The weapon refiner is not doing her job properly

Chapter 105 The Ghost Cathedral (Part 1)

The two exchanged items with composure and without revealing any trace of their true intentions, so no one suspected that they had made a deal in secret.

The vehicle was parked right on the edge of the pink sea beach.

It was still early, and several couples were cuddling on the rocks in the distance, their lips pressed together, being affectionate in broad daylight. Su Ninglong glanced at them a few more times and sighed inwardly, thinking that young people were indeed romantic.

Xingyuan didn't notice Su Ninglong's expression, but he did notice the couple's clothes, which were very eye-catching, yellow, red and green, like mobile traffic lights.

He secretly regretted his miscalculation; the planet Youju, where religion was everywhere, actually preferred brightly colored clothing.

Given the tourist crowds today, Suninglong's attire would likely allow her to blend in.

Su Ninglong lost interest after looking at it for a while, but became interested in the pink stones at the edge of the beach. She bent down to pick up a few, but Yun Fei tucked one of them into his arm.

"Don't even think about running away, do the mission." It was already broad daylight. Everyone got off the vehicle, each carrying a box, followed by five support staff who pulled a large pile of supplies toward the mission location.

Su Ninglong struggled, "Help me pick up two stones, they have to be all pink."

"Pick it up when you come back after you finish the mission."

"It's a deal. If you go back on your word, you'll have to pay me back a truckload."

Yun Fei felt an urge to punch someone: "You brat, trying to take advantage of me again." If this person were his own daughter, so naughty, he would definitely give her a few scratches with the cane.

"If you're not going to take advantage of me, you're a freeloader. This is called resource optimization. As long as you're willing to be taken advantage of, you can be my godfather or godmother."

Yun Fei: “…”

The group hiked quickly across a straight road and entered a shrub-covered stone path, trekking along the mountain trail.

It took them about fifteen minutes to reach their destination, the Ghost Cathedral.

Each student stood upright in place, awaiting the next instruction.

The Ghost Cathedral was once revered by believers as a pilgrimage site for the Ghost Tree Holy Land.

Its awe-inspiring appearance certainly lives up to its reputation.

Hundreds of giant stone pillars rise from the depths of the valley, supporting the magnificent main castle, which is constructed in the Gothic style and consists of a forecourt.

Hundreds of meters of arched corridors extend from both sides of the front courtyard, where wisteria flowers, unattended, still bloom wildly, turning the corridors into a flowing pink and purple curtain.

The spacious forecourt is like a plaza, large enough to accommodate thousands of people for a grand feast.

Beautiful white crystals adorn the ground, but the accumulated dust over time has obscured the cathedral's former glory.

The entire complex is like an ancient myth frozen in time, mottled and weathered, like a lost fairyland.

Su Ninglong stood on tiptoe, but her gaze couldn't penetrate the sea of ​​wisteria flowers; the outline of the cathedral could only be vaguely seen amidst the black warning tape and the floral display.

When Yun Fei and his group appeared at the Ghost Cathedral, two Star Police officers and a simply dressed Star Alliance worker immediately asked them who they were.

Yun Fei presented his Star Alliance credentials, stating, "Rotation Zone Mission: Ghost Star 05 Incident."

"orchid."

"Snowy Plains".

Both sides gave the correct code.

"Hello, I am Chu Lin, the head of the Youmu Star branch." Chu Lin had just finished speaking.

Five more figures appeared behind them, wearing nanotech combat suits. "Hello, we are two-star hunters from Ghostwood Star, and we will be following you."

Yun Fei looked at Chu Lin with a puzzled expression.

Chu Lin explained with a smile, "They participated in this mission for free."

“We did not request additional staff.”

"After our on-site inspection, we assessed the situation as complex, so we're sending you more manpower..." Chu Lin said with a smile, believing he had done a good deed and that the other party should be grateful.

Ke Yunfei's expression remained blank.

There are concerns about the capabilities of the intelligence department on Youjuxing; perhaps it's time to rotate the head of the intelligence department.

Who knows if you're trying to do something good or bad? Even the most monolithic organization will have its share of disharmonious oddities, especially since Youmu Star is so far from headquarters, limiting its oversight.

The interstellar space is so vast; if everyone were a good person, what would be the point of law enforcement?

Tong Zi gestured to the team and said, "Retreat."

Everyone picked up their belongings in an orderly fashion. Funi also brought a lot of things, three large boxes in total, while her things were being carried by the logistics team.

Funi looked somewhat surprised, but since Tong Zi was in charge, she remained silent, stepping onto the hoverboard and blocking Su Ninglong's path.

Lei Qingya and Xing Yuan also became alert and moved quietly to completely shield Su Ninglong.

