Chapter 94: The Star Beast Defense Ring
Seeing the complicated expressions on Luo Zhidong and Fan Tianlei’s faces, Zhang Chu knew at once that he had guessed right.
“Damn it, I thought we were going out to hunt star beasts. I never expected to be sent off to play the city god of death.”
“Principal Luo, shouldn’t you explain what this is all about?”
“I’m afraid this looks like a mission to die for.”
Zhang Chu gave a wry smile.
If even Luo Zhidong and Fan Tianlei changed color at the mention of the Demon Suppression Tower, then it was obvious this was no harmless place. Ordinary star beasts had no right to be sealed beneath a tower.
Did they think every beast was the White Serpent?
“Everyone, there is no need to worry too much.”
“There are many reasons why the Demon Suppression Tower might tremble. It has happened several times over the years, and usually all that is needed is to repair the tower’s array barrier.”
“This time, your assignment is to enter the high-risk forbidden zone, follow the guidance of the Divine Warrior No. 1 drone to locate the tower, and investigate the cause of the震动.”
Luo Zhidong hurried to reassure them.
Only then did Zhang Chu feel somewhat relieved.
“As for what the Demon Suppression Tower actually is...”
He stopped abruptly before finishing, cut off by a look from Fan Tianlei beside him.
Zhang Chu saw it clearly.
So those two old men were still speaking in riddles...
Since it had become taboo even for the Martial Dao Research Institute and the Martial Administration Bureau, this tower’s origin must indeed be extraordinary.
Zhang Chu even began to suspect whether Guan Zifang’s hiding in Canglong Mountain all these years had something to do with the tower.
“Anyway, remember this: the mission carries some risk, but it has absolutely nothing to do with the Demon Suppression Tower.”
Fan Tianlei’s words shut everyone up on the spot.
“Xiao Chu, I know where the tower comes from. I’ll tell you later.”
Hu Sanyi, standing behind Zhang Chu, whispered to him.
He was a librarian.
Perhaps he really did know something about the Demon Suppression Tower.
After a few brief instructions, Luo Zhidong and Fan Tianlei personally saw off the special operations team at the research institute’s helipad.
“Zhang Chu is the captain of this special operations unit. You must obey his orders strictly, and above all, keep yourselves safe!”
“Yes!”
Zhang Xueying and the others nodded in unison.
A few minutes later, the Divine Warrior aircraft took off from the spot and headed toward the high-risk forbidden region of Canglong Mountain.
Soon after it departed, Fan Tianlei received a call from the Bureau of Discipline and Inspection.
“Director Fan, Su Mingyue just said she has important information to report. It seems to be related to this disturbance at the Demon Suppression Tower. But she insists on speaking only to you and Director Luo Zhidong.”
“Old Luo, what do you think?”
After hanging up, Fan Tianlei’s expression grew grave.
“Could the Godfall Alliance be making a comeback after a hundred years of quiet?”
Luo Zhidong was equally troubled.
Neither man said another word. They hurried to the Discipline and Inspection Team.
...
At the Divine Warrior aircraft’s supersonic speed, it took only an hour to travel from the Martial Dao Research Institute to the designated airspace near Canglong Mountain.
Through the electronic screen in the cabin, the full vista of Canglong Mountain spread before them.
“Prepare to jump!”
At Zhang Chu’s command, Zhang Xueying and the others quickly checked their parachutes.
The hatch opened, and the wind howled violently.
One by one, they leaped into the void in order.
The designated area this time was a level-six forbidden zone.
No sooner had they landed than they were met by a tide of more than a hundred level-six exotic beasts, the ground trembling beneath them.
“I’ll take this!”
Faced with level-six exotic beasts, none of them took them seriously.
Fan Dayong was the first to act.
He drew a meteor hammer from his storage ring and hurled it.
One swing of the hammer swept through the charging level-six beasts, killing some and maiming others.
The remaining beasts, seeing this, turned and fled in all directions.
“Director Fan, impressive!”
Wang Peng gave him an admiring thumbs-up.
