Stronger with More Jobs

Chapter 649 - 283: Kid, I Heard You’ve Got a Little Problem Here? (Part 3)

"Where are the troops?"

Lu Jiuyuan quickly scanned the surroundings, seeing only Chu Kuanglan, and immediately asked.

"They came, and then left."

Chu Kuanglan gestured towards the entrance of the Ice Valley, "The commander said they won’t search the camp for now, waiting for us to finish. They told us to call them if we need anything."

Upon hearing this, Lu Jiuyuan’s eyes flashed with understanding and gravity, and he nodded, "Understood."

He then looked at Chu Kuanglan, his tone serious, "Captain’s orders, you’re coming with us later to escort people back."

"Escort people? Esc..."

Chu Kuanglan didn’t finish his sentence, his eyes widened in an instant.

From the crevice, figures began emerging one by one, supporting each other, stumbling as they walked out.

Each one of them looked emaciated, with tattered clothes, bearing obvious scars and frostbite. Their faces showed a mix of bewilderment from surviving a catastrophe, lingering fear, and a faint stirring of life rekindled.

What made Chu Kuanglan’s heart clench.

Was that without exception, these people bore traces of a Tier Two Transcendent’s presence, weak but undeniable.

"Th... this many people?! All Tier Two?!"

Chu Kuanglan’s voice changed in pitch.

He looked incredulously at the group of "Grandmasters" and "Divine Chosen" who seemed like refugees.

Lu Jiuyuan walked up beside him, his teeth grinding audibly, squeezing out words through clenched teeth, filled with chilling anger, "Human traffickers... selling ’goods’ to the Life Ghosts!"

He swiftly and quietly informed Chu Kuanglan of Fang Qingyu’s orders and what he saw inside the cave.

"Beasts!!"

Chu Kuanglan listened, veins bulging on his forehead.

His large fists clenched tightly, knuckles turning white, a low growl emerging from his throat, eyes instantly bloodshot.

A wild killing intent almost burst from his body!

At that moment, Wei Banmeng was the last to emerge from the crack, his gaze sweeping over everyone, he spoke in a deep voice, "Everyone’s here. Follow the Captain’s instructed route, bypass the frontlines from the rear of the camp, and head back to the city immediately!"

The team of dozens, under the escort of Wei Banmeng and three others, silently and swiftly melded into the snowfall, retreating from the back of the Ice Valley Camp.

Without alerting the Garrison Army’s main force ahead.

Almost simultaneously.

In the depths of the Ice Valley, at the breach in the ice wall pierced by Shenxiao.

Fang Qingyu’s figure appeared silently.

He looked down at the dozens of "human-shaped sculptures" completely enveloped in the thick Darkness of the Eternal Night Territory, suspended several meters off the ground.

With a thought.

Buzz!

The dark sphere formed by the Eternal Night Territory suddenly contracted, becoming more compact, firmly incarcerating those desperados within, isolating all external light and sound.

Then his figure shot up to the sky!

Fang Qingyu did not return via the ground but took the silent, floating dark sphere, like a silent black meteor, tearing through the frigid wind and snow, speeding towards the majestic silhouette of the Arctic Great Wall!

...

At the edge of the battlefield at the Ice Valley entrance.

"Report to the commander! Lieutenant Colonel Wei’s special squad has communicated, they have completed their operation, we can enter the Ice Valley Camp to conduct a search!"

The staff officer hung up the communicator and reported quickly.

The "Anvil" commander nodded without any hesitation, immediately ordering, "First and second battalions, enter the Ice Valley at once and conduct a comprehensive search! Stay on guard!"

"Yes!"

Watching the troops proceed orderly into the Ice Valley, the staff officer couldn’t help but look at the slowly dissipating trace of the golden light pillar deep in the Ice Valley, and muttered, "Commander, that golden light earlier... and the special squad’s actions, it just feels..."

The commander abruptly turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the staff officer’s face, cutting off his words.

His voice was not loud, yet it carried a steel-like will and undeniable trust:

"Remember your identity! And remember theirs!"

"The people of the Abyss Hunting Department, they could never betray humanity, not even in death!"

"So, don’t ask what shouldn’t be asked! Execute the orders!"

The staff officer trembled all over, a flash of sheepishness appeared on his face, then he straightened his posture: "Yes! Understood!"

...

A return journey filled with swirling snow.

The group of dozens trudged with difficulty across the ice fields.

Having escaped the suffocating environment of the Life Ghost Nest, breathing in the icy, free air again, some victims’ spirits began to slowly recover from deep panic and numbness.

The resilience and willpower of a Tier Two Transcendent physique.

Driven by the survival instinct, began to rekindle a faint glow.

The energy within their bodies slowly circulated.

Dispelling the bone-chilling cold, healing some superficial frostbite and bruises.

Still weak and stumbling, but the emptiness and deadness in their eyes was being replaced by a more complex, weighty emotion...

Fear, humiliation, anger, and bewilderment about the future.

Wei Banmeng slowed his pace.

Walking alongside a woman in relatively good mental condition in the middle of the group.

"I am Wei Banmeng, from the Jiashen cycle of the Hidden Dragon Plan, a member of Fang Qingyu’s team."

Wei Banmeng’s voice was very soft, with a hint of subtle caution, fearing to upset the other’s somewhat calmed emotions.

Lin Yu wrapped herself tighter in a thick coat given to her by someone, shielding against the cold wind.

Her face was still pale, but her eyes were much clearer.

She glanced at Wei Banmeng, remained silent for a few seconds, then spoke in a low, hoarse voice, "Lin Yu, Icebound Castle, Tier Two Martial Arts Grandmaster, used to be in the ’Cold Blade’ Mercenary Corps."

"Can you tell me? How did you..."

Wei Banmeng carefully chose his words, not directly mentioning the unbearable experiences, but the meaning was already clear.