"Wait! The mission hasn't even started yet, why are you retreating?" Chu Lin's voice trembled with anxiety. "We didn't do it on purpose, the situation is not optimistic, but when we contacted the Star Alliance, they didn't mention reinforcements or how many people would be coming. The fact that you can come proves that you are all elites. You wouldn't be so rigid as to not tolerate new faces, would you?"

Chu Lin tried his best to explain, but no one was willing to listen to his rambling.

The intelligence division chief couldn't possibly be unaware of the special nature of operations in the rotation zone. These types of missions are always conducted through single-line communication. The number of people dispatched is a matter for headquarters. He is only responsible for reporting intelligence and handling post-mission appeasement and battlefield cleanup.

The accompanying inner court students were all promising talents to become three-star hunters; the Star Alliance would be heartbroken to lose any one of them.

Seeing Yun Fei about to leave with his equipment case, Chu Lin stepped in front of him, blocking his way. "The Ghost Cathedral has too many parasites. They've attracted countless spirits. If they're all devoured, it will cause a catastrophe. The situation is urgent. Our descendants on Ghostwood Star admire you and are willing to follow you. Are you really willing to abandon Ghostwood Star?"

Yun Fei remained unmoved, taking a step back to try and catch up with the group.

Chu Lin wouldn't let him leave and continued to plead.

Tong Zi turned around, separating Yun Fei from Chu Lin, and placed her fingertips on Chu Lin's chest. "You're the one who broke the rules. The branch manager from the remote planet is indeed unprofessional."

The Star Alliance's intelligence network is complex, consisting of individuals trained by the Star Alliance, personnel trained by other schools, and even personnel from other planets who are required to be registered residents of that planet.

With varying levels of talent, it's no wonder that high-level hunters are hesitant to take on missions in certain star systems, as they might waste most of their day just arguing about it.

Fortunately, Chu Lin had a sense of shame and was nailed to the spot by Tong Zi's hurtful words.

Yun Fei and his group walked further and further away, never looking back.

The hunter next to Chu Lin was embarrassed. "Do they think we're a burden?"

"No, they don't mind. You were originally just supposed to clean up afterwards. But things have changed. I thought that by making the decision, you could join the team, gain more experience, and improve your strength. I was too naive."

There are no three-star hunters on Youmu Star, so it has always relied on external aid, but it is stuck in a vicious cycle. No hunter who can improve is willing to stay on Youmu Star.

Extraterrestrial aid is expensive and requires the cooperation of local governments in the application process.

If the local government is unstable, the Star Alliance headquarters will not send anyone; they will only issue missions and rewards, which can be accepted on a whim.

Chu Lin firmly believed that hunters of three stars or higher could help him solve many problems, thereby strengthening the intelligence division.

I never imagined the crux of the problem might lie precisely in his overstepping of authority. The two-star hunter asked, "They're leaving. Are we waiting for the Star Alliance to send someone else?"

"I didn't expect Teacher Yun to be so heartless. They left too quickly. They have no intention of returning, but dragging it out isn't a solution."

"How about we go in first to scout and wipe out a portion of them?"

The five two-star hunters took turns trying to persuade Chu Lin to let them in.

"Aren't you afraid?" Chu Lin thought it was too risky for the five of them.

"We are already two-star hunters, and we have already been afraid when we should have been afraid."

They weren't recklessly bold; they made this choice because they were fully aware of the consequences of a large-scale outbreak of mystical pollution in the area.

"Here's what we'll do: you only enter the arcade and plaza areas, not the church. Eliminate any parasites you encounter, and the hidden spirits on the outer perimeter will emerge." Chu Lin asked the Star Police if this approach was feasible.

“You’re the expert, if you think it’s okay, then of course we’ll cooperate.” The on-duty police officer smiled and explained the situation to his colleague, who was hiding in a sniper position.

Chu Lin thought to himself that they were being so easy to talk to today, and the situation didn't allow him to think too much. The intelligence he submitted was outdated. If the Star Alliance hadn't taken over the mission in time and sent someone to investigate again, he wouldn't have known it was so serious.

……

Su Ninglong straddled the suitcase, tilted her head and asked Yun Fei, "Aren't we doing the mission anymore?"

It shouldn't be easy to cancel rotation zone tasks, since they need to be scheduled.

“Yes, we’re quitting.” Yun Fei patted Su Ninglong’s head with a smile, but the group didn’t head down the mountain. Instead, they went up the mountain again. “Since we’re already here, it’s important to take a proper rest and sightseeing.”

Xingyuan and Lei Qingya seemed to understand but not quite; sending out so many elites and then returning like this seemed like a bit of a loss.

It seems like it could be considered a trip.

Tong Zi chuckled. Yun Fei, with that deadpan tongue, actually knows how to tease a child.

