Finally.
Li Zheng only managed to find one Stone.
Because not all the squad he led had co to Jinling.
...Perhaps it was for balance, or perhaps because Li Zheng and his group had already beco Empowerers.
In any case, to take care of the emotions of other Security Army mbers.
Only one-third of Li Zheng's squad ca, and most of them had seen Chen Lusi form a Spirit Ball, so like Zhou Jian, they didn't think of bringing any Stones.
And they were like this, not to ntion the ordinary mbers of the Security Army.
The Stone Li Zheng carried was sothing Xia Yue had given him before he beca an Empowerer, saying it was to be used as a Protective Talisman.
He found it aningful and kept it with him.
This was also the only Stone at present.
"Sorry."
After asking around.
Li Zheng returned to stand in front of Chen Lusi, looking a bit unsettled: "I didn't anticipate encountering such a situation. Usually, when we head out on missions alone, we bring so spare Stones, but this ti, because you are with us, everyone slacked off. I'll be more careful in the future."
"..."
Chen Lusi thought for a mont, shook his head, and then handed back the Stone in his hand: "Since the incident has already occurred, there's no need to say such things... Also, you should take back this Stone, since it has morial significance to you. Use it only if you have to; if it's really necessary, I'll ask you for it."
"No, in this situation, a keepsake has no aning!"
Upon hearing this, Li Zheng refused flatly and then smiled: "Besides, Xia Yue hasn't co back yet, so the Protective Talisman might be ineffective. It wouldn't be useful to anyway, you keep it. If I really want one, I'll just ask Xia Yue to send another."
Chen Lusi saw Li Zheng's expression, hesitated for a mont, and could only keep the Stone.
"However, this Stone isn't of a high grade, otherwise Xia Yue wouldn't have given it to so casually. I think he ntioned it being 'Core Gathering' level at the ti... I haven't gathered Stones yet, but I know this is at best an entry-level Stone. Even if you can absorb the Spirit inside, it's estimated to only be enough for you to use the Celestial Punishnt Pistol two or three more tis, so we must escape the predicant as soon as possible."
Li Zheng saw Chen Lusi keep the Stone, sighed in relief, and then muttered to himself again.
"Hmm."
Chen Lusi nodded in response, but his attention wasn't on Li Zheng, but on Ma Bo.
At this mont, he was looking into the distance, seemingly in a daze, his expression very peculiar.
"You just said we should have a look around to investigate the situation. Which direction should we go now?"
Li Zheng raised his head after hearing the response and suddenly asked.
"The palace cluster."
Chen Lusi withdrew his gaze from Ma Bo, glanced at Zhou Jian, and then offered his suggestion.
"The palace cluster..."
Li Zheng, hearing this answer, looked toward the most prominent buildings in the distance, nodded in agreent, and then shouted: "Zhou Jian!"
"Here!"
Zhou Jian imdiately responded.
"Keep the brothers vigilant, avoid contact with the Indigenous People if possible, and don't engage unless absolutely necessary. Report anything strange imdiately. We're heading towards the palace cluster to have a look."
"Understood!"
Zhou Jian nodded forcefully, then turned around to brief the other Security Army mbers on the precautions.
The quality of the Security Army was evident, so entering the Anomaly Realm wasn't like a chaotic mission.
Soon enough, under the organization of Li Zheng and Zhou Jian, the Security Army regrouped and began moving orderly towards the nearest palace cluster.
However, to avoid drawing attention.
They didn't march in formation.
But it was visible that each Security Army mber's position was strategic, forming a protective stance, with so mbers at the front and others at the back ensuring reconnaissance and securing intelligence from behind.
Overall, it was reassuring.
However.
Being reassuring overall didn't an everyone was reassuring.
Chen Lusi noticed that Ma Bo... seed a bit absent-minded, continually looking in one direction.
If Chen Lusi rembered correctly, he had been staring in that direction just now, lost in thought.
...This indeed seed odd.
"Li Zheng."
Chen Lusi, thinking of this, imdiately called for Li Zheng.
Li Zheng turned around.
Chen Lusi looked at him calmly, without speaking.
Li Zheng realized sothing, spoke briefly with Zhou Jian, then slowed his pace and ca to Chen Lusi's side, asking: "What's the matter?"
"This Ma Bo isn't acting normal."
Chen Lusi slightly tilted his head and spoke concisely: "He's been looking to the north."
Li Zheng froze, then glanced at Ma Bo ahead and found it to be true, his expression imdiately changed.
"Also, Zhou Jian is acting a bit strange as well."
Chen Lusi paused for a mont and then continued: "I don't know if you noticed, but he inexplicably referred to his ho as 'mansion'; when you asked for a Stone, he said it was in his mansion... We generally don't refer to our house this way, and it's unlikely to be a slip of the tongue. I don't think a modern person would make such an error in speech."
"..."
At this point.
Li Zheng's expression changed dramatically, he turned sharply, almost exclaiming: "How is that possible!? Could they have been swapped!?"
"...Doesn't seem like it."
Chen Lusi looked at Li Zheng who quickly controlled his volu towards the end, hesitated, and gently shook his head: "At least it doesn't appear so, because most of the ti they act quite normal, and I was fortunate enough to experience my teammates being swapped once, although the experience might not apply… But my intuition says this isn't a swap, they are being influenced by sothing."
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