The night was as dark as ink, and a cold wind swept through the broken walls and ruins, carrying a lingering smell of gunpowder.
Xuanmingzi's words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples in everyone's hearts.
The Forgotten City, the primordial power, the key to breaking through to the mythical level... each word was like a flame, igniting the deepest desire in Lin Yi's heart.
"Hoo..." Lin Yi took a deep breath, suppressing the surging blood and qi in his body and the weakness brought about by the excessive consumption of spacetime power.
His gaze swept over Su Qing, Long Wu, and the other core team members, whose faces showed a mixture of excitement and solemnity.
"I heard everything." Lin Yi's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable power. "Xuan Mingzi's words about Night Owl were just an appetizer. The real challenge may have only just begun. The Forgotten City, we must go!"
"Captain, tell us what to do, and we'll do it!" Long Wu clenched his fist, and the true dragon blood in his body seemed to boil. "Mythical level! Just thinking about it is exciting!" He had long lost his usual playboy air, and his eyes were full of fighting spirit.
Su Qing nodded gently. After the battle with Night Owl, the estrangement between her and the team had completely melted away. At this moment, her eyes were firm: "I will do my best."
"Good!" A glint flashed in Lin Yi's eyes. "Without further ado, let's begin preparations immediately! Chu Yao!"
"Yes, Commander." Chu Yao's figure was projected from the miniature combat terminal. She still looked calm and capable, but there was a hint of tenderness and concern in her eyes when she looked at Lin Yi.
"The 'Forgotten City' that Xuanmingzi mentioned must have something special about it. Immediately mobilize all available resources to analyze every clue about the 'Forgotten City' in the Infinite game database, even the smallest one. At the same time, plan the best route to get there, as well as the environment and enemies you might encounter." Lin Yi spoke quickly and clearly.
That's him; he can always get into the zone quickly, no matter when or where.
"Understood!" Chu Yao immediately began high-speed calculations, and countless data streams flashed through her virtual eyes.
"Long Wu," Lin Yi turned to Long Wu, "you are in charge of taking stock of the spoils of war and replenishing everyone's combat supplies, especially survival equipment for unknown environments and consumables for high-intensity combat. In addition, select fifty elite members to form an advance exploration team, ready to set off at any time."
"Don't worry, Captain, I guarantee everything will be arranged perfectly!" Long Wu patted his chest and turned to carry out the order in a flurry of activity.
“Su Qing,” Lin Yi looked at Su Qing, his tone softening, “Your abilities are special, with remarkable effectiveness in detection and perception. During this time, be careful to adjust your state, as there may be many unexpected dangers in the Forgotten City.”
Su Qing nodded slightly: "I understand."
Everyone immediately sprang into action, and the joy of victory was quickly replaced by a tense and efficient atmosphere of preparation.
Lin Yi then sat down cross-legged and began to fully recover the spacetime power he had consumed.
He could feel that the near-mythical level power barrier within his body, after Xuan Mingzi's insight, seemed to be clearer and more solid, as if it was just one last opportunity to break through that barrier.
Time passed by, and the night deepened.
Suddenly, Lin Yi, who was closing his eyes to regulate his breathing, abruptly opened them, his brows furrowing slightly.
Almost at the same time, Chu Yao's voice rang in his mind: "Commander, when I analyzed the spatial fluctuations left by Xuan Mingzi, I detected an extremely weak and highly encrypted abnormal signal stream. It did not originate from Xuan Mingzi, but rather seemed to be a kind of... continuous spying."
Lin Yi's heart skipped a beat. Spying? Right under Xuan Mingzi's nose?
"Can we trace it back to the source?" Lin Yi asked in a deep voice.
“The other party’s technology is extremely advanced. The signal has undergone multiple jumps and disguises. At present, we can only confirm that the source of this spying has an extremely high energy level, far exceeding any enemy we have encountered so far, including Night Owl.” Chu Yao’s tone also carried a hint of solemnity. “Moreover, this spying does not seem to have just appeared, but has been going on for some time. It was just that it was hidden deeper before, until Xuan Mingzi appeared and disturbed the space, which exposed some traces.”
"As expected, things aren't that simple." Lin Yi's eyes sharpened. "It seems that someone had already set their sights on the 'Forgotten City' before us, or rather... on us."
An invisible pressure weighed on my heart.
Xuanmingzi said that Night Owl was just testing the waters, so what kind of force is this spying force?
Lin Yi immediately reported this discovery to Long Wu and Su Qing.
Upon hearing this, Long Wu immediately roared, "Damn it, who's so blind as to dare to mess with me? Captain, should I take some men and drag them out?"
“No,” Lin Yi shook his head, “The enemy is in the dark while we are in the light, so let’s not alert them for now. If they want to see, let them see. We will proceed with the original plan, but everyone should be on high alert and report any abnormalities immediately.”
Just then, Su Qing, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up: "Lin Yi, perhaps I can give it a try."
All eyes turned to her.
