"Alright, everyone, go back and get ready. Eat well, drink sufficiently, and rest enough. We’ll depart at two in the morning." Ji Qian glanced at her watch and issued the "departure order" to everyone.
"Yes, ma’am." After receiving the orders, everyone left the conference room. March in the northeast was still very cold, and the streets were nearly deserted at dawn. Ji Qian, with over forty mbers from Netherworld Palace and Moon God Temple, departed from the base, driving off-road vehicles toward the entrance of Bai Mountain.
"Lord Moon God, entering Bai Mountain in the dark is fraught with danger. Are we sure we want to do this?" Zhang Lin seed sowhat hesitant, as the northeastern night was pitch-black. In reality, Bai Mountain was vast, with many restricted places, lacking docuntation. The team was unfamiliar with the terrain and could only explore independently. The nocturnal environnt exacerbates the difficulty.
"Zhang Lin, we don’t have much ti. I have a bad feeling that others are, like us, seeking the Bai Mountain snow lotus. If we don’t act first, the Ghost situation hangs in the balance." Ji Qian’s face showed concern. The vehicles drove along the empty road. An hour later, they had left the city and entered the "desolate" mountainous area, where the howling wind sounded like crying, and faint wolf howls could be heard. This secluded route, not even marked on the map, was provided by Zhang Lin, leading straight into the deep mountainous area of Bai Mountain. With her "living map," Ji Qian was more assured.
The team looked out of the windows. Though it was dark, the moonlight gave them so visibility. Bai Mountain had snow year-round, and they could vaguely see the contours of the rolling mountains.
"Actually, Bai Mountain is quite beautiful. A lot of tourists visit annually, but the deep parts of Bai Mountain are off-limits to tourists, hence undeveloped, retaining a completely primitive natural environnt," Zhang Lin murmured, breaking the silence in the car.
"Zhang Lin, for us on a mission in the wilderness, what we desire most is a warm bed and tily supplies. The beauty here is coupled with danger for us." Soul Destroyer said calmly. He was right; in the wilderness, ergencies leave little room for rescue, compounded by the environntal dangers inherent in undeveloped areas.
"Zhang Lin, as it’s your first ti participating in such a mission, you lack experience. Stay in the middle of the team and don’t stray. This way, we can ensure your safety." Ji Qian said calmly. If she rembered correctly, Zhang Lin’s cultivation level was quite low, just beginning. Despite being physically superior to ordinary people, she struggled with wild environnts. Ji Qian had an unshakable sense that sothing unexpected would happen on this journey.
"Thank you, ma’am."
Half an hour later, just as everyone was feeling tired, the vehicle suddenly stopped.
"Why did the vehicle stop?" Ji Qian was startled. In the beam of the headlights, they could vaguely see a wide river ahead.
"Everyone, ma’am, there’s a river ahead. The vehicle can’t go further." The Hidden Guard driving the car said.
"Everyone, prepare your gear and get out." Ji Qian’s face turned serious as she coldly spoke. Over forty people climbed out of the eight off-road vehicles, clad in thick hiking gear, ard with climbing axes and firearms.
"Strange, I rember there not being a river here, just a stretch of flat ground." Zhang Lin scrutinized the surroundings, looking puzzled. A river twenty to thirty ters wide constitutes a large river in such deep mountains.
"You must have rembered wrongly. We’ve co so far; perhaps you made a mistake before." Demoness said, but Ji Qian felt anxious. In the remote depths of Bai Mountain, who knows what might happen.
"No, I’ve co here countless tis since childhood. I shouldn’t be mistaken." Zhang Lin shook her head, stubbornly insisting on her mory.
"The river is surrounded by nurous shrubs, which suggests it’s not newly ford. Plus, Bai Mountain’s environntal characteristics remain constant over the years. It shouldn’t suddenly have such a large river." Near the area, Ji Qian found so aquatic plants, proving her point.
"Maybe you rembered wrongly, Zhang Lin." Soul Destroyer was also a survival expert, well-inford about the geographical features. This river ought to have existed for a long ti.
"Is that so?" With three voices asserting the situation, Zhang Lin started to doubt herself. Perhaps she had indeed rembered wrongly.
"Lord Moon God, what do we do next?"
"We’ll take the inflatable boats and force-cross the river." Ji Qian tested the water depth, knowing it was more than ten ters deep. Swimming across was possible, but with such low temperatures, being soaked would quickly lead to freezing, even posing life-threatening risks. Besides, so equipnt could not be transported by swimming.
"Ma’am, we only have two inflatable boats, requiring four or five trips." Several Hidden Guards brought over the inflatable boats, large enough to be placed on the car roof. Ji Qian hadn’t anticipated needing to cross a river, yet the inflatable boats had been brought as a precaution, already proving useful upon arrival.
"That’s okay. Everyone, stay alert and keep watch." Ji Qian ordered, taking Selena with a few Moon Guards as the first group to cross.
"Soul Destroyer, Demoness, Zhang Lin, stay here and wait. Once I reach the other side, I’ll signal it’s safe, then you can bring people over." Ji Qian took a powerful flashlight from her backpack, addressing the group.
"Alright, ma’am, stay safe." Soul Destroyer nodded, started the motor, and the inflatable boat roared as it echoed in the silent valley.
"Strange, I was sure I wasn’t wrong," Zhang Lin muttered with a hint of grievance. Her greatest distress lay in not being able to assist the team. Perhaps she thought she had indeed rembered wrongly, resulting in a "joke" upon reaching Bai Mountain.
"Zhang Lin, it’s actually fine. It’s a huge mountain, and no one can possibly traverse every corner. As long as we find the Bai Mountain snow lotus, it’s all good." Demoness comforted softly.
"Yes, indeed, we still have plenty of ti. And since it’s so dark now, maybe the driver took a wrong turn," Soul Destroyer quipped.
"Ma’am, a safety signal ca from the opposite side." At this mont, a Hidden Guard ca forward to report, and sure enough, a flashing light was seen on the river’s opposite side.
"Second group, prepare to cross."
Bang.
Suddenly, a gunshot echoed through the valley, and a Hidden Guard fell to the ground.
"Not good, we’re under attack." Soul Destroyer swiftly picked up his rifle, chambering a round and pulling the trigger.
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