Chapter 147
Chapter 147: Concerns and Intelligence
"Yowwww!!!! hot hot hot hot hot hot!!!"
"It scalded the family jewels!!!"
Huaxia's Second Base, Command Center.
Head of the Medical Department Ji Fengchun was hopping around on the spot.
Just a moment ago, he'd knocked over the thermos flask on the table.
Every last drop of boiling water had poured straight down onto that area!
Nearly scalded himself into a braised rooster!
Ji Fengchun was in such pain that tears were gushing out of his eyes.
Meanwhile, the other 2 people seated at the table—
Wan Changzheng and Shen Lian—remained as solemn as ever.
Wan Changzheng paid no attention to Ji Fengchun's theatrics. He let out a long sigh.
"Thank goodness…"
"Thank goodness that little troublemaker Tang Sirui decided to act up before departure."
Shen Lian nodded, her lingering fear still evident.
"Indeed."
"If he hadn't been pulling stunts and gotten his legs personally broken by Chief of Staff Zhao and left behind at the base—"
"The Iron Wall Squad's current situation would have been unimaginably dangerous."
Wan Changzheng agreed. "Right. With Xiao Zhao personally holding the line, plus Xin An's Full Map Unlock—"
"So long as they locate and assume command over those little rascals from Blade Squad…."
"Even if something unexpected happens during the trial—"
"These 2 squads will have a much better chance of getting out in one…"
But before the Commander could finish his reassuring words—
"Yowwww!!! hot hot hot hot hot!!!"
Another battle cry cut him off.
The vein on Wan Changzheng's forehead bulged instantly. He turned his head alongside a Shen Lian whose expression had gone completely cold.
They found Ji Fengchun stuffing ice cubes into his clothes while simultaneously activating his ability to heal himself.
"Ssss~haaa~"
Ji Fengchun tilted his head back with an expression of pure bliss.
"So this is what they call ice and fire?"
"Painful yet pleasurable~"
Just as he was muttering to himself, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
He turned his head—and met 2 murderous gazes staring straight at him!
"Uh…"
Ji Fengchun jolted in fright, then hurriedly scratched his head in embarrassment and apologized.
"Sorry, Commander! Sorry, Chief Engineer Shen!"
"I…I just happened to be passing by to deliver classified documents to you two!"
"Documents are right here, I need to go to the medical room to treat myself, won't disturb your strategizing any further—goodbye!"
With that, Ji Fengchun tossed a stack of sealed files onto the table from his arms.
Then he bolted out of the Command Center at full speed, terrified that a single moment's delay would result in both leaders eliminating him on the spot.
Wan Changzheng watched that fleeing figure and helplessly pressed a hand to his forehead.
"This Ji Fengchun…"
"His medical skills are unmatched, everything about him is fine—except for his habit of hanging around with that rascal Tang Sirui."
"Who on earth taught who to be like this?!"
"Commander, you just don't understand—they call this kindred spirits."
Shen Lian, in a rare moment, cracked a joke.
"There's no question of who corrupted who. They were born this way."
After the brief jest, Shen Lian's expression turned grave once more.
"Enough idle talk."
"Commander, let us now conduct a thorough analysis of the battle situation ahead."
She reached out and unsealed the files on the table, pulling out the documents inside.
They were the detailed profiles of all 5 members of Huaxia First Base's Blade Squad…
And the true trump card of Second Base's Chief of Staff, Zhao Yan!
【Name】: Zhao Yan
【Codename】: None
【Age】: 58
【Overall Physical Constitution】: S+
【Ability】: Unyielding (S-Grade)—Absolute immunity to all negative status effects and mental/rule-type control!
【Classified Record】: Age 30: Selected to join Huaxia First Base's Blade Squad as a 3rd-generation member.
Age 43: Promoted to vice-captain of Blade Squad's 4th generation; accumulated distinguished battle merits.
Age 53: The 4th generation of Iron Wall Squad encountered the Gambler in the Twilight Forest. The vice-captain was killed in action on the spot; the remaining members were gravely wounded and retired. That same year, Zhao Yan left Blade Squad, rebuilt Iron Wall Squad's 5th generation, and served as its captain.
During this period, he participated in the Destruction Five Days Campaign and sustained severe injuries with irreversible aftereffects. Subsequently stepped back from frontline duty, serving as Chief of Staff of Huaxia's Second Base ever since.
"Blade Squad?!"
Shen Lian was stunned.
She had considered the possibility that Zhao Yan had served in Iron Wall Squad.
But she never imagined that Zhao Yan had once held the position of vice-captain in Blade Squad.
Wan Changzheng watched Shen Lian's shocked expression and gave a faint smile.
"Surprised, Chief Engineer Shen?"
"Although this isn't exactly classified at the highest military levels—"
"Xiao Zhao has been keeping it very well hidden all these years, proactively erasing many of his more glorious traces."
"Not many people below the top tier know his real background."
"Mm."
Shen Lian swallowed and nodded.
"The top squads today are mostly 6th or freshly formed 7th generation."
"No wonder I've always noticed Xin An treating Chief of Staff Zhao with such great respect."
"It's only right that she does."
Wan Changzheng responded.
"Among the Iron Wall Squad as it stands now—setting aside Tang Sirui and Hu Xiaoxiao, the two fresh additions—"
"Xin An, Lu Qi, Mai Zijian—all of them were soldiers personally trained by Xiao Zhao back then."
