring the students' performance through "scout bugs," but they suddenly noticed something was amiss.
"Captain, there's fog. The visuals are unclear."
"Some of the 'scout bugs' are malfunctioning, showing black screens. We can't tell if it's due to sabotage or environmental factors."
Though the scout bugs were decommissioned military gear, they weren't so fragile as to malfunction simply because of fog.
Fu Cheng frowned, "What's the damage rate?"
"10%, 12%..." a team member reported, "It's gradually increasing."
They had been closely watching the students, so they had a good idea of the current progress.
The location of the source crystals had been confirmed; all that was left was to take a photograph. However, the recent extensive damage to a large number of scout bugs was certainly unusual.
When the damage rate hit 20%, it finally stopped increasing.
Fu Cheng tapped on one of the scout bugs, "Discontinue the follow function, prioritize investigating the cause of the damage."
"Understood," the team members responded.
The fog lingered, stubborn and unyielding.
As time trickled past, nearly half an hour gone, the initial ease amongst the crowd began to wane. With the weather showing no signs of improvement and time steadily slipping away, restlessness started to brew.
The issue of being cut off, disconnected, only added to the growing frustration.
"Fuck this, I'm not waiting any longer!"
Someone, unable to contain their impatience any longer, stood up. "If the fog doesn't lift, are we supposed to just sit here all day? Let's take it slow, make sure we stick together and find our way."
Immediately, someone responded.
Cao Xun looked towards Bai Yue.
Noticing the gaze, Bai Yue shrugged helplessly. Indeed, the thick fog showed no signs of clearing, and staying here for a day wasn't exactly practical. However, moving forward in such weather was indeed risky.
He stood up, "Let's head back the way we came."
Hearing this, everyone was momentarily stunned.
Bai Yue added, "There's no rush. We'll enter the mountains once the situation improves."
"But, what about the others?" someone asked. "Are we just going to leave them behind?"
If everyone had been present, they might have decided to leave together. But now, with some members' whereabouts unknown, leaving just like that felt akin to deserting.
Just as Bai Yue was about to reply, suddenly, a heart-wrenching scream pierced through the dense fog and directly into everyone's ears.
In this deep mountain, besides them, there shouldn't be any other living people. So, had one of their team members encountered danger?
Immediately, someone stood up and rushed into the fog, "Don't panic, I'm coming to save you!"
Could it really be a wild beast they were facing?
With one leading the charge, the others quickly followed suit, weapons in hand, rising to their feet.
"Wait a moment," Bai Yue attempted to intervene.
The source of the voice was unclear. Setting aside the issue of whether they could find the person, rushing in now would undoubtedly lead to getting lost immediately.
At least for now, they could still ascertain their own location.
Xu Chengdong had also intended to go for the rescue, but upon hearing Bai Yue's voice, he instinctively stopped in his tracks.
However, the others simply wouldn't listen. Their figures disappeared into the fog, and soon, even the sound of their footsteps was swallowed up.
After a brief commotion, silence once again enveloped the surroundings.
Now, only Mu Sihan, Cao Xun, and Xu Chengdong remained by Bai Yue's side.
As for those who had rushed off to the rescue, though it was unknown if they had found the person, their voices were no longer heard.
Xu Chengdong was visibly anxious: "What do we do now?"
Bai Yue remained silent.
If it were merely fog rolling in, the danger wouldn't be so great. However, he had a nagging feeling that someone was using this environment to their advantage, trying to scatter them and break them down one by one.
The timing of that scream earlier was too perfect.
Dissent had brewed within the group. That call seemed deliberately aimed at leading them away.
Bai Yue said, "No matter what we hear next, we must try not to split up."
Cao Xun and Xu Chengdong nodded cautiously.
However, at this moment, Mu Sihan frowned and looked in a certain direction.
Bai Yue heard the noise too and followed his gaze.
In the midst of the dense fog, two piercing red points appeared. Soon, they realized these were not lights but the eyes of an animal.
Then, a massive wolf emerged, its throat emitting a terrifying growl.
Bai Yue was stunned.
Was this truly a wild beast from the deep mountains?
"Was it because they made too much noise that they drew it out?" The giant wolf pounced fiercely. But Mu Sihan's movements were even faster.
