The Stars Beyond

Chapter 28: Used as Bait

Haze filled the densely forested and mountainous area in the Greater Khingan Range, creating a distorted and blurred view of the mountains and forests.

“Supernatural force!” Qing Mu, recognizing the presence of a very powerful supernatural force, instructed everyone to remain still and observe the situation. Throughout the years, the Adventurer's Guild had encountered several strange phenomena, gaining extensive expertise in the process.

In an instant, the tranquil mountains were shattered by the thunderous roar of a ferocious beast, its echo piercing through the thick fog. The very air seemed to tremble, and the leaves danced in a frenzy. Even through the screen, the distant roar sounded as if it were close to them.

Wang Xuan could not help but feel astonished, contemplating the existence of other enigmatic creatures concealed within this untamed forest, where the corpse of an immortal lay. Yet, a perplexing question lingered in his thoughts: if this were the case, how did these mythical or ancient beasts of the ancient legends elude discovery in this modern age?

As the clouds dispersed, the scenery returned to normal, revealing a massive creature hidden within the dense forest in the distant mountains. With cold and menacing eyes, it glanced towards the group before disappearing from sight.

“Black tiger!” Kite exclaimed.

“What is it?” Black Tiger turned to look at him.

Kite shook his head and said, “No, not you! I was saying that the creature was a black tiger, about five or six meters long! I could sense great hostility from the depth of its eyes!”

Wang Xuan and Qing Mu also suspected the same. The creature had a huge body, pitch-black fur with light markings.

Everyone in the group found themselves lost in a whirlwind of thoughts. A haze surrounding an immortal’s tomb, followed by the appearance of a legendary black tiger... This was undeniably a strange occurrence.

“In the past, I was skeptical about myths and legends. Ever since I joined the Adventurer’s Guild, my beliefs have started to shift, especially after witnessing that kind of creature today,” Kite whispered, his voice trembling with awe.

If this had happened anywhere else, it would not have been as unsettling. However, they were in the vicinity of an immortal’s great tomb, where strange phenomena and mysterious apparitions were present.

Wang Xuan gazed ahead, his eyes fixed on the distance. “We’re in the Greater Khingan Range, known for its population of Siberian tigers. Perhaps the creature we saw was a mutated Siberian tiger.”

The creature moved very quickly and had vanished into the wilderness.

“Whether it’s a mythical beast or a mutated Siberian tiger, we can’t underestimate it. There’s something off about those eyes, so proceed cautiously when you go over there,” Qing Mu warned.

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Once Qing Mu had regained his composure, his worries subsided as he knew that the starship’s arsenal of weapons would be more than capable of eliminating any living creatures, especially if the rumors of an immortal tomb ahead were true. The immortal had met his demise and found his final resting place there, it was unlikely the other creatures could be more powerful than an immortal.

Kite muttered under his breath, “Perhaps that black tiger was the immortal’s pet when he was still alive. Even after thousands of years, it’s still alive and kicking. Didn’t you guys see how the clouds of haze it released could almost distort space? I wonder if it’s even more powerful than the immortal himself when he was still alive.”

“Shut up!” Qing Mu slapped Kite across the face, reminding him that with all the resources they had gathered, even if a mythical creature did appear, they could blast it into oblivion.

“Did the Ashen Blood excavate the wrong place? People are coming out from the depths of the mountain!” Old Mu stared at the screen, tracking the movements of their opponents.

The Ashen Blood had arrived a while back, utilizing towering automatons to excavate through the mountain. They remained hidden underground until the resounding tiger’s roar reached their ears. Several people emerged and engaged in what seemed like a dispute. Suspecting that they might have been digging in the wrong direction, a group of automatons was eventually seen moving toward a ravine, where the black tiger had disappeared.

“Interesting. Let's see what happens when they encounter the mythical creature.” Kite could hardly contain his excitement. The Ashen Blood had been so focused with their task at hand that they had failed to notice them.

