17
"We have lost our target Ning Valley and have confirmed that we have entered the Lost Valley." Long Biao stood on the roof, looking at the travelers who were almost running away while fighting with the city guards.
After a pause, he added: "Group 6's communication with Lianchuan has been interrupted, and it is estimated that they have entered the Lost Valley."
"The mission is over," Lei Yu's voice came, "Collect the team and stand by."
Long Biao glanced at the opposite side. When he came over, the caracal had been squatting on the roof, looking down. Now when he looked over there, there was no trace of the caracal.
"The caracal is missing," Long Biao connected to Lei Yu's private channel, "Do you need to report?"
"No need," Lei Yu said, "It's just Lian Chuan's partner. It's no longer a member of the cleanup team. It doesn't need to report."
"I understand." Long Biao said but did not exit the channel.
"Speak." Lei Yu spoke.
"Lian Chuan has a personal mission, right? He must successfully capture the target," Long Biao said. "Although I have always had reservations about Lian Chuan's ability being touted, it does not prevent me from thinking that this mission is inhumane."
"Let's pack up." Lei Yu said.
This mission was not confidential. Although Long Biao mentioned Lian Chuan's personal mission which he had not made clear to other team members, it didn't matter because there was no problem with the mission itself.
But Long Biao's words made him feel uncomfortable. Long Biao had always been dissatisfied with Lian Chuan, and they had been in disagreement since the first day they met. But whether it was Long Biao or Lian Chuan, they would still do their best to protect their teammates during the mission.
Their captain couldn't do it.
Lei Yu sighed and walked into the Internal Defense Building.
Lian Chuan's action process has been reported back, so he actually doesn't need to come over again. But since everyone in the city's internal defense thinks he is protecting his own people, he doesn't hide the fact that he really wants to come over to inquire about the progress.
Liu Dong was the only one in the monitoring room, and Lei Yu breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't want Minister Chen to be present. Although this minister was the person who had the most direct contact between the City Affairs Bureau and the Internal Defense Department, he was an outsider after all.
It is better not to inquire about the progress, especially those related to Lianchuan, in front of outsiders.
"I knew you would come." Liu Dong clasped his hands and looked at him with a smile.
"How is it?" Lei Yu asked, "Any feedback?"
"No," Liu Dong frowned, "When Ning Gu and Lian Chuan entered the Lost Valley, the interference from the Traveler's ability was too strong, and no clear picture was captured."
"Are you sure both of them went in?" Lei Yu asked.
"Are you very reluctant to let him go in?" Liu Dong looked at him.
"Of course I don't want to emotionally." Lei Yu replied.
"So is he willing to go in or not?" Liu Dong held his chin up, looking at the chaotic and blurry scene that was repeatedly played on the screen in front of him. "He is Lian Chuan. With that speed, could he be taken into the Lost Valley by a traveler of unknown ability?"
"Are you thinking he went in on purpose?" Lei Yu crossed his arms. "Then why did he choose Lost Valley as the place to ambush? Just find a random place, and when Ning Gu goes in, he will naturally 'have to go in'."
Liu Dong nodded slowly, but quickly asked, "Have you asked him why he is in Lost Valley?"
"I did ask," Lei Yu said, "The prerequisite for proving that he is irreplaceable is that he is still alive."
I can only prove that I am irreplaceable by living.
No matter what Ning Gu means to the main city, it is a huge threat to Lian Chuan. If he is captured and sent over, he may never be able to take the initiative again.
His only option was to take the initiative to enter the Lost Valley when everyone thought he was unwilling to do so.
In this place where even the most powerfully equipped Internal Defense Force has never set foot on its own initiative, facing the possibility of getting lost, disappearing, and dying, he may have the last glimmer of hope to control his own destiny.
"Do you understand?" Lian Chuan looked at Ning Gu.
Ning Gu blinked.
Lian Chuan released the fingers that were pressing on his throat.
Ning Gu's ability might not have been fully activated yet, so he didn't feel anything every time he approached. This time, there was no change in his gaze when he looked at Ning Gu.
But whether it was attack or defense, he had never heard of the Traveler having a passive ability.
There were voices coming from the entrance, and a traveler ran in.
"Let's go." Lian Chuan pushed Ning Gu.
Ning Gu hesitated for a moment and did not call for help. Firstly, he lost face. Secondly, he did not want to send his companions to die. Thirdly... he wanted to know why Lian Chuan wanted him to see and feel the cruelty in those distant memories.
He vaguely felt that these things were the key to his survival in Lian Chuan's hands.
It could even be something he could use to blackmail Lian Chuan.
As for why Lian Chuan would bring the evidence to his doorstep, he hasn't figured it out yet. Travelers come and go like the wind, and their minds just go wherever they go. Anyway, he's not dead yet, so he can figure it out when he has time.