Tourism was out of the question. The experienced group knew that this area had to be cleaned up; otherwise, a major accident would occur, and the Star Alliance would also be held responsible.

The group reached the top of the mountain. One student from the logistics department launched a drone, while another student quickly climbed a tree and attached the monitoring equipment attached to the drone to the best spot with the best view at the top of the tree.

After some adjustments, the surveillance camera was now pointed at the road leading up the mountain, so that if anyone came from below, they would have a clear view.

They then continued onward and arrived at the back of the cathedral.

Looking down from here, it's like looking into an abyss. The church is right below you, and a waterfall cascades down the cliff to the bottom of the church.

From the front, you can't see the waterfall at all; from this angle, it's breathtaking.

Su Ninglong twitched her lips. She didn't know much about feng shui, but by combining it with science, she could still see the drawbacks of building on this terrain.

People who live here long-term are bound to experience mental depression and are also prone to bone pain (rheumatism).

It can last a thousand years if it's dry, ten thousand years if it's wet, and only half a year if it's neither dry nor wet. Decay is inevitable sooner or later.

The technicians then began showcasing their technological products, releasing tiny monitoring spiders that spread outwards along the cliff face.

These are disposable items, and each one isn't cheap, so the technicians only release about ten at a time, enough to monitor the surrounding area.

Su Ninglong tugged at Yun Fei's hand, "Didn't you say you weren't going to do the mission?"

"Yes, we won't do any missions, but we can tour the cathedral."

"I knew it, you can't trust a man's words."

Everyone smiled at each other and got to work.

The logistics students deployed an optical environment simulation instrument, allowing the group's campsite to blend completely with the environment.

The warning tape surrounding the area was handled in a different way: the Star Police officers provided a eliminator, which automatically removed the tape with a single sweep.

Scanning the Secret Agent's token will automatically notify the Star Police. Scanning this won't even alert the Star Police.

Before the operation officially began, Yunfei pulled a suitcase from the cart.

Song Hu and the others lined up, secretly glancing at the briefcases, their expressions revealing a hint of anticipation.

As they expected, the school had already prepared the new sacred objects for them.

Yun Fei held up the Qingxin Earrings. "These are not sacred artifacts for binding with a master. They will be returned after the mission, and you will need to write a review of your experience. Each earring has a number, so please take good care of them as you would your own weapons. You will be responsible for any consequences if they are lost."

The students in the inner courtyard were overjoyed; they had only been taught how to use it in class and had never actually handled the object.

The actual product looks just like it did in person; it has a cool appearance.

They wear mental anchors on their ears, but that doesn't prevent them from wearing a pair of earrings. The earrings fit their ears automatically without causing any discomfort.

Haha, someone couldn't help but laugh out loud, knowing that coming out with Yun Fei was a perk, allowing them to experience things first.

All eyes were on Lian Xinyi, watching to see if she could still be so smug.

Lian Xinyi: "..." They all got the chance to experience it, so why am I still the target of everyone's criticism?
Yun Fei instructed, "Use them sparingly. Do not remove the restrictions unless in a crisis." The earrings already have restrictions. This is the only way to meet public demand and prevent them from breaking.

The equipment is in good condition; please check it again yourself.

Tong Zi and another three-star hunter went down first, while Yun Fei and another hunter stayed behind to guard the camp.

The students slid down the climbing rope one after another like dumplings being dropped into boiling water, moving swiftly.

The logistics team opened the weapon crates, ready to be dispatched at any time to deliver replacement equipment.

"Aren't we going down?" Su Ninglong asked.

"Parasitics have physical bodies. Killing them is no different from killing people. Can you kill them?"

Su Ninglong thought about it and decided against it. She was too small to kill ten people, even if she could kill one. Being a spectator would be fine too.

"Where are the spirits here? Since they're all parasites, where would the spirits come from?"

"I'll take you downstairs later, let's look around here first."

Su Ninglong's eyes darted around, she pulled over a soft cushion, lay down on the edge, and observed below through binoculars.

Yun Fei and his group were definitely prepared. The conventional weapons should have been supplied by the Youmu Star Police Department, but based on their understanding of Chu Lin and their distrust of the local star police, they had prepared everything in advance.

If the local authorities cooperate, that's best; if not, you can go home after completing the task.

Occasionally, they will decisively leave, relying on randomness and acting only after assessing the severity of the situation.

After all, political instability or a deteriorating social environment are not things that the Star Alliance can handle; those are the tasks of interstellar governments and interstellar armies.

Su Ninglong noticed that Lian Xinyi was not having an easy time during his descent; he was hanging in mid-air.

Song Hu happened to be next to him. Instead of blaming Lian Xinyi, he searched the surroundings and soon discovered a passage behind the waterfall.