Chapter 16 : Chapter 16
Chapter 16: Clear It? I’ll Eat the Tire!
Outside the dungeon, at Rocky Flats.
The desolate wilderness, once barren and silent, was now lit as bright as day by dozens of glaring military searchlights.
Several hundred fully armed city defense force soldiers swiftly pulled up yellow warning lines and sealed off the dungeon entrance from all sides.
“BOOM—!”
A thunderous sonic crack exploded through the air.
Lin Tianhao’s broad figure dropped from the sky and slammed into the ground with a heavy crash.
He did not even have time to put on his uniform properly. He had only thrown on a black overcoat, and his bare chest was still heaving violently.
Those tiger-like eyes of his, usually so imposing, were now bloodshot.
Beside him, Su Wan’s figure appeared as well.
Although her face was pale, her back remained ramrod straight.
As the iron-willed woman who controlled a vast business empire, the more it was a moment like this, the less she could allow herself to show weakness in public.
“Commander! Madam!”
The moment Ye Hongyu saw the two of them, she immediately hurried over.
“What’s the situation?”
Lin Tianhao gave a slight nod, his voice hoarse.
Ye Hongyu bit her lip and began reporting.
“Young Master and the others entered the dungeon around forty-five minutes ago. Ten minutes ago, the dungeon underwent complete Abyssalization...”
Su Wan swayed slightly and murmured softly, “How could this happen? Something that has not happened in so many years... why did Mo’er have to be the one to run into it?”
Lin Tianhao stared at the pitch-black entrance, his fists clenched so tightly that they crackled, lightning leaping wildly around his body.
Everyone present understood what an Abyssalized dungeon meant.
If an Abyssalized dungeon was not successfully cleared within twenty-four hours, then all the monsters inside would pour out of the dungeon and trigger a disaster.
Fortunately, this was only a low-level dungeon. The monsters inside were not especially powerful, and Jianghai City’s forces could deal with them.
Just then, the sharp screech of brakes rang out from beyond the warning line.
Several black military SUVs came to a stop. Their doors opened, and a group of extraordinary-looking people stepped out.
The middle-aged man in front wore a perfectly tailored suit and gold-rimmed glasses.
Behind him followed an arrogant-looking youth and four young Class Holders with exceptionally fine equipment and keen, piercing eyes.
“Old Lin, how are things?”
The middle-aged man strode over to Lin Tianhao’s side and asked in a steady voice.
Lin Tianhao turned around, his brows tightly drawn together.
“Zhao Lei? What are you doing here?”
The man who had come was none other than Zhao Lei, one of Jianghai City’s city defense force commanders, a figure on the same level as Lin Tianhao.
And the youth standing behind Zhao Lei was the son Zhao Lei was most proud of—Zhao Yu, the genius Blaze Mage who had awakened S-grade fire elemental affinity.
“Something this serious has happened. As one of Jianghai City’s city defense force commanders, of course I had to come.”
Zhao Lei pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses and looked toward the Abyssalized dungeon entrance, a complicated look flashing through his eyes.
“Abyssalization... a one-in-a-hundred-thousand chance. It really is regrettable.”
After a slight pause, Zhao Lei turned to Lin Tianhao and asked probingly, “Old Lin, I heard from the report below that your son is inside the team currently trapped in the dungeon?”
Lin Tianhao’s breathing stalled for a moment, then he nodded heavily.
“Yes.”
After getting a definite answer, Zhao Lei continued, “Then what is this team’s composition? Aside from your son, who else is in there? What levels are they? What about their equipment?”
Lin Tianhao fell silent for a moment, and Ye Hongyu answered in his place.
“Besides Young Master, there is an A-grade water elemental affinity water mage, a B-grade shield warrior, a B-grade Ranger, and an A-grade Light Priest. Before entering, they were all level 4. As for their equipment... around Gold-grade.”
The moment those words came out, Zhao Lei’s brows instantly furrowed.
And behind him, his son Zhao Yu revealed a mocking expression.
