Shengjing Underground City, Hunter Guild Mission Hall.
Ling Chen stood before the holographic screen, his gaze seemingly fixed on the newly released 【B-41】 escort mission, but the cold will of his Soul Jade Physique had already taken in all the surrounding information.
He heard the hushed discussions of several veteran Hunters nearby.
"The Western Rift Zone? That place is incredibly eerie. Energy turbulence can interfere with all electronic devices, and I hear there are even strange spatiotemporal folds..."
"Why are the Central Academy of Sciences people going there? Are they tired of living?"
"The reward is truly generous: Central Special Operations Bureau friendship points and special equipment exchange privileges... but the risk, tsk tsk."
"Didn't you see the requirements? At least Limit Breaking Stage or two Bone Eater Stage Peaks! Clearly not meant for ordinary squads like us."
Ling Chen remained expressionless, but his mind raced.
The Central Academy of Sciences suddenly interested in the Western Rift Zone?
And at this time? Is this related to Leimeng's previous mention of "Abyssal Echo core area energy pulse anomaly" and Lin Mo's hint of the "fourth path to ascension"?
The "Abyssal Echo" project... mechanical ascension... flesh and blood ascension... and now the Central Academy of Sciences' abnormal exploration...
A vague but massive net seemed to be slowly unfolding.
And the Western Rift Zone was very likely a key node.
He had to get this mission!
However, with Ash Squad's current strength and reputation (publicly, they had just suffered heavy losses and added two rookies), they were not qualified to take on such a high-difficulty Central-affiliated mission.
He needed an opportunity, an opportunity that would allow Ash Squad to "reasonably" enter the Central Special Operations Bureau's field of vision.
Just then, an emergency announcement suddenly blared through the guild hall's broadcast system:
"Emergency broadcast: Outer Domain Buffer Zone Seventh Transport Squadron under large-scale Mutant group attack, requesting emergency support from nearby squads! Coordinates sent! Repeat, requesting emergency support!"
The hall immediately erupted in a commotion. Many Hunter squads immediately sprang into action, rushing towards the equipment area.
Ling Chen's eyes flashed.
The opportunity had arrived.
He immediately turned to Su Qing, Chen Mo, and the others behind him and said in a deep voice, "Ash Squad, assemble! Prepare to depart for support!"
Su Qing and the others were stunned.
The coordinates of the Seventh Transport Squadron's attack were not close to their current location, and the situation sounded extremely critical. Given Ash Squad's current state, going to support would likely be extremely risky.
"Captain, our condition..." Chen Mo hesitated.
"Execute the order!" Ling Chen's tone was unquestionable, his eyes revealing an urgency and determination to "prove himself" and "restore the squad's prestige." "Ash Squad cannot always hide behind! This is our responsibility!"
His performance was flawless. The image of a young captain eager to wash away shame and regain glory was vividly portrayed.
Su Qing looked at Ling Chen's determined profile, a flicker of complexity in her molten gold-like pupils, and finally nodded: "Understood! Liu Feng is ready!"
Chen Mo and Wang Yuan had no choice but to suppress their doubts and quickly follow.
Only Tang Yinmeng stood quietly beside Ling Chen, and deep within her molten gold-like pupils, a faint, almost imperceptible trace of doubt seemed to flit across.
She instinctively felt that there was something else hidden behind her captain's decision.
Ash Squad quickly retrieved their equipment, boarded the armored vehicle, and sped towards the attack coordinates.
...
The battlefield was in chaos.
Dozens of Mutants were frantically besieging a convoy consisting of five heavy transport vehicles and two escort combat vehicles.
One of the escort combat vehicles had already been overturned, burning with raging flames. The transport team's guards and accompanying Hunters were desperately resisting, relying on the vehicles, but they were clearly outnumbered, and their defenses were precarious.
"Ash Squad! Engage the battlefield!"
Ling Chen's calm voice rang out through the communicator.