A thunderous roar echoed from the mountain forest adjacent to the deep ravine, accompanied by clouds of haze that seemed to be imbued with supernatural force. The group of automatons emitted electrical sparks and malfunctioned, collapsing to the ground.

The black tiger flickered on the screen and vanished from the mountains and forests. Qing Mu’s heart skipped a beat, wondering if it had been the cause of all this. The clouds of haze that accompanied his appearance contained a supernatural force. That could have affected the automatons.

“Old Mu, let’s keep our distance!” Qing Mu cautioned. If that force could affect the automatons, it could also interfere with their starship. Now, he was starting to worry if that black tiger really was a mythical creature. In any case, It did not seem like an easy opponent to deal with.

Old Mu, who had been analyzing the various monitoring data on the screen, assured, “Don’t worry, we’re far away enough. Additionally, the starship detected abnormal energy levels, mainly caused by the clouds of haze. Its effects are even more powerful than the effects the black tiger had on the automatons.”

“So the main cause is the supernatural force coming from the immortal’s tomb?”

Meanwhile, all the Ashen Blood members had withdrawn from the depths of the mountain. Some were headed toward the mountain forest on their small starships to eliminate the black tiger. A group of advanced automatons with anti-surge features also rushed into the hazy region, undeterred by the supernatural force.

“The Ashen Blood is really going all out this time by bringing a group of elites. They even have a batch of advanced automatons designed to minimize the effects of supernatural forces on themselves,” Qing Mu commented.

Wang Xuan’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing Qing Mu’s comment. He could not help but wonder if these were newly developed automatons from Terra Nova.

“Ever since the discovery of supernatural elemental energy on Terra Nova, efforts in enhancing automatons have yielded noteworthy results,” Qing Mu explained.

An automaton swung its long alloy blade with incredible force. Like a lightning bolt, it streaked across the sky and made contact with the ferocious tiger with a resounding thud. The black tiger’s roar echoed throughout the mountain forest. Despite its swift movements, it failed to completely dodge the attack. A bloody gash appeared on its side, so deep that a few bones were visible.

Wang Xuan’s heart trembled at the realization that these so-called mythical creatures were also made of flesh and blood. It seemed like their bodies could not withstand the might of these advanced automatons.

Boom! A small energy cannon unleashed a beam of light, piercing through the body of the nearly six-meter-long black tiger. After letting out a fierce roar, the tiger’s body convulsed and crashed to the ground with a thud.

The advanced automaton stepped forward and brought its long alloy blade down. The massive tiger head rolled off, and the mountain ground was soon stained crimson by its fresh blood.

“Dead... That mythical creature died just like that?” Kite exclaimed, unable to believe what had just happened.

Black Tiger on the starship muttered under his breath, “How unfortunate.”

Wang Xuan’s mind was also reeling. At this point, he was still uncertain if that tiger was a mythical creature, or just a mutated Siberian tiger. It did not seem as strong as he had imagined, considering how swiftly it was slain.

Undeterred, the Ashen Blood members pressed on, pushing deeper into the ravine. Clouds of haze rolled in and the fog grew thicker.

Boom! A small starship opened fire, its energy cannon unleashing a wild blast. The ravine shook violently, the ground cracked, the rocky walls exploded and crumbled.

All of a sudden, a piercing brilliance erupted, violently impacting the small starship. The vehicle shook uncontrollably as it veered away from the area. Meanwhile, the advanced automatons wielding alloy blades and energy weapons malfunctioned. Electric sparks were seen flying everywhere.

“There's intense supernatural radiation in the ravine!” Old Mu exclaimed with a grave expression on his face. They could not venture any further without risking severe consequences.

Massive shadows began emerging from the ravine. A group of tyrannical apes covered in thick black hair, standing at a towering three to four meters tall, charged out from the thick fog.

The Ashen Blood members immediately found themselves in a precarious situation. With automatons leading the way, the others donning protective suits at the rear swiftly retreated. In the distance, starships raced to their aid. Violent energy beams were unleashed, blasting dozens of towering tyrannical apes into oblivion.

“Something’s not right here.” Old Mu frowned.

