Inside The Black Mist

The vehicles left the Yunxiang Base, traveling on an artificially constructed road. On either side of the road were the twisted, monstrous trees of the Inverse Universe. Their abnormal vitality caused the roots and vines to spread onto the road, necessitating regular maintenance by the base to ensure the road remained passable for vehicles.

Sitting in one of the Falcon combat vehicles, Tianyang gazed out the window. Under the shroud of black fog, all he could see was the endless, dark forest lining the road.

"You have a special mission; in principle, I won't interfere with your actions." Adam's voice pulled Tianyang's attention back from the window. "But as the squad leader and the safety officer for this exploration project, if I determine that your actions pose a danger or risk to us, I will intervene."

Tianyang nodded in agreement. "That's only right. I have no objections."

Adam smiled. "I'm glad we could reach an understanding."

At that moment, Tianyang received a text message on his communicator.

'You have received a mission reward notification.'

[Reward Item: Wild Valley Town Exploration Mission.

Reward Contents: Contribution Points.

Contribution Points: Base Reward 500 points, Assistance in Killing the Sorcerer 300 points, Destroying Large Dark Minion Treant 500 points, Collecting Sorcerer Eye Crystal Material 100 points (team), Miscellaneous 162 points. Total Contribution Points Earned: 2462 points.

All rewards have been issued. Please check your account.]

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Tianyang checked his current total contribution points. After lending 2000 points to Yanbing, he had 5620 points remaining.

So far, his accumulated contribution points were approaching ten thousand. However, he was still quite far from the one hundred thousand points needed to earn the right to establish a clan.

By noon, the convoy had exited the forest. The rest of the journey was spent enduring the bumpy ride.

Apparently, this region lacked Inverse Universe roads, and the base's resources couldn't extend the road, so the convoy had to travel on rugged terrain, testing everyone's physical endurance.

This was a mountainous area, with seemingly endless rolling mountains. Of course, under the black fog, it was difficult for humans to see far without auxiliary equipment.

Adam acted as a guide, explaining the situation of this mountainous region to Tianyang. There were several mines in the mountains. One of them belonged to the Yun family, while the rest were controlled by the fortress.

There were smooth roads built between the mines and the base, but they couldn't use those roads since their destination was far from the mines.

Tianyang didn't mind. With his enhanced body, a bit of bumpiness was nothing. If he had to worry, it would be about Mr. Kong.

No matter how comfortable the Yun family's vehicles were, the elderly man probably couldn't endure such a bumpy ride.

Speaking of which, what kind of luminescent fungal colony would attract a botanist like Kong Zhang? And what benefits could the fortress gain from studying those fungi?

Probably only the old gentleman himself knew the answer to that.

After a day, the convoy finally exited the mountainous region, and the Inverse Universe road became a savior for everyone. They no longer had to endure the bumpy mountain terrain. Although the road was occasionally broken and uneven, it was generally flat.

Along the way, they occasionally encountered stray wanderers.

These entities possess a hive mind, so unless necessary, the convoy avoided stopping to clear them to prevent attracting large numbers of dark creatures.

At sunset, according to Fortress Time, the convoy finally reached its destination, Gemstone Town!

The convoy didn’t enter the town directly. Instead, the vehicles formed a defensive formation and temporarily rested in a nearby open area by the road.

Adam got out of the car and met with Yunze. “Everyone is tired after the past two days of travel. Let’s rest here and head into the town in eight hours.”

Yunze agreed without objection.

The soldiers began setting up a perimeter, using some simple tools to create barriers that would also conceal the campfire’s light.

Seven or eight members of the Frost Cloud Guard started preparing food. Instead of lighting a campfire, they took out some foldable military stoves and placed them on flat ground.

After igniting the stoves, blue flames flickered to life. They placed military pots on the stoves and heated simple food, making it ready to eat.

The Frost Cloud Guard also set up two tents, taking some basic supplies from the vehicles to ensure a comfortable night in the tents.

Of course, these two tents were prepared for Yunze and Kong Zhang.

Everyone else had to make do with spending the night in their vehicles.

Tianyang took his eyes off the tents and pulled out a box of high-energy food from his waist pouch. He unwrapped it and began chewing on a compressed food bar.

Adam, also gnawing on a food bar nearby, remarked, “Sometimes I envy the treatment of the Yun Clan’s guards. At least they get to eat something hot. We’re stuck chewing on these cold food bars.”

“A team like that might not lack combat power, but they lack resilience. If the battle turns unfavorable, I doubt they’ll hold up for long,” Tianyang analyzed, taking another bite of his food bar.

Adam looked at the young man in surprise. “You have a keen eye. I feel the same way. Look at their equipment, their clothes, and even their military tools. Everything is too pristine and convenient.”

“Living in such comfort for too long makes them fragile.” The burly man tapped his chest. “When the environment turns harsh and they have to deal with filth, I guarantee they’ll break down quickly. They’re nothing compared to us in that regard.”

Adam looked proud as he spoke.

Tianyang agreed deeply. The Inverse Universe was full of unknown dangers, and only those with strong wills could survive. This world wasn’t a stage for some people to show off.

Eight hours later, the team broke camp.

Gemstone Town had no clear entrance, unlike Wild Valley Town with its checkpoint. A Inverse Universe road led straight into the town without obstruction.

As they neared Gemstone Town, various objects like the ground, rocks, lamp posts, and road signs started to show signs of life.

Inverse Universe Fungi.

These fungi were different from the commonly seen bloated, unhealthy-looking white fungi in the metropolis. The fungi in Gemstone Town were delicate, densely packed, and dark blue in color.

From a distance, they looked like deep blue carpets spread over the town.

“They’ve been growing particularly vigorously in recent years.”

Adam, sitting by the window, observed the fungi passing by. “The botanical research institute at the fortress has recorded that in the past five years, their growth rate is ten times or more what it used to be.”

“It’s almost like something is accelerating their growth.”

As Tianyang watched the fungi outside, he began to understand why a botanist would suddenly come to Gemstone Town.