"Liu Feng, high-altitude suppression! Gray Shield, focus on protecting the transport vehicles! Hui Xiu, mark high-threat targets! Gray Rock... with me, frontal assault!"
He didn't hesitate for a moment. His Mud Swamp Domain instantly unfurled, and a heavy force field enveloped the first few Mutants charging forward, their movements instantly slowing!
"Kill!"
Ling Chen let out a low growl, his figure like lightning, directly charging towards a Bone Eater Realm clawed Mutant!
His movements were swift and precise, seemingly fraught with danger, yet he always managed to narrowly avoid fatal attacks at critical moments and deliver effective blows to his opponents!
He perfectly controlled the output of his power, both demonstrating the combat prowess of an Energy Condensation Stage and occasionally "bursting" with precise judgment and crowd control abilities beyond his rank!
Su Qing's wind blades cut through lower-tier ghouls with surgical precision; Chen Mo's shield appeared in front of the most endangered guards just in time;
Wang Yuan continuously called out targets; Shi Lei (Gray Rock) roared as he withstood the charge of a strength-type Mutant!
Their arrival was like a powerful shot in the arm for the collapsing defense line.
The battle was exceptionally fierce.
Ling Chen "fought with all his might," even deliberately acquiring a few "perilous" wounds on his body.
But he defused crises again and again, pushing the remaining strength of Ash Squad to its limit.
Finally, with the cooperation of another arriving support squad, the Mutants were successfully repelled. The transport team suffered heavy casualties, but the core supplies and most of the personnel were saved.
After the battle, the person in charge of the transport team, a Lieutenant Colonel with the Central Logistics Department insignia on his shoulder, excitedly shook Ling Chen's hand:
"Thank you! Thank you so much! I am Lieutenant Colonel Zhao from the Central Logistics Department! If you hadn't arrived in time, we would have all perished here today! Which squad are you from?"
"Hunter Guild, Ash Squad."
Ling Chen's face held a tired but resolute smile, his tone humble.
"This is what we should do."
"Ash Squad... I'll remember that!"
Lieutenant Colonel Zhao heavily patted Ling Chen's shoulder.
"I will report your performance truthfully to my superiors! Especially you, Captain Lin Chen, you remained calm in the face of danger and commanded excellently!"
Ling Chen sneered inwardly, but on the surface, he merely nodded slightly: "Just doing my duty."
As they conversed, no one noticed that in an inconspicuous shadow at the edge of the battlefield, an extremely blurry figure quietly vanished.
That was a Blackbird Guard scout, ordered to monitor all clues that might be related to Lei Hu's disappearance.
The few times Ling Chen had "burst" with unconventional precise judgment during the battle had once again caught their attention.
Ling Chen sensed that faint gaze but paid it no mind.
What he needed was precisely this kind of "attention." He wanted to attract the attention of the Central authorities, yet ensure that the Security Department's suspicions could never find concrete evidence.
On the way back to the guild, Ling Chen sat in the armored vehicle, eyes closed in meditation.
The cold will of his Soul Jade Physique was digesting the faint life essence he had just devoured from several Mutants, while also planning his next move.
Through this "heroic" support operation, he had not only given the Central Logistics Department a positive impression but also demonstrated Ash Squad's "recovering" and "trustworthy" image to the outside world.
This laid the groundwork for potentially securing the 【B-41】 mission later.
At the same time, Zhuang Han's frantic actions in Jiu'an City should have already started to ferment. The spread of panic would eventually reach Shengjing and the ears of the Central Special Operations Bureau.
At that time, a squad that was "familiar" with the area around Jiu'an City and had "performed excellently" would become valuable.
"Captain, your injuries..." Su Qing handed him a healing potion.
Ling Chen opened his eyes, took the potion, and showed a perfectly appropriate amount of fatigue and gratitude on his face: "Thanks, I'm fine, just minor injuries."
He looked at the underground passage swiftly passing by outside the car window, his gaze deep.
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