My exclusive card pool

Chapter 301 First Joint Meeting
"Dude, what would you like to drink? I'll go get it."

After arguing with Zeng Menglu for a while, Qiao Ziqian finally gave in, saying that Haonan wouldn't fight with a donkey, and then turned to Wang Xi and asked a question.

"How about a bottle of original flavor Mozi soda?" Wang Xi said with a smile. "Iced."

"Oh, you know your stuff." Qiao Ziqian raised an eyebrow, then asked Duan Wan and Zeng Menglu, "Would you two ladies like something to drink?"

Duan Wan smiled and said that plain water would be fine.

Zeng Menglu ordered a glass of iced orange juice.

They argued, but neither of them took it to heart.

Qiao Ziqian smiled and said "okay," then snapped his fingers.

Snapped!
Two purple lights flashed.

A white spider the size of a fist and a yellow bird appeared on Qiao Ziqian's left and right shoulders, respectively.

These two little things are quite unique.

The white spider's head is that of a miniature pig. And the oriole's open beak hides a cricket—it looks as if the cricket is wearing an oriole costume.

"Xiao Mei, Xiao Shuai, go get me a drink."

At Qiao Ziqian's command, to the astonishment of Wang Xi and the other two, two unknown creatures swiftly darted off his shoulders and headed to the bar area not far away to retrieve drinks.

Wang Xi took the canned soda from the yellow bird's beak, paused for a moment, and said, "Uh, thank you."

You're welcome, you're very handsome.

The oriole opened its beak but emitted a strange chirping sound like a cricket, though one could barely make out what it was saying.

Wang Xi became curious and took a closer look.

"Sparrow Eater (Follower Card/Epic/Purple 5-Star/Prestige/Unupgradeable): A mysterious creature with extremely high stealth capabilities, suitable for surveillance, investigation, and vigilance. It speaks human language and can recount acquired information in detail, but there is a chance of exaggeration. This ability is called "Cricket."

Sparrows eat crickets...

Crickets?

What kind of weird minion card is this?
Driven by intense curiosity, he looked again at the large, hairy spider that had jumped onto Zeng Menglu's lap, startling the girl—

"Giant Leap Spider (Follower Card/Epic/Purple 5-Star/Prestige/Unupgradeable): A mythical creature with extremely high mobility and transport capabilities, used for ambushing targets, dragging items, and weaving webs for defense. It is psychic but lacks independent thinking ability and behaves rather clumsily, requiring detailed instructions."

Giant jumping spider...

Big idiot?
So, can puns really be a universal tool in the ghost story genre?

Wang Xi's expression was strange.

"Well done," Qiao Ziqian praised, then recalled his two attendants.

"Oh, you're so handsome!" A yellow bird landed on his shoulder, its beak opening and closing, making a constant sound.

"Okay, I know, no need to emphasize it."

Qiao Ziqian was very pleased and waved his hand with a smug look on his face.

"..."

Wang Xi, Duan Wan, and Zeng Menglu looked at each other in silence as they watched this scene unfold.

"Hey, Qiao Ziqian, these are two purple follower cards, right?"

Zeng Menglu took a sip of orange juice and asked curiously.

“That’s right.” Qiao Ziqian chuckled, teasing the two little creatures, and said proudly, “Don’t underestimate them just because they’re small; they’re actually quite capable. I’ve even trained them to the ‘Supreme’ quality.”

"With those two around, there's no intelligence I can't uncover..."

As he spoke, he gave Wang Xi and the other two a detailed explanation of the abilities of the two attendants.

Upon hearing this, Duan Wan and Zeng Menglu both showed surprise, seemingly not expecting these two unique little gadgets to be so useful.

"Since we're on the topic, why don't we introduce our areas of expertise and our main decks?"

Qiao Ziqian suggested.

"After all, we're all part of the same team. Once we get to the Highland Empire, we'll have to explore the new disaster zone together. It's always good to know each other well."

"Yes, Ziqian is right."

Ms. Duan Wan smiled and nodded.

Wang Xi and Zeng Menglu had no objections and nodded in agreement.