After all, he and Lin Mo were both sons of commanders. Ever since childhood, he had constantly been compared with Lin Mo, and over time, he had naturally grown to dislike him.
With a team composition like that, trying to clear this Hard Difficulty Abyssalized dungeon was simply impossible.
“You... you really lost your head, Old Lin. You are usually a sharp man, so how did you end up making such a muddle of things now?”
Zhao Lei sighed, his tone full of exasperation.
“If you wanted to find someone to carry your Lin Mo and help him level, you could have just spoken to me. If Xiao Yu led the team, would that not be far better than this mismatched squad?”
Zhao Lei shook his head and sighed.
“With a lineup like this, I doubt they can even break through the defense. Their chances of survival... approach zero.”
“Spare me the hindsight!”
Lin Tianhao let out a cold snort.
“This was supposed to be an ordinary dungeon run for leveling. Who could possibly have predicted that one-in-a-hundred-thousand Abyssalization? Zhao Lei, stop pretending to be the good guy here!”
Lin Tianhao and Zhao Lei had been locked in overt and covert rivalry for half their lives. All these years, whether in military merit or personal strength, Lin Tianhao had always held the upper hand.
Now that Zhao Lei’s son had turned out well, asking Lin Tianhao to humble himself and beg Zhao Lei to let his son carry Lin Mo? That would have been even harder for him to bear than death.
Besides, who could have imagined beforehand that they would run into rotten luck like Abyssalization?
“Fine. I will not argue with you over this. What is done is done, and saying more is pointless.”
Zhao Lei glanced at Lin Tianhao and clearly had no intention of quarreling with him.
After all, Lin Tianhao’s son was practically on the verge of death. If he truly provoked him, Zhao Lei knew very well that he could not beat Lin Tianhao.
“Fortunately, this is only a Hard Difficulty dungeon. Once the dungeon reopens, my Xiao Yu will lead his level 5 elite squad straight in.”
Zhao Lei pointed at the young people behind him.
“This dungeon’s level restriction is 3 to 5. Every one of them is level 5, equipped with a full set of Legendary gear, and they work together flawlessly. At present, this is also the only force in Jianghai City capable of dealing with this Abyssalized dungeon.”
Hearing that, Zhao Yu also stepped forward, his face carrying the confidence and pride unique to an S-grade genius.
“Uncle Lin, Aunt Su, please rest assured.”
“Although Brother Mo is most likely... still, I will remain ready at all times.”
“The moment the dungeon resets, I will lead the team in immediately, personally cut off that Boss’s head, and avenge Brother Mo!”
Just then, Su Wan, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly lifted her head.
In her reddened eyes shone the stubbornness and refusal to yield unique to a mother.
“Who says Mo’er is definitely going to die?!”
Su Wan’s voice trembled slightly, but it was exceptionally firm.
“The dungeon has not reopened yet, which means they are still alive! I believe in my son!”
“Maybe... maybe Mo’er will not only survive, but even clear this Abyssalized dungeon while he is at it!”
“Isn’t that right, Old Lin?”
Su Wan turned to Lin Tianhao, her gaze carrying a trace of hope.
It was as though, so long as Lin Tianhao nodded, their son would truly live.
Lin Tianhao looked into his wife’s eyes.
Clear it?
How could he not understand how difficult that would be?
But at this moment, looking at those tear-filled eyes of hers, how could he bear to say that cruel word, “no”?
Lin Tianhao drew a deep breath, his voice hoarse.
“That’s right. Mo’er can do it! He definitely can!”
Hearing the words of Lin Tianhao and his wife, Zhao Lei was briefly taken aback.
Then he merely shook his head helplessly and did not argue further.
A Blank-Slate Mage with no talent at all, leading a mismatched team, hoping to clear an Abyssalized dungeon—it was sheer fantasy!
Zhao Lei pushed up his glasses and sneered inwardly.
If Lin Mo’s lineup can really clear it, then I, Zhao Lei, will eat the tire off this military SUV raw today!