Chapter 267: Morninglight Base |
One month later, Alliance Calendar Year 683, October 23.
Nearly a month had passed since Su Mei met with Zhou Ming.
After learning the news about the Mysterious Black Crystal Stone, Zhou Ming ultimately decided to personally make a trip to the Endless Forest Sea.
Before departing, Zhou Ming deliberately summoned all the camp’s senior members. After understanding the current development situation of the camp, he properly arranged various affairs. Only then did he prepare to leave Qinghui Base and head toward the Endless Forest Sea.
Additionally, he privately instructed Su Mei that if an irresistible accident were to occur, she could take a small number of people and abandon the camp.
“Preserve the people and lose the land, and both people and land may yet be preserved; preserve the land and lose the people, and both people and land will be lost.”
Zhou Ming understood the meaning behind these words.
After arranging everything, Zhou Ming dressed in casual attire and rode Silver Scale to Qinghui Base.
Following his usual habit, he once again turned on his phone to check whether Lei Yuan had sent him any messages.
Looking at the number on his phone, Zhou Ming pondered for a moment before finally sending her another text message.
“Within two years, I will definitely go to the Alliance Headquarters.”
After pressing send, Zhou Ming hailed a taxi and headed toward the airship takeoff and landing field at Qinghui Base.
An airship was scheduled to land at Qinghui Base today, which was why Zhou Ming had come specifically on this day.
While riding in the taxi toward the airship field, his gaze suddenly flicked toward the window. He had already sensed that someone was secretly monitoring him.
“Planning to act directly? I wonder which forces will make a move?”
Zhou Ming was not particularly surprised at being monitored. After all, his current strength was not yet enough to make others retreat in fear.
Moreover, when faced with the interests hidden behind the scenes, those people would absolutely not stop until they achieved their goal.
Faced with such a situation, Zhou Ming did not feel much fear.
The reason he delayed for a month before heading to the Endless Forest Sea after learning about the Mysterious Black Crystal Stone was not only to perfect his research, but also to use the Will Rune to refine his exclusive spells.
In addition, with the newly nurtured toxin from the Venomous Gall, the Withering Flower spell could now exert half of its original power.
As for the camp’s safety, unless there was confirmed news of his death, under normal circumstances no one would risk attacking the camp.
If something truly unexpected occurred, then he could only retaliate against whichever force made a move.
A short while later, Zhou Ming arrived at the airship field. After purchasing a ticket, he began contemplating this journey.
“Flight 315 is about to take off. Passengers, please board in time.”
In the Qinghui Base airship waiting hall, as an airship slowly descended, a gentle reminder sounded from the broadcast system.
Zhou Ming’s thoughts were interrupted. Like an ordinary passenger, he held his ticket and boarded the airship.
One hour later, as the airship took off again, Zhou Ming once more left Qinghui Base.
This time, he was heading to the eastern side of the Alliance, a place he had never visited before—the Sunrise Large Base, which lay adjacent to the Endless Forest Sea.
From there, he would depart toward the true eastern defensive frontline of the Alliance and enter the Endless Forest Sea, where countless Ferocious Beasts resided.
And at the very moment Zhou Ming left Qinghui Base, news of the destination listed on his airship ticket had already been learned by others.
For a time, various reports were submitted upward, until finally an order came from the mastermind behind the scenes.
“Take this opportunity to deal with him.”
Qinghui Base was located in the northwest of the Alliance, while the Sunrise Base in the east lay tens of thousands of miles away.
With the airship making multiple stops along the way, it ultimately took five days before it finally passed through the anti-air energy shield of Sunrise Base and docked at its airship field.
Without wasting time, Zhou Ming did not leave the Sunrise Base airship field. Instead, he directly purchased a ticket for an airship heading to Morninglight Medium Base.
Morninglight Base lay one thousand miles east of Sunrise Base. It bordered the Furious Flood Dragon Mountain Range and was also the foremost frontline of the Alliance’s eastern defensive line.
The Furious Flood Dragon Mountain Range stretched over ten thousand miles from north to south, like a flood dragon lying prone upon the earth. It formed a natural boundary between the Blue Star Alliance and the Endless Forest Sea.
According to what Zhou Ming understood, the Alliance had not only built countless war fortresses within the Furious Flood Dragon Mountain Range, but had also stationed over a million Alliance soldiers there.
As for Beast Tamers, their number exceeded ten thousand, with dozens of Transcendent-level experts among them. If the defensive line of the Furious Flood Dragon Mountain Range were breached, then within thousands of miles eastward, the Alliance would have no natural defenses left.
At the same time, every day, large numbers of Hunting Corps, hunter squads, and privately armed forces headed toward Morninglight Base.
The Endless Forest Sea was incomparably dangerous, but it also contained resources that made people’s eyes turn red with greed. Various Ferocious Beast cubs with extraordinary potential could bring profits exceeding ten million once returned to the Alliance.
As for rare medicinal herbs, heavenly treasures, and exotic ores, all of them could be exchanged for Source Crystal Coins.
Of course, here profit and danger were directly proportional.
Even though those who came were Professional Beast Tamers, a large number still perished here each year. The death rate of the Panlong Mountain Range back then was utterly incomparable.
Zhou Ming did not wait long at the Sunrise airship field before the broadcast for the flight to Morninglight Base sounded in the waiting hall.
Just as expected, when Zhou Ming boarded the airship to Morninglight Base, nearly everyone he saw carried a faint scent of blood.
Professional Beast Tamers, rarely seen in ordinary places, were commonplace on this airship.
Since it was a direct flight, less than two hours later the airship smoothly landed at the Morninglight Base airship field.
When Zhou Ming stepped off the airship, a breeze carrying a trace of blood greeted him.
Compared to other bases he had visited, this place had no sense of prosperity—only a distinct aura of killing intent.
If one looked into the distance, a mountain range without visible end came into view, its presence resembling a flood dragon coiling upon the earth.
Without even deliberately sensing, Zhou Ming instinctively felt a deadly threat.
Other than Legendary-level existences, no one was qualified to provoke this place.
“Sir, would you like detailed information about the Endless Forest Sea?”
As Zhou Ming stood outside the airship field gazing into the distance, a young man cautiously approached and inquired.
“How do you know I need information about the Endless Forest Sea?”
After understanding the young man’s purpose, Zhou Ming immediately asked in return.
“Although Morninglight Base is a medium-sized base, it is in fact the logistical hub of the Alliance’s eastern defensive line. Most travelers who come here are heading for the Endless Forest Sea.”
The young man grinned and immediately explained, as though long accustomed to such situations.
Zhou Ming looked the young man up and down. His spiritual fluctuations indicated that he was also a Beast Tamer, though likely only at the Apprentice level.
After all, although Morninglight Base had many Professional Beast Tamers, it had not reached the point where they would lower themselves to sell intelligence.
“Do you know which force is selling large quantities of Mysterious Black Crystal Stone? If you do, this little item is yours.”
Zhou Ming casually took out a Source Crystal Coin. He intended first to determine whether Mysterious Black Crystal Stone was being sold within Morninglight Base. If it could be purchased with money, he would rather not risk entering the Endless Forest Sea.
As long as he could successfully advance to Transcendent Master, any money spent could easily be regained.