“Then I’ll go first.” Qiao Ziqian patted his chest. “My ranking in the ‘List of Mountains and Seas’ isn’t very high, but there aren’t many who are better than me at intelligence gathering.”

"I follow the supernatural tale system, and I am good at information gathering and vigilance against unknown dangers. My main battle cards are mostly follower and item types... Of course, I also have self-protection capabilities, so don't worry too much about my safety after entering the disaster zone."

After Qiao Ziqian finished speaking, Zeng Menglu and Duan Wan also began their brief self-introductions.

Zeng Menglu, nicknamed "Little Devil," follows a fairy tale-themed approach, specializing in team buffs and enemy debuffs. In gaming terms, her role leans towards "support."

Of course, as a "Disaster Hunter" ranked in the thirties, Zeng Menglu is not lacking in self-defense methods, and her ability to fight head-on is no less than that of the "Disaster Hunters" ranked lower.

As for Ms. Duan Wan, the "Shepherdess," she ranks highest in this team, and her strength is naturally the strongest.

She follows the Miracle system, excels in large-scale battles, and her main cards are mostly Legion and Summoning decks. Her own strength should not be underestimated.

When it was Wang Xi's turn to introduce himself, Zeng Menglu interrupted him with a grin: "We've all heard of 'Dragon Lord'. The video of your duel with Mark Van is all over the 'Taiyu' and 'Disaster Hunt' circles..."

"You follow the dual systems of fairy tales and mysticism, possessing extremely strong overall individual strength. Moreover, you also hold multiple concept-based black cards."

"Am I really that famous?"

Wang Xi shook his head and smiled.

“Of course.” Qiao Ziqian chimed in, “By the way, Weitai has a good eye for talent. Our team is complementary and has almost no weaknesses.”

"Indeed."

Zeng Menglu and Duan Wan both nodded in agreement.

The information position has "Handsome Guy" Qiao Ziqian, the support position has "Little Devil" Zeng Menglu, "Shepherdess" Duan Wan and "Dragon Lord" Wang Xi are all strong players who are good at head-on combat, one is more inclined to swarm tactics and the other is more inclined to individual strength.

Very comprehensive.

After getting to know each other better, the four of them became more familiar with each other and started chatting.

The conversation started with the Federation of Nine Continents and then moved on to the other four major nations, as well as numerous disaster zones and restricted areas located outside human settlements.

They then shared their experiences and discussed their shared goal: the "Tower of Babel" disaster area.

Duan Wan, as the most senior "Disaster Hunter," possessed the most extensive experience. Wang Xi obtained a great deal of valuable information from her.

"...Although this is a joint operation by the five major powers, according to convention, the teams from each country will not enter the disaster area at the same time."

Duan Wan drank her plain water and said with a smile.

"Each team will usually hold a joint meeting first to discuss relevant matters, and then proceed in order. They share progress and intelligence with each other, but do not interfere with each other's specific action plans."

"That's actually quite good." Qiao Ziqian crossed his legs and took a sip of his wine. "No other country's 'Disaster Hunt' is as close as our own. It's already quite good that we don't hold each other back."

"Yes." Duan Wan nodded. "That's the point. Although the five great powers are allies, they help each other while also competing with each other."

She looked at the three people at the table, her expression becoming slightly serious and solemn:
"As for us, we represent the face of the Mountain and Sea Federation, so please be careful with your words and actions and try to avoid conflicts with the teams from the other four major countries."

"Understood." Wang Xi nodded.

...

...

whoosh-

The silver shuttle glided silently across the border of the Xuanzhou of the Mountain and Sea Federation and officially entered the territory of the Caucasus Empire (Highland Empire).

Outside the porthole, the scenery had subtly changed.

Wang Xi turned his head, his gaze drawn to the scenery outside the window. This was the first time he had witnessed the new era of foreign countries firsthand.

Looking down from high above, through the wispy clouds, one sees endless, undulating mountain ranges and vast snowfields. The Highland Empire is located at a high latitude, and although it is currently November, winter has already arrived.

As far as the eye could see, there was only a vast expanse of white snow covering the land, reflecting a dazzling white light under the sun. The majestic mountain peaks resembled the spines of giant beasts, with exposed black rocks stubbornly standing above the snow line.