Even against a non-human opponent, he showed no hesitation. Leaping into the air, he struck down directly—piercing the giant wolf's neck!
The wolf shook its head violently. Its strength was immense, flinging him off.
Mu Sihan somersaulted in mid-air, landing steadily. He glanced at his dagger and narrowed his eyes.
Xu Chengdong was about to step forward to help but saw the injured wolf turn tail and leave.
Heeding Bai Yue's advice, he didn't pursue. Instead, another person dashed past, stirring up a gust of wind as they brushed shoulders.
Xu Chengdong watched the figure's retreating back, rubbing his eyes.
Cao Xun fumed, "We said to stick together as much as possible. Why did he run off alone? What's the point in killing the wolf?"
Bai Yue didn't respond but walked forward to pick up a tuft of fur. It was from the wolf they had just encountered.
Then, he sniffed it.
A strange scent, somewhat like machine oil.
He rose to his feet, intending to show the tuft of fur to the others. Suddenly, a massive thud echoed.
He looked around but saw no other figures.
Bai Yue: "Did you guys hear..."
As he turned back, his words caught in his throat.
What filled his vision was a thick white fog, like pure milk floating in the air. All he could see was the mud under his feet.
Not a soul in sight.
The two who had stood behind him just moments ago had vanished.
Then, in the next second, red eyes and low growls materialized out of nowhere around him.
Bai Yue surveyed his surroundings and slowly picked up a dagger, holding it in front of him.
The bite and impact force of the giant wolves were not to be underestimated.
Bai Yue managed to take down a few, but there were too many, and he was steadily pushed back.
The pack of beasts, relentless, kept their eyes fixed on his throat, eager to take a bite.
Bai Yue kicked away the charging giant wolf, his back pressing against the trunk of a tree. The paralyzing effect of his dagger proved useless. Although he had suspected it, the struggle confirmed one thing for him. These "giant wolves" were not real animals. Their fur reeked of machine oil, and stabbing them drew no blood. It must have been this discovery that led Mu Sihan to follow that wolf away, likely seeking the mastermind behind this. However, these giant wolves showed no signs of fatigue or fear of injury. Continuing this battle, he would exhaust his strength first. He needed to find a breakthrough, a way to escape the encirclement before it was too late.
Simultaneously, two more giant wolves lunged at him. Bai Yue plunged his dagger deep into the head of one, while he parried the other with his hand. It was risky; he could get injured. But if he could just control this one, he might find an opening!
The giant wolf opened its massive jaws, about to clamp down fiercely. Bai Yue didn't dodge; his eyes locked on the wolf's sharp teeth. Just then, the wolf's body suddenly jerked as if someone had grabbed its tail, spinning it in mid-air before flinging it away. It crashed into a tree trunk behind with a loud thud.
Bai Yue was momentarily stunned, watching the man who had suddenly appeared before him. The stranger acted swiftly, dispatching all the giant wolves with remarkable efficiency. Despite Bai Yue's extensive training, he could barely keep up with the man's movements.
The last wolf was lifted single-handedly by the man, then slammed onto the ground. With a fierce stomp to the wolf's abdomen, a crisp sound was heard, and the wolf moved no more. The man wore a pair of short boots, lifting his foot from the wolf's belly with a trail of pale blue fragments following.
Bai Yue sat crouched in front of a tree trunk. The stranger, not in uniform, didn't seem like a fellow military academy student. After dealing with the last wolf, he turned around. His face was hidden behind a pure white mask, and a hood covered his head, wrapping his face tightly.
Approaching Bai Yue, the man extended his hand. Was he offering to help him up? Bai Yue hesitated before reaching out, but the stranger bypassed him, instead grabbing a 'scout bug' flying nearby and crushing it. Bai Yue felt a pang of embarrassment, thinking the gesture was meant for him. Just as he was about to retract his hand, the next second, his wrist was grasped, and he was yanked to his feet.
He almost lost his balance, nearly falling into the man's arms.
He nearly lost his balance and almost fell into the other's arms.
"..."
A strangely familiar feeling.
Bai Yue looked at this person.
If he wasn't mistaken, this guy must be a member of the patrol team that despises their organization, so the act of destroying the "scouting bugs" isn't surprising.
But why is he here?
Bai Yue shifted his gaze to the pack of wolves lying around.
