Chapter 2541: Speak of the Devil
Xu Huo looked at the various instruments described in the materials. Some of them are clearly standard and have the suppressive effect on similar spatial artifacts, matching the situation inside the Portal Space. However, beyond that, there is no more detailed introduction about the instruments, nor mention if the operation of the instruments has limitations or requires any kinetic energy.
The Portal Space had been locked down for not just a day or two, and not even the instruments used were clear, which seemed quite unreasonable.
"The players who came out the first two times brought back messages, yet those who went back in should have carried Interference Devices," Xu Huo said, "Did none of the props work?"
Qiu Xiangming still responded the same way, he didn’t know.
It wasn’t that he intended to deliberately withhold information. After all, the space was locked, cutting off communication in and out, and... the players from District 001 haven’t come out yet, isn’t that saying something?
Xu Huo remained silent for a moment, "Do you have anything else to add?"
Qiu Xiangming took out a tool resembling a seal, "You need to be stamped with a special mark to ensure your identity is accurately recognized by others. Rest assured, it’s just a special kind of paint, difficult to wash off once stamped, with no other effects."
"Can’t it be stamped on clothes?" Xu Huo raised an eyebrow.
"That works too." Qiu Xiangming knew what he was worried about, so he simply handed the seal to him.
Xu Huo first printed one on the ground beside him, producing a special emblem pattern. The imprint dried instantly and was difficult to wipe off.
He stamped one on his sleeve, casually added another on Bubble Bean’s shoulder, and then tossed the stamp to the Girl in the painting, "Play with it for a while."
Qiu Xiangming took a look and said nothing more, then took out the Small Inversion Ring, "The Small Inversion Ring can’t lock-on target spaces, so we may need to teleport multiple times to reach the Portal Space. Be careful every time we teleport, to avoid getting separated."
The Small Inversion Ring activated, and the group was instantly pulled away from the metal city, then appeared in a snow-covered forest. This was clearly not their destination, requiring another use of the prop.
After passing through the Snow Forest, the Storm Space, and the Desert Region, they finally arrived in a Primeval Forest. The towering trees blocked out the sky, making it difficult even for sunlight to penetrate. Combined with the grass taller than a person, entering felt as if they’d shrunk, even making the relatively tall Qiu Xiangming and others seem miniature.
Parting the grass that reached above their heads, Qiu Xiangming pointed to a mark on a tree ahead, "That was left by our people. The trees here grow rapidly, such marks can heal in half a day. Judging by the recovery, our comrades should be nearby."
He put a whistle to his lips, and after the Que Niao bird-like call echoed twice, several players quickly approached from different directions but stopped a hundred meters away, also responding with their whistles. Then Qiu Xiangming responded once more, and only then did they quickly come over.
Two stopped behind tree branches to their upper-left, and three showed themselves, purposefully revealing half their bodies from behind the tree trunks. A moment later, one person from the upper-left jumped straight down from high up, landing lightly on a tree branch more than ten meters above the ground.
This was a man appearing to be in his forties, broad-faced with long eyebrows, exuding a rugged masculinity. He glanced down at Qiu Xiangming, asking for the code in a dialect peculiar to District 001, to which Qiu Xiangming replied using the same language, thereby confirming their identities.
"Min Mountain Military Region, Division 23, Regiment 11, Meng He." The middle-aged man leapt down from the tree and saluted Qiu Xiangming and his group.
"Yahu Military District, Detachment 9, Regiment 12, Qiu Xiangming." Qiu Xiangming introduced himself, then briefly introduced his companions and Xu Huo’s group of three.
Upon hearing that Xu Huo was a Space-Time Dual Evolution player, Meng He looked at him in surprise, "When did our division get such talent?"
"Not from our division," Qiu Xiangming explained, "Where is the nearest encampment? I’ll meet with the captain first."
Learning they weren’t from District 001, Meng He and the others scrutinized them more intently, as if their gaze became tangible, before Meng He finally said, "Follow me."
The group followed after him, while Meng He’s companions spread out on either side, appearing to keep watch but in fact keeping an eye on them.
Xu Huo didn’t mind. This location should be close to a marked point on Qiu Xiangming’s map since at the limit of his perception range, about five kilometers away, he sensed a different power fluctuation. This was due to the increased perception range brought about by the evolution of Spatial Power, though he didn’t approach to determine if it was Time Force.
Aside from that, this confined space doesn’t differ much from areas that haven’t fused with the game.
"Roar!" The bestial roar was deafening, enveloping them like a three-dimensional sound, then they heard trees rustling and a gigantic creature running, clearly targeting them.
Those leading the way didn’t stop, only Meng He raised a hand, and two players behind split apart, in a few swift moves disappearing completely from view. Shortly after, the distant forest reverberated with the anguished cries of a Mutant Beast, and in the blink of an eye, those two returned to the group.
Due to restrictions on props, Meng He’s group carried at least three knives and swords each. Xu Huo noticed they also had some small miscellaneous instruments, some resembling the positioning instruments he’d purchased before.
Their group moved up and down through the forest, taking half an hour to reach the nearest encampment at last.
The so-called encampment was merely a gathering spot for a team of players from District 001 to exchange information. Because the scope was vast, the information conveyed through sight, sound, and perception remained limited. The weapons and instruments brought in successively, along with specially trained message-delivering animals, suffered significant losses, prompting members to return periodically to update intelligence.
Twelve players were stationed there permanently, responsible for patrolling and ensuring prompt reception of critical information and providing aid to potentially injured comrades. Upon their arrival, Meng He conveyed to his surroundings the need to find the captain; of the twelve, one separated to move further in.
Along the way, they occasionally encountered a player from District 001, who likely adhered to a fixed reconnaissance mode, each player overseeing different areas, relaying information through this fan-shaped coverage. The player on patrol who left was probably getting closer to other players and further expanding the spread of information.
"This method is rather primitive." Bubble Bean remarked.
"Making too much noise easily attracts the attention of Outer District Forces." Qiu Xiangming explained, "Here, it’s not just our people, but also enemies. Be cautious, the encampment could be under attack at any moment..."
Sometimes, what you fear most happens right before your eyes. Before Qiu Xiangming could finish speaking, several figures burst out from the side, and the first two were clearly not players from District 001!