"Hmm, this snow scene is really nice!" Qiao Ziqian leaned over to the other porthole, the blond-haired man almost pressed against the glass, clicking his tongue in amazement: "It's even colder here than in the Northern Continent, it feels like your breath can freeze into ice shards."

"You're making a fuss over nothing." Zeng Menglu rolled her eyes at him, but her gaze couldn't help but drift towards the window. "It's the Plateau Empire, after all, winter makes up half the year... but the snow scenery is indeed beautiful."

Duan Wan appeared much calmer. Having experienced numerous international missions, she simply said gently, "We're almost there. Let's get ready; it's very cold outside."

The silver shuttle began to slow down and descend, eventually coming to a steady stop atop a solitary peak covered in snow.

The wind here is significantly stronger than at lower altitudes, whipping up snowflakes that lash against the portholes with a crackling sound.

puff-

The hatch slid open, and a chill that could freeze to the bone instantly rushed in. Wang Xi was secretly amazed; the perceived temperature must have reached minus twenty or thirty degrees Celsius.

This didn't affect him much.

As a former "Snow King," he probably wouldn't feel cold rolling around shirtless here.

The group followed Lian Xiujie down the gangway.

Wang Xi looked up, his gaze passing over the makeshift take-off and landing platform and the busy staff of the Plateau Empire around him, and he raised an eyebrow.

Directly opposite the summit of this snow-capped mountain where they were, across a dark, icy valley thousands of meters deep, atop another, even more precipitous solitary peak stood a towering, dark brown spiral tower that pierced the clouds.

This is precisely the goal of this trip—

The Tower of Babel disaster area!
Videos and pictures simply cannot convey its original shock; an invisible sense of oppression subtly emanates from it, making everyone present feel a chill.

"This thing... looks pretty intimidating."

Qiao Ziqian, unusually, put away his playful smile and looked at the "Tower of Babel" with a serious expression in his eyes.

"An energy level of 198, it's no exaggeration. Just looking at it gives me the creeps."

"Gentlemen, this way."

Lian Xiujie greeted them and led them to a temporary camp made up of huge tents made of thermal insulation material – the “International Temporary Disaster Response Command.”

The camp was heavily guarded, with soldiers dressed in the distinctive camouflage of the highland empire and heavy, warm military uniforms everywhere. Various detection instruments, energy barrier generators, and small defensive artillery emplacements were also present.

The atmosphere was somewhat somber.

Before leaving the Silver Shuttle, Wang Xi and his three companions had already donned blue and white tight-fitting combat suits, with sword and shield badges symbolizing the Mountain and Sea Federation pinned to their chests.

The people from the Plateau Empire who passed by, whether soldiers or civilians, immediately stopped, straightened their bodies, and gave them a standard military salute, their expressions full of awe.

Lian Xiujie explained in a low voice, "The Highland Empire values ​​martial prowess and deeply respects the strong. Our 'Disaster Hunters' of the Mountain and Sea Federation have an excellent reputation here."

Soon, they were led to the largest main tent in the center of the camp.

The heavy insulated curtain was lifted, and a blast of warm, dry air mixed with a faint pheromone (used for alertness and disinfection) rushed out.

The tent has a very large interior space, is brightly lit, and is arranged in a simple yet efficient manner.

In the center was a huge round conference table, already filled with people. Seven or eight committee members, dressed in the World Alliance's dark blue uniforms and with serious expressions, sat to one side.

The majority of the seats at the round table were occupied by team members from the other four major countries.

As soon as Wang Xi and his three companions stepped into the tent, everyone's eyes turned to them.

These top experts from different countries wore uniquely designed tight-fitting combat suits, exuding powerful auras that were sometimes sharp, sometimes heavy, and sometimes unpredictable.

Wang Xi's gaze swept quickly across the area.

The weakest of these "Disaster Hunters" are rated "One-Star Beyond Limit", and two of them are almost on par with Ms. Duan Wan, reaching "Three-Star Beyond Limit".

The two men were a burly red-haired man and a blond young man.

The former sat on the left, sporting a thick beard and sharp eyes. He wore a dark brown combat uniform trimmed with fur, and his muscles were bulging; even sitting, he looked like a small mountain.