He had noticed that each of the masked man's attacks was focused on the abdomen.
And the string of pale blue shards that followed, could it be source crystals?
Although he had never seen them in person, he had seen pictures online, and they were indeed pale blue stones.
These source crystals were the energy source that drove the giant wolves' actions.
If that was the case, it made him even more certain about who sent these giant wolves to attack.
Those who lurk in the shadows, profiting from the sale of source crystals, certainly wouldn't want them to report this incident to the military.
Bai Yue pondered.
Suddenly, the masked man grabbed his wrist and started walking out.
Bai Yue stumbled and looked up at the man: "Where are we going?"
The masked man's response was succinct: "Down the mountain."
His voice was modulated, making it impossible to discern its true tone.
By now, much of the dense fog had cleared.
However, given the current situation, it seemed beyond the capability of the newcomers to resolve.
They needed to find a place with a signal as soon as possible to report the situation to the patrol team. Although the scouting bugs had been recording, the visibility had been extremely poor earlier, and it was uncertain whether the patrol team was aware of the current status.
In Bai Yue's view, this was no longer a time for assessments.
In the worst-case scenario, there might be casualties among the examinees.
Bai Yue steadied his mind and pulled his wrist free: "Understood, I'll go ahead and make the report."
He paused, then added, "Thanks for earlier."
The masked man did not reply but turned as if to leave.
"Wait."
Bai Yue called out to him again, "Why do you have such a big conflict with the patrol team?"
The masked man turned his head to look at him.
"See for yourself with your own eyes what the patrol team really is."
Having dropped those words, he walked into the woods and quickly disappeared from sight.
Bai Yue stood still, rooted to the spot.
Reflecting back, when he first joined the school, the senior students all scoffed at this organization.
Bai Yue had little interaction with them and held no particular fondness or disdain.
But since they had saved him, it proved they were not bad people. The patrol team despised these people, but could it really be just because they violated school rules?
Rules are everything.
This thought flickered through Bai Yue's mind before he shook his head and continued his descent down the mountain.
.
The masked man hadn't gone far but hid in a tree. Seeing Bai Yue leave, he intended to follow.
"Why all this sneaking around, boss? If you want to play the hero, why not just escort him down the mountain? That would surely earn his gratitude," a careless voice came from behind.
Shang Yufei frowned and looked back.
"Cut the chatter. Is the job done?"
"Rest assured." Wu Zihao saluted, "There are absolutely no issues."
Shang Yufei hummed in acknowledgment, then asked, "What about the live stream?"
Wu Zihao replied, "Everything's ready! Just waiting for your command to start broadcasting."
"Wait a bit longer," Shang Yufei said.
Seeing Bai Yue had walked far away, he no longer delayed and continued the pursuit.
.
Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, Bai Yue saw no sign of the military academy students nearby.
It seemed that apart from him, everyone else was still in the mountains.
With the restoration of cell phone signal, he sent an email to the patrol team. In addition to reporting the current situation, he also mentioned the risk of death, hoping to pause the assessment and send help.
Soon after, he received a reply.
【Bai Yue Student:
Thank you for your notification.
However, encountering danger during the mission is quite normal. We believe everyone is prepared to make sacrifices and give their all at any moment.
Furthermore, according to the rules, requesting help will terminate the assessment, and everyone will receive a "not qualified" evaluation. If more than half of the participants agree to terminate the assessment, our team will immediately dispatch a rescue team.】
More than half.
Bai Yue's gaze focused on these three words.
With everyone's fate uncertain and communication cut off, how could such a condition possibly be met?
It seemed that as long as they did not complete the task, the patrol team was prepared to let things be, completely indifferent to their life or death.
"..."
Bai Yue put away his phone.
Indeed, he had heard this many times before.
Both teachers and patrol team members have stressed that the mission could be dangerous.
However, it's incomprehensible that they would turn a blind eye just because of the "assessment" reason, even when rescue is possible.
He lifted his head, his gaze once again falling on the vast mountain range.
His teammates were still inside. So far, no one had found the Source Crystals.
Bai Yue drew his dagger and walked towards the deeper parts of the mountains.
Since the patrol team insisted on waiting until their mission was completed, what he could do now was to accomplish this task and show them.
The fog had lifted, and the weaknesses of the giant wolves had been identified.
There would be no problems.