Su Qing took a deep breath. "If they are indeed continuing to monitor me, I might be able to catch some more specific clues."
Lin Yi hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay, but be careful. If you feel anything is wrong, stop immediately." He knew that Su Qing was hiding many secrets. Her power system was completely different from that of the mainstream job changers, and it was full of unknowns.
Su Qing nodded, closed her eyes, and a cold and mysterious aura gradually emanated from her body.
Her mental energy, like invisible tentacles, cautiously probed in the direction of the abnormal signal indicated by Chu Yao.
As time ticked by, Su Qing's brows furrowed more and more, and fine beads of sweat even appeared on her forehead.
"Pfft!" A moment later, Su Qing suddenly opened her eyes, her face slightly pale, and a trace of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.
"Su Qing!" Lin Yi stepped forward and helped her up.
"I'm fine." Su Qing waved her hand, but her eyes showed a hint of fear and confusion. "That power... is very ancient, and... is somewhat similar to a power I once came into contact with... It seems to be related to the 'Ragnarok' project."
Ragnarok!
Lin Yi's pupils suddenly contracted.
He had heard Xuanmingzi mention this plan in a veiled manner; it seemed to be an ultimate contingency plan of a higher-level civilization behind the "Infinite" game, filled with an aura of ominousness and destruction.
Could this force secretly spying be related to that plan?
The atmosphere instantly became even more tense.
Before even setting foot in the Forgotten City, undercurrents were already surging, revealing such astonishing secrets.
Although Long Wu was completely confused by what he heard, he sensed the seriousness of the situation. He clenched his fists and said in a deep voice, "Captain, no matter what lies ahead, we brothers will follow you through thick and thin!"
Looking into Long Wu's determined eyes, and then at Su Qing, Lin Yi felt a surge of pride: "Alright! We'll meet force with force! Let's rest for the night, and tomorrow morning, we'll set off for the Forgotten Capital!" He believed that no matter how many conspiracies and dangers lay ahead, with the power of the [Time and Space Dominator] and these trusted companions, they would surely overcome all obstacles!
Nothing was said that night.
The next morning, sunlight tore through the dawn mist and shone upon the ruins that had witnessed fierce fighting.
Lin Yi led fifty elite team members, who were fully equipped and ready to go, along with Long Wu and Su Qing, and stood in the square of the temporary base.
Chu Yao's virtual figure flickered on Lin Yi's shoulder, ready to provide tactical support at any time.
Each person wore a solemn expression, but even more so, a resolute determination to move forward.
"Target: The Forgotten City!" Lin Yi waved his hand. "Let's go!"
Just as everyone was about to set off, a detached figure appeared silently again not far away.
It's Xuanmingzi again!
He stood like an unchanging statue, his gaze calmly sweeping over the crowd before finally settling on Lin Yi: "It seems you've already noticed."
Lin Yi's heart stirred: "Senior Xuanmingzi, do you know about that spying power?"
Xuanmingzi remained noncommittal, simply stating, "That is both a tremendous challenge you will face on your journey to the City of Oblivion and an opportunity for your growth. Remember, the City of Oblivion is not merely a remnant of laws, but also... a 'hunting ground' for certain beings."
Hunting grounds? A chill ran down everyone's spine.
"That's all I have to say." After Xuanmingzi finished speaking, his figure evaporated like water vapor and disappeared without a trace, leaving only his words that added to the mystery, deepening the doubts and unease in everyone's hearts.
Lin Yi frowned. Xuan Mingzi's words undoubtedly confirmed the strength and danger of the forces in the shadows.
But he did not back down at all; instead, his eyes blazed with even stronger fighting spirit.
The greater the challenge, the greater the opportunity often is!
"It seems this trip to the Forgotten City will be even more exciting than we imagined." Lin Yi's lips curled into a cold smile. His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached every member of the team. "Everyone, stay on high alert. Let's go!"
At a command, the team sped away from the temporary base like arrows, rushing towards the mysterious path planned by Chu Yao that led to the "Forgotten City" located between reality and illusion.
Their figures quickly disappeared into the city's edge, bathed in the morning light, leaving behind only a silent ruin and an atmosphere of "expectation" and "unknown" that had not yet completely dissipated in the air.
The road ahead is long and the terrain is complex and ever-changing. Sometimes we travel through distorted spatial rifts, and sometimes we trek through desolate lands that have been eroded by strange energy.
Thanks to Chu Yao's precise navigation and Lin Yi's [Time and Space Dominator] keen perception of spatial fluctuations, the team narrowly avoided deadly traps and void turbulence.
After an unknown amount of time—perhaps a day, perhaps several days—the scene suddenly opened up before them as they passed through a dense, almost solidified, energy mist.
The silhouette of a city, so enormous as to be unimaginable and exuding an ancient and desolate aura, stands silently at the edge of the horizon.
The city's architecture was bizarre and distorted, as if it belonged to another era. A dim halo hung over the city, emanating a chilling sense of oppression.
We've arrived at the Forgotten City!
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