Reincarnated as A Bamboo

Chapter 25: Mission First

As Zheng Guodong had expected, the squad members did not choose the second option he suggested.

"Captain Zheng, all of us feel that since we've already arrived at this Spiritual Realm, we should properly accomplish our mission!"

As the representative of the squad members, Liu Cheng spoke to Zheng Guodong. His expression was now completely different compared to ten minutes ago when he had been frightened by the howling of the wolves and looked like a youth scared out of his skin.

His and the squad members' expressions seemed to have returned to the ones they had worn before they had entered the valley.

Zheng Guodong sighed.

He was aware that the loud explosion, as well as the howls of the injured beasts, seemed to have given this group some confidence, or even completely shattered the worries they might have had before.

These squad members were unusually clear about the grades of the mutated creatures.

In terms of theoretical knowledge, every single one of them had thoroughly memorized them.

Those unaffected by heat weapons were Grade-D mutated creatures who were reaching demonization and above.

The cries of the wolves after the loud explosion had proven that these wolves' maximum spiritual aura density was only at 600.

600 was classed as Grade-E, or rather, those that died were considered to be at 600.

If the transcendents here were divided according to grades, all the squad members would be classed at the peak of Grade-E or the initial level of Grade-D!

As for Zheng Guodong, he was at the peak of Grade-D!

The combat effectiveness of sixteen people was not something that could be calculated with just simple addition. Moreover, Zheng Guodong was a rare transcendent who possessed elemental attributes.

What did that mean for a pack of wolves that could be harmed by heat weapons?

Therefore, after quick and brief consideration, the fifteen squad members collectively denied Zheng Guodong's second choice to stop here and leave, then inform the top authorities of the vague value. After all, they had already found what they were looking for.

Zheng Guodong glanced around at the squad members.

The reason he had given the squad members two choices was that he had a strange feeling that the numbers on the spiritual aura indicator were quite abnormal.

His instincts told him that they needed to leave the Spiritual Realm, and the sooner the better.

In particular, the howling of the wolves was very odd.

Although the explosion and the cries of the wolves had proven that they feared heat weapons, who could guarantee that those were heat weapons that the squad knew of?

Zheng Guodong knew well that some higher-ups had already worked out a tactic that combined large-scale armor-piercing bullets and miniaturization of highly explosive bullets that were compatible with regular firearms. Although it had not been widely deployed and applied at the forefront yet, word was that this tactic had already been mastered by a few powerful bounty hunter organizations.

Who knew whether those explosions could be the product of armor-piercing bullets or highly explosive bullets that he knew of?

Large scale and ordinary armor-piercing bullets and highly explosive bullets had been transported by the corps that had later entered the Little Li Village; there were more than a hundred. Should this squad of transcendents fail to leave this Spiritual Realm after two days, an endless line of corps would then charge in with these armor-piercing bullets to defeat the mutated beasts.

Of course, they would also retrieve the group's corpses along the way.

Ordinary people possessed high damage abilities that transcendents could not match: technology.

To be more specific, weapons with the latest technology.

If transcendents were not enough, ordinary people would of course have their own solutions. There would always be more solutions than problems.

"Are you guys sure?" Zheng Guodong asked as he looked at the black ghost-like shadow of a tree in the fog, which bore fangs and brandished claws.

"Captain Zheng, are you scared? We're not scared, are we?" Shen Sisi also wore a completely relaxed expression as he laughed and chatted away with the squad members behind him.

Zheng Guodong knew that death often came when one underestimated the enemy and had misplaced confidence in their own strength.

Upon feeling the balance of strength tilt toward them, these squad members, who were previously ordinary people, would immediately feel arrogant as they did now.

If they encountered strong enemies, they would once again behave like ordinary people and doubt their strength and feel immensely afraid of the enemy's capability to hurt them.

Just like how not long ago, after they had encountered the giant centipede, they were all pale with fright when they heard the howls of the wolves and were shaky as they walked.

Now, because the mutated wolves had gotten injured, they once again became as confident as before.

This squad was not easy to deal with.

Zheng Guodong sighed again: "I know that you guys are strong. As transcendents, your combat effectiveness is much stronger than that of ordinary people. However"

"It's fine! We're not like some people, who fear wolves ahead and tigers behind. There's nothing unique about this Spiritual Realm anyway!" (TN: To fear wolves ahead and tigers behind is a Chinese idiom that means to be full of fears.)

"Yeah, that centipede was just a blockade. If you had not swiftly dealt with it, the few of us would have easily killed it too."

"Hehe, be it wolves or jackals, we'll kill one when one comes. If two come, we'll kill a pair! I'm just worried about my itchy hands. Hehe."

The squad shifted from being in solemn silence to a raucous state. Not one of them showed any signs of their previous fears and dread. Their words made Zheng Guodong feel somewhat helpless.

"Captain, we still have you no matter how capable we are. You will protect us, right?" Liu Cheng said at last with a smile.

Zheng Guodong opened his mouth but said nothing in the end. He knew that the squad would never listen to him, no matter what he said.

At the same time, his thoughts had also changed.

He released the condensed spiritual aura and wrapped it around his body. He watched the fog grow denser and became awakened.

Since these people were already behaving the way that they were, he felt there was no other way to do things.

If one could identify the most selfless person in this world, it would not be him.

If the situation was as described in the tool, it was of course the best. However, if his intuitions were correct, then these people would not stand a chance.

The mission was the top priority.

"Alright then. We'll continue moving toward the center. However, we must pick up the pace as it's almost eight o'clock now."

The fog had already greatly dissipated and vision range had been increased to thirty- or forty-meter radius.

Zheng Guodong walked to the forefront. The sixteen of them had already completely relaxed their minds, no longer bearing the tension and vigilance they had before.

Their demeanor resembled that of students who were on a spring outing, sporting big and small bags on their backs. 

Zheng Guodong no longer gave them further reminders.

A group of people continued to advance. In this place with a chaotic magnetic field, compasses and any other electronic equipment were useless. However, that did not mean that it was impossible to distinguish the direction they were headed in.

Looking at the giant trees surrounding them that had grown too high and wide, they could guess. Canopies that were more flourished with leaves generally pointed toward the south.

The rising numbers on the spiritual aura density indicator were also an important basis for navigation.

The closer to the center of the valley, the higher the value, and the same for the reverse.

"Ah! It's a panda. Everyone, come look! How cute!" Shen Sisi suddenly pointed at a panda that had appeared not far ahead and shouted with joy.

The squad immediately looked in the direction that Shen Sisi had pointed at.

A mere thirty meters away was an innocent panda that appeared to be welcoming them as it held a bamboo stick, chewing hard.

"It's so cute. I want to snap a few pictures!" Shen Sisi rushed toward it. Several female members along with two male members on the squad could not resist the cuteness of the giant panda and involuntarily approached it as well.

"Yeah, it's too cute. Eh? Why is there a sweet fragrance nearby?" Several squad members felt as though their feet were not their own and walked over to the panda.

That was the time!

A bolt of silver-white lightning abruptly flashed by from the back of the big tree beside them, revealing two extremely dazzling poisonous fangs!