Chapter 25: Wanderer

Tier Three Insect Race, Wanderer!

This is completely different from the Tier Three Red Flame Beast that Han Zhan put all his effort into killing.

There are also gaps among the tiers.

The Wanderer is far more powerful than the Red Flame Beast; a complete Wanderer is not inferior to the combined power of three Tier Three Spirit Contract Masters!

"This task for the City Guardians? Isn’t it inappropriate?"

"It’s evidently beyond regular difficulty; shouldn’t this be handled by a specialized military unit?"

"It’s said to be a juvenile Wanderer, no one knows how it appeared here."

Even a juvenile Wanderer is troublesome.

Considering this, the officials offered a thousand points, with no task acceptance limit.

"So, this task, are we, Squad 0527, taking it on or not?"

"Meet at Xixia Road, discuss in person."

Han Zhan hung up the communicator, and after explaining the situation to Li Shutong, hurriedly went to the squad’s base with Xia Youwei.

Li Shutong watched as the villa courtyard became quiet again and refilled his cup.

"Alas, damn it, I’m really becoming an empty-nester now." He laughed self-deprecatingly.

"A Wanderer, huh?"

"What a troubled season..."

As Li Shutong spoke, the butler Ah Fu emerged from the shadows behind him.

"Sir, Miss Lingzhen has been found, but she is unwilling to come back to see you."

"Where is she?"

"Canghai City."

Li Shutong glanced in the direction Han Zhan and the others left, pondering for a moment.

"Then let’s go to Canghai City to see her."

Xixia Road, Squad 0527’s Base.

The four of them had just reunited after separately visiting their families this evening, and now, not too long after, they meet again.

Yi Fan reeked of alcohol, his eyes sleepy, possibly dragged here by Bai Shuang.

"So, are we going or not?"

"My suggestion is not to go," Bai Shuang spoke first.

"The danger level of a Wanderer has reached 3+, and even if it’s a juvenile, the risk is too high. My suggestion is to pass on this mission and wait."

"Go! Why not, we must go!"

Before Bai Shuang’s words had finished, Yi Fan was already raising his hand and shouting.

"Start work early, finish work early, why not?"

Yi Fan maintained his casual demeanor, still not sober.

After shouting, he even lay on the table and continued to snore away.

Xia Youwei didn’t speak.

She didn’t need to; everything followed Han Zhan’s decision.

The voting situation was a bit delicate; the deciding vote still rested in Han Zhan’s hands.

Indeed, if it were just for points, the more prudent approach would be to pass up this opportunity.

But Han Zhan noticed something none of them mentioned.

"Red alert."

Why hunt the Wanderer? It’s not just for a task with points, not for rewards, but to protect this city!

That’s the original intention of the City Guardians.

Point tasks made the City Guardian Squad more utilitarian, causing them to even forget the meaning of their name.

Han Zhan sighed.

Though he’s not a saint, as a Transmigrator with SSS Level Talent, who doesn’t have a hero’s dream of saving the world!

What’s more, a strong person only sharpens through constant battles, like sailing against the current, one must advance or be pushed back!

"My own path."

"Is it the hero’s path?"

Han Zhan felt a faint realization, though the way forward seemed like a flower in the mirror, a reflection in water, not entirely tangible.

But at this moment, he had already made up his mind.

"We’ll take on this task!"

...

Deep Blue City, outskirts.

A long cordon had already been set up here, prohibiting entry.

From a distance, it looked like the place was shrouded in black mist, with a huge inverted black barrier completely enclosing it.

"It’s the Wanderer’s talent, the Black Tent."

"It can block all perception, being distinct and independent from the external world, forming its own realm."

"Anything engulfed by the Black Tent, whether it has life signs or not, will age, decay, and head toward extinction at an accelerated pace."

"The range of the Black Tent is still expanding; once it encroaches upon Deep Blue City, the vast amount of life energy being absorbed will only expedite this Wanderer’s growth to maturity, resulting in an irreversible insect disaster!"

"We must stop it."

Zhang Xiaobei led Deep Blue City’s first squad, and they all arrived here as he spoke.

"Since the official departments have already dispatched our first squad to handle this, why issue the task?" a squad member asked in confusion.

Zhang Xiaobei exhaled a breath, saying only three words: "Scapegoat."

"The Black Tent can only be destroyed from the inside; even as a juvenile, the Wanderer is terrifying with the Black Tent’s protection. No need to elaborate, right?"

"We need many people to distract it, attract its firepower."

This was also Zhao Hu’s intention.

Accomplishing great things requires overlooking the small stuff. Solving a Wanderer problem would certainly boost Deep Blue City’s political achievements this year to the next level.

"Anyway, every year so many trash join the City Guardians they’re almost turning into a junkyard, thinning them out a bit wouldn’t matter much."

Another team member put away the binoculars, and a few of them sat back down on the city wall, hiding their silhouettes.

What remained was merely waiting.

Not many City Guardian Squads took on the task, but there were still quite a few.

The reason was simple; although they couldn’t possibly stand up against a Tier Three Wanderer, what if?

What if some big shots drew its fire, and they managed to snag the spoils quietly, wouldn’t they soar to great heights?

The materials from a Wanderer were valuable enough for them to make an enormous profit!

With this in mind, it’s easy to understand why some squads are willing to risk it.

Under Han Zhan’s lead, Squad 0527 also arrived from Deep Blue City.

Facing the Black Tent, which covered at least a hundred kilometers of land, Han Zhan and the others did not immediately venture inside.

"This is the Wanderer’s talent, the Black Tent."

Having seen Lin Jingxuan’s notes, Han Zhan was the first to recognize what this large round black barrier was.

"Are you all ready? Once we’re inside the Black Tent, there’s no turning back."

"Let’s go!" Bai Shuang nodded.

Yi Fan shrugged indifferently, "This thing won’t affect me; I don’t mind."

Xia Youwei was a bit nervous, her fists slightly clenched.

At that moment, a large hand reached out, holding her sweaty right hand.

"Don’t worry, it’ll be fine."

"Mm!" Led by Han Zhan, Xia Youwei nodded, "I just can’t shake this bad feeling."

"Like we’re being watched by something evil all the time."

"Being so close to the Black Tent, the Insect Race’s aura is thick here; maybe that’s influencing you," Bai Shuang came over to comfort her.

Hearing Bai Shuang’s words, Xia Youwei nodded.

"If everyone’s ready then, let’s head inside."

With that, Han Zhan and Xia Youwei walked into the Black Tent.

Bai Shuang and Yi Fan followed closely behind.

"Hiss..."

A soft, barely audible sound echoed through the air, disappearing quickly.