"If it weren't for the Destruction Five Days Campaign leaving him with irreversible old wounds—"
"With Xiao Zhao's combat power and seniority, perhaps…"
"He might have broken into the Dragon Squad."
"But alas…fate is a cruel thing."
Wan Changzheng was unwilling to reopen an old comrade's wound, and shifted the subject.
"Alright, let's not speak of Xiao Zhao anymore."
"Now let's look at the veteran inside Blade Squad—the one with the deepest seniority, yet unable to serve as captain."
"Unable to serve as captain?"
Shen Lian blinked in mild confusion.
"There's actually a veteran inside Blade Squad?"
"Didn't everyone in the 6th generation die because of that incident?"
Wan Changzheng let out a cold laugh. "Heh, that was only said to serve as a warning to the other squads."
"But in reality…"
"You could say they died, and you could say they didn't…"
"Could say they died and didn't?"
Shen Lian rapidly flipped through the files.
Finally, her gaze landed on Shadow's profile.
【Name】: Qi Qianying
【Codename】: Shadow
【Age】: 21
【Overall Physical Constitution】: Grade B (Deteriorating)
【Ability】: Shadow Vanish (S-Grade) Also known as Shadow Arts—can ignore physical collision, move through darkness, and freely manipulate shadows.
【Classified Record】: Age 18: Selected into Blade Squad's 6th generation based on exceptionally outstanding stealth and assassination scores.
Age 20: While following the main force to pioneer unknown territories surrounding the Canglan Continent, unfortunately wandered into a mist zone; the entire team was trapped.
The following day: Huaxia's War God Lin Bayi personally led the Dragon Squad on a rescue mission. Successfully rescued 3 members, including Shadow.
The bad news: All 3 survivors had been afflicted by an unknown dark-type curse within the mist. Curse symptoms: The cursed individual's bloodline genes would undergo irreversible mutation. All internal organs would severely deteriorate within a short period, until they dissolved into pus.
Upon investigation by the Central Medical Department, dragon clan blood with a concentration below 50% could suppress the curse. Dragon blood with a concentration above 50% could provide a complete cure!
At this point, Shen Lian's heart clenched sharply.
Because the next section of the file recorded the fall of an organization.
【During Savage Calendar Year 1312, the Claws of the Dragon God were subjected to a collective assassination by the Arashin-Kai.】
【A large number of dragon clan elites perished overnight; the leader, Heavenly Blade Dragon King, went missing.】
【As a result, high-concentration dragon blood became unobtainable, and treatment was forcibly halted.】
【One month later, the other 2 rescued members—aside from Shadow—succumbed to multiple organ failure in agony.】
【Clinical research indicates: Shadow's own affiliation with the dark element caused the curse's progression rate to be comparatively slower.】
【According to projections by the Central Base's General Medical Department…her estimated remaining lifespan is at most 3 years.】
Age 21: Upon learning the full truth, Shadow rejected the Medical Department's recommendation of palliative care and proactively requested to return to active duty.
Her reasoning was contained in 4 words: "Refuse to wait for death." And it was within the front-line Blade Squad that the greatest chance lay—of finding any trace of the Heavenly Blade Dragon King.
Half a year later, when Liu Ruyan and the others joined, Blade Squad's 7th generation was formally established. She became the only surviving veteran within the squad.
……
Shen Lian closed the file and exhaled.
"What a pitiable soul, toyed with by fate."
"It's such a waste…"
Wan Changzheng clenched his fist.
"Back then, the Claws left behind by the Dragon God—almost entirely wiped out in a single night."
"When our War God arrived at their encampment…"
"There were only endless dragon clan corpses stretching as far as the eye could see."
"Those damned bastards in the Arashin-Kai—wiped them out in one fell swoop!"
"Now, only a handful of members are barely clinging on."
"And the Heavenly Blade Dragon King—suspected of having been personally ambushed that very night by the Arashin-Kai's highest combat force."
"The 1st Seat: Void himself."
"To this day, fate unknown. No sign of life, no trace of a body."
"However, Commander, it's not as though we're completely without hope…"
Shen Lian seemed to recall something. She pulled open a drawer and retrieved a photograph from within.
In the photograph was a black-haired young man with handsome features.
‘A photograph.’
"Currently, the upper echelons have begun investigating this young man with a dragon bloodline concentration of 99.9%."
"And apparently, through covert inquiries conducted at our various bases, some leads have already emerged."
"Only, the various parameters collected are still incomplete—not enough to confirm his true identity with absolute certainty."
Wan Changzheng looked at that photograph and let out a quiet sigh.
"Let's hope we can locate this kid as soon as possible."
"But…"
Wan Changzheng stood up, hands clasped behind his back.
"There's no point in thinking too far ahead."
"Before any of that—we still need to wait for these children to make it back alive from that Death Wheat Field…"
"Please…don't let anything go wrong."
Shen Lian offered a faint smile.
"Don't worry, Commander."
"By the calculations, they will absolutely come back safe and sound."
Of course, Shen Lian's words, spoken with such confidence—
Were in truth nothing more than a data-based consolation.
Because they rested upon a single prerequisite.
That the Watchful Scarecrow had no hidden abilities beyond what was recorded in the kill record!
But clearly, they neither knew nor could have known.
At this very moment, inside that Death Wheat Field shrouded in blood-red moonlight—
That Scarecrow was already an entirely different creature from what it once was…