He is Ivan Petrovich, the leader of the Highland Empire squad, known as "The Wrath of the Mountains".

Upon seeing Duan Wan, Ivan smiled. Although he looked slightly fierce, Wang Xi could see the goodwill in his smile.

"Duan, you've arrived." Ivan's voice was deep and resonant, and he spoke in the local dialect, which showed great respect.

Duan Wan smiled and said, "Mr. Ivan, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Clearly, the two had dealt with each other before.

However, when Duan Wan's gaze turned to the group of people on the right opposite the red-haired burly man, the atmosphere became slightly cold.

That's the Buden United Nations (Heaven Federation) squad.

The leader was a handsome young man with blond hair and blue eyes, wearing a perfectly tailored silver-white combat uniform. He was elegant in demeanor and had a smile on his lips.

He is the leader of the Heaven Federation, "The Judge" Leon Ashford.

Leon didn't speak, but the way he looked at Wang Xi and his group made people uncomfortable.

With scrutiny and indifference.

His three teammates beside him—a hot blonde, a bald, muscular man with a blank expression, and a tall, thin man with long curly hair—all had the same look in their eyes.

On the other side of the round table was a squad from the Republic of Yasa (the Desert Empire).

All four were dark-skinned and taciturn. The leader was a middle-aged man with a scar on his face, "Shadow of the Sandstorm" Karim, rated "Overlimit Two-Star".

They merely glanced at the Mountain and Sea Squad, nodded slightly in acknowledgment, and then looked away.

Finally, there's the Shimabara Country team, whose four members all have black hair and yellow skin, making them quite similar to the people of the mountains and seas.

They were dressed in dark blue combat uniforms. The team leader was a mature woman with a gentle demeanor but a firm gaze, known as "Box Princess" Chiba Aya, rated "Extreme Two-Star".

She gave Wang Xi and the others a polite smile and nodded slightly.

"Alright, now that the Mountain and Sea Federation team has arrived, this first joint exploration meeting of the 'Tower of Babel' disaster area officially begins."

An elderly man with gray hair, sharp eyes, and wearing a dark blue uniform of the World Alliance stood up, and his voice was clearly transmitted to everyone's ears through simultaneous interpretation equipment.

This man, named Wolf, was a council member sent by the World Alliance Committee to preside over the meeting.

Wolf started with some polite remarks, such as expressing gratitude on behalf of the World Alliance for the support of the five major powers, and so on.

After rambling for a while, he began to provide a detailed account of the latest situation in the "Tower of Babel" disaster area.

He brought up a holographic projection, displaying the external structure, energy level readings, and the first layer of internal intelligence gathered by the Plateau Empire's advance reconnaissance team.

This information is basically consistent with the materials Wang Xi had seen, with only slight additions in the details.

Afterwards, Wolfe ordered his staff to distribute "Disaster Certificates" to the twenty "Disaster Hunters" present, which were prepared in advance as tickets to enter the "Tower of Babel".

"...Based on the above intelligence, and in accordance with the principles of fairness and efficiency, we need to determine the order in which the teams from each country will enter the disaster area for exploration."

Wolfgang surveyed the room, his voice steady.

"As is customary, the team from the discovering nation, namely the Caucasian Empire, will enter first, regardless of their exploration progress. They will have priority in obtaining 30% ownership of the disaster area. Does anyone have any objections?"

"no disagreement."

Each team then expressed their stance.

Wolfgang nodded and continued the process:
“Very good. Then first in line: the Caucasus Empire.”

"Second in line: Uranus United Nations."

"Third in line: Buden United Nations."

"Fourth in line: Shimabara Kuni."

"Fifth in line: The Republic of Yasa"

"Each team's exploration time is initially set at twenty-four hours. After twenty-four hours, regardless of the exploration progress, please be sure to withdraw so that the next team can enter and share the intelligence you have obtained."

"At the same time, please be sure to pay attention to safety; your lives are the most precious treasure of all mankind. We wish you all a successful exploration and hope you bring back valuable information about the 'Tower of Babel' for humanity."

(End of this chapter)