These creatures, suspected to possess supernatural powers, were no match for modern weapons. They were easily defeated, unable to withstand the Ashen Blood. The only threat to the automatons and starships was the haze coming from the depths of the ravine. However, this supernatural force seemed to be waning and on the verge of depleting.

The Ashen Blood continued their advance, utilizing energy weapons to forge ahead. Since it was dangerous for the members to proceed into the ravine wearing only protective suits, high-level mechas were deployed.

“A fallen phoenix is no better than a chicken, the same goes for a dead immortal,” Qing Mu mumbled. He jolted all of a sudden and a serious expression crossed his face. It was a secret transmission from the Adventurer’s Guild top management.

An elderly voice came through. “Qing Mu, your starship’s cloaking device is impressive, providing strong protection. Now, pay attention. Divert all powers to your defense systems and cloaking device."

Wang Xuan was standing near Qing Mu. With his sharp hearing, he could not help but overhear the conversation. Besides, Qing Mu made no efforts to keep the conversation a secret from them.

The voice sounded oddly familiar though. It immediately reminded Wang Xuan of an older colleague from work who spent half an hour on the phone discussing his fishing plans on his first day at work. The two voices bore a striking resemblance. Perhaps the person speaking to Qing Mu was not using a voice changer as they seemed to know each other well and share a deep level of trust.

“What do you mean?” Qing Mu inquired.

“Another group from the Ashen Blood is on their way to surround you. Some medium-sized battleships are almost reaching the Greater Khingan Range,” the old man calmly informed him.

Qing Mu felt his anger boil, realizing they had fallen into the enemy’s trap. The Ashen Blood had intentionally leaked the information to them and now, they were ready to strike.

Wang Xuan heard the conversation clearly too. The nonchalant and unhurried tone made Wang Xuan want to grab the old man and pummel him. So, they were being counter-hunted.

“Your investigation on the Ashen Blood has alerted your enemies. They deliberately leaked the news to you, luring you into their trap. They are ready to unleash a barrage of fire from their high-altitude positions. As soon as you mobilize your men there, they will send all of you to your doom.”

A chill ran down Qing Mu’s spine. It was no laughing matter if the enemy’s medium-sized battleships were indeed deployed. It was highly likely that they would all meet their demise right here.

“Are there holes all over the Old Earth? How are they able to come and go so freely?” Qing Mu exclaimed anxiously.

Wang Xuan could not sit still either. This news hit them like a thunderbolt. They were deliberately lured into a trap and about to be hunted down. Even with the third layer of the Golden Body Technique, it was not enough for his protection. He needed to reach a dozen or more layers to guarantee his own safety.

The old man continued, “Don’t panic. Everything is still going according to plan. Just activate the highest level of cloaking and defense as instructed. Reinforcements are on their way and ready to strike.”

“What’s going on? Explain clearly!” Qing Mu demanded, feeling completely in the dark.

The old man explained, “We have already decided to cooperate with the authorities from the start this time. We are targeting both the Ashen Blood and the secret research department conducting experiments on immortals in the Greater Khingan Range."

Boom! A bright fire erupted in the distant sky beyond the Greater Khingan Range. The massive explosion shook the air, causing some starships to disintegrate.

Boom! Boom! Under a barrage of violent energy beams, all the Ashen Blood’s starships and battleships were obliterated, wiped out in an instant.

“What the hell is happening?” Qing Mu seethed.

The old man calmly explained the situation. “A powerful research department on Terra Nova discovered something in the Greater Khingan Range. For the past few years, they have been conducting secret experiments without reporting to the Old Earth. The authorities have finally caught wind of it and are prepared to ‘have a conversation’ with them. They leaked the information to the Ashen Blood to test the conditions of the underground facility. Additionally, they wanted to teach the Ashen Blood a lesson, reminding them to abide by the rules of the Old Earth. Unfortunately, the Ashen Blood were very vigilant and only sent a small group of their members, so we had to use you as bait to attract their attention.”

“Bastard!” Qing Mu cursed angrily.