He and Huang Lili were both gifted ones, and had awakened only spiritual gifted battle skills.
In close-quarters combat like this, neither of them had the experience or the ability.
“Nothing much.”
Fan Dayong held the meteor hammer in hand and glanced at Zhang Chu.
“Brother Zhang Chu, we’ll follow your lead from here on.”
“As far as I know, beast tides rarely appear on the outskirts of Canglong Mountain.”
“We ran into one as soon as we landed. Something doesn’t feel right.”
Zhang Xueying’s beautiful eyes darkened as she looked at the beasts scattering in panic.
Unlike star beasts, exotic beasts had not awakened spiritual power, only a rudimentary intelligence.
A massive movement like a beast tide required the command of a beast king.
Without a star beast or higher, it would be impossible—unless some special energy fluctuation had drawn them in, or someone had interfered artificially.
“Sister Xueying, you stay here and rest for now. Old Hu and I are going to look for someone.”
With a glance, Zhang Chu made Hu Sanyi understand his intention.
Inside the level-six forbidden zone was a mighty expert from the spirit realm.
Last time, he had nearly met his end here.
If anything had happened on Canglong Mountain, Guan Zifang would know best.
“Brother Zhang Chu, take me with you.”
Huang Lili blinked, excited.
This was her first mission, and the thrill of it was beyond words.
“Sister Xueying, you all investigate the situation first.”
Zhang Chu ignored Huang Lili.
With the gifted battle skill she had awakened, it would be better if she did not wander off.
“How mean!”
Watching Zhang Chu and Hu Sanyi leave swiftly, Huang Lili stamped her foot.
“What a blockhead!”
From the corner of her eye, Zhang Xueying glanced at Huang Lili but said nothing.
She took a high-energy micro-drone from her storage ring.
The drone powered up and quickly flew toward the target area fifty kilometers away.
Wang Peng watched every bit of this.
The corners of his mouth lifted as he thought to himself, Xiao Chu really does have a remarkable way with women.
By then, Zhang Chu and Hu Sanyi had already reached the small wooden house.
The exotic beast enclosure was packed full of Guan Zifang’s treasures.
“Old Guan.”
Zhang Chu called out, but there was no response.
The two of them searched inside and outside for quite a while, yet found no trace of Guan Zifang.
“Xiao Chu, I just checked. It doesn’t look like this place has been uninhabited for very long.”
“It seems Old Guan has already gone to the high-risk forbidden zone.”
“This tremor at the Demon Suppression Tower is definitely not as simple as Fan Tianlei and Luo Zhidong made it sound.”
“Oh, right—you said before that you knew about the Demon Suppression Tower?”
Only then did Zhang Chu remember what Hu Sanyi had said.
“As for what the tower actually is, I don’t know.”
“But there’s a book in the library called Anecdotes of the Continent’s Hidden History that mentions that a hundred years ago, a massive beast tide swept across the continent because people from the Godfall Alliance stirred the Demon Suppression Tower into action. I don’t know whether it’s true.”
Hu Sanyi said.
The Godfall Alliance again.
At the news, Zhang Chu felt his head buzzing.
He just wanted to be a proper reborn man.
Step by step, slowly and steadily, becoming the supreme ruler of this world, and then enjoying life.
But the Godfall Alliance kept showing up again and again.
Damn it, this really was a cursed fate.
With Guan Zifang absent, Zhang Chu and Hu Sanyi immediately returned to meet the others.
The moment they arrived at the gathering point, Zhang Chu saw that everyone’s faces were grave.
Huang Lili sat on the ground, her face deathly pale, gasping for breath and looking utterly exhausted.
“What happened?”
“Just now, Huang Lili used her gifted battle skill array construction technique and attached a thread of spiritual power to the drone. When it neared the high-risk forbidden zone, it rebounded on her.”
Zhang Xueying handed Zhang Chu the photos taken by the drone.
“If we want to enter the high-risk forbidden zone, I’m afraid it will be difficult. The entire three-hundred-kilometer border of the zone is surrounded by tens of thousands of star beasts, like a star beast defensive ring!”