As Ning Gu continued walking along the passage, he heard a slight mechanical sound coming from behind him. He turned around and found that Lian Chuan was taking off his exoskeleton and equipment.
He suddenly became anxious and lowered his voice: "Do you really think you are the number one in the cleanup team? Are you too arrogant? You came to someone else's territory and even gave away equipment? Do you know what's inside..."
Lian Chuan threw the weapon to the ground beside him and pointed at him.
Ning Gu immediately covered his throat, turned around and walked forward.
After taking two steps, he felt his collar and shoulders tighten, and then his arms were pulled behind him. When he came to his senses, the long coat he was wearing was already on Lian Chuan.
"Do you have any shame?" Ning Gu looked down at himself in shock, sure that in just one second, his coat was snatched away by a hyena, and the ghost town bully didn't even have time to struggle.
Just burning with anger.
"Go." Lian Chuan looked at him and gave a brief instruction.
Ning Gu felt that he could only endure this in front of the team leader. He walked forward with his head down, tearing a hole in the hem of his short jacket as he walked.
There was one on his coat, too, and whether it was useful or not, he marked it as the hammer told him to.
The travelers who came in behind him ran past him whistling, and one of them even jumped on his shoulder, looking very excited.
Ning Gu quickened his pace and soon saw the red light of the Lost Valley.
He stopped and turned back to look at Lian Chuan: "I'm going to speak."
Lian Chuan said nothing.
Ning Gu didn't say anything, just stared at Lian Chuan's face in a daze.
Lian Chuan probably feared being recognized as a hyena when he got his equipment and clothes before, so he took off the goggles on his face that were too advanced to be recognized as hyenas, revealing his entire face.
Ning Gu had seen his face in sections before, but he didn't have much of an idea of it. Now looking at it all together, it was much more intuitive. It was consistent with the legend, with a cold look in his expressionless face.
But he looked younger than he thought.
"Just leave if you don't want to say anything." Lian Chuan said.
"This is my second time in Lost Valley," Ning Gu said, "Don't expect me to lead you. I don't know the way."
"Let's go." Lian Chuan said.
"I haven't finished yet." Ning Gu looked at him.
Lian Chuan didn't say anything or move.
"You have to help me deal with someone who is causing trouble," Ning Gu said, "I don't know why you let me see your old stuff, but if you don't help me, I won't cooperate no matter what your reason is."
There was still no expression on Lian Chuan's face, and even his eyes did not change.
"Deal?" Ning Gu asked.
"Deal." Lian Chuan replied.
Ning Gu nodded, turned and walked into the Lost Valley.
Jiuyi has never counted how many floors there are in the Lost Valley, and the bat has never cared about it.
He only needs to know that in this seemingly endless, huge funnel-shaped underground world, this floor that most people cannot reach is his lair.
Jiu Yi squatted in a dark red halo, with no one around him.
This is his alone time.
The travelers are here again, this group of noisy Black Mist adventurers.
The irregularly shaped metal pier under his feet could feel all kinds of vibrations coming from the maze-like cave above. The 49 metal cylinders arranged in a circle around the metal pier could collect all kinds of sounds.
Talking, shouting, laughing, crying, screaming, cursing...
I couldn't hear anything, these were just his guesses.
But he could tell from these sounds what Lost Valley was like today, safe or dangerous, peaceful or noisy, boring or... interesting.
Interesting.
Jiuyi raised his hand and waved it, and a modified metal spike inserted in his index finger made a ringing sound.
Several of his men ran out from the cave behind him and crowded around him, their faces glowing red, and at first glance they were filled with energy caused by excessive boredom.
"A hyena is coming in." Jiu Yi said.
"What?" Fulu was surprised. "Hyena dares to enter the Lost Valley?"
"Yeah, I'm also surprised," Jiuyi pinched his chin, "Hyenas dare to enter the Lost Valley... When was the last time a hyena came in?"
"Before I came." said Fulu.
"Neither do I," said Suki.
"Neither do I..."
"No..."
Several bats spoke up at the same time, and Jiu Yi waved his hand: "Shut up."
"What should we do?" Fulu didn't shut up.
"Take people to the exits of the main city to check," Jiuyi said, "to see if there is anything going on outside... Black Ring Team."
"Here." Someone responded from the dark space with dim red light in the distance.
"Let's go and see which hyena is so bold." Jiu Yi said.
"Do you want to take action?" asked Captain Black Ring.
"Do you think hyenas are so easy to catch?" Jiu Yi's voice was filled with resentment towards the idiots. "If hyenas are so easy to catch, why do we have to hide here?"
“But this is the Lost Valley,” Suki said. “Hyenas get lost when they come in.”
"I don't care whether he is lost or not," Jiuyi looked up. The layers of maze caves reflected with red light made people feel as if they were drunk. "Hyenas will not enter the Lost Valley without a reason. Whether he is lost or not, find out why he came in. What he wants is mine."