Wizard: Starting with Dealing with Magical Plants

Chapter 208 The Bone-Corroding Barren Hill

"Okay." Blake walked to the metal table, extended his gloved fingers, and tapped an area deep in the Ash Plains on the map, which was immediately highlighted.

"General Hossman just provided the latest intelligence at the command center."

"Twelve hours ago, an unusually strong energy burst was detected deep in the Ash Plains, at coordinates 743, 219."

"The duration is approximately thirty seconds, and the energy characteristics are extremely complex."

He manipulated the screen a few times, and a spectrum analysis diagram of the energy burst was projected onto the desktop.

On the image, several waveforms of different colors intertwine and rise violently.

"Look here," Blake said, pointing to a dark gray waveform.

"High-concentration death energy, similar to that used by the Pale Hand in Howling Rift, but purer and more violent."

The finger moved, pointing to a waveform that was constantly jumping and had dark purple spots: "The corruption source energy fluctuations are 70% similar to the fragment energy characteristics brought back by Rolin, but the activity level is higher, as if—it has been activated."

Finally, his finger landed on an extremely straight, almost perfect, pale blue line.

This line stands out starkly and coldly against the chaotic waveform background.

"And this—a highly ordered unknown energy fluctuation."

"After comparison, the underlying energy encoding of the non-human visitor scanning beam has a homology of more than 60 percent."

The room fell silent for a moment.

Death energy, corruption energy, and the visitor's energy of order—three distinct and even conflicting energy characteristics—exploded at the same time and in the same place.

"According to the intelligence department's initial assessment," Blake's voice lowered.

"There may be a point where multiple forces converge or contend for power there."

"It's possible that the entrance to some ancient ruin was accidentally activated due to an energy conflict, or it's possible that someone deliberately triggered this eruption; the purpose is unclear."

"But in either case, the situation must be investigated immediately."

He raised his head, his gaze sharp: "The first mission of the Scorching Flame Patrol Team is to target this outbreak area."

"Task level: High risk."

Requirements: Approach as covertly as possible to identify the source of the energy burst, any remaining traces at the scene, and any valuable clues or items.

"In the event of an insurmountable threat, prioritize self-preservation and retreat to base."

"Do you have any more specific information about the terrain or environment?" Ella asked.

"That area is known as the Bone-Eroding Hills. It has a complex terrain, with severely weathered rocky mountains and deep ravines. The energy background has been chaotic for a long time, and conventional detection methods are very ineffective." Blake pulled up some blurry distant images and terrain scan maps.

"After the energy burst, the energy interference in the area intensified further, making remote monitoring almost ineffective."

"We can only rely on on-site reconnaissance."

"When do we leave?" Lehman asked.

"In one hour! The base will provide a batch of targeted supplies and equipment, including amulets to resist the erosion of death energy, enhanced energy shielding cloaks, and high-precision portable detectors." Blake looked at everyone.

"Everyone, check your equipment, replenish your supplies, and meet at the third departure gate in one hour. Any questions?"

The crowd shook their heads.

"Alright, disband and prepare."

One hour later, the third departure gate.

This connects to a hidden rock crevice exit outside the base.

Everyone has changed into gear suitable for operations in the wasteland.

Rolin was still wearing that gray robe, with a dark brown cloak issued by the base that had a weak energy shielding function over it.

Ella and Rayman also wore similar cloaks.

Blake and two Forge Guards were dressed in full-body tactical armor and carried heavy equipment.

Liana changed into a deep red priest's robe that allowed for easy movement, covered by a cloak, and replaced her staff with a shorter, more compact version.

The base logistics officer distributed the prepared supply boxes.

Rolin checked the items and found that, in addition to the usual medicines, dry rations, and water, there were three bone-white amulets engraved with purification runes, a lightweight metal mesh that folded up to the size of a palm but could cover the whole body when unfolded, and a joint-type detector that was heavier than his own but had a supposedly higher detection range and accuracy.

"Keep communication open, but it may fail once you enter an area with interference."

"Use encrypted shortwave or signal flares if necessary," the logistics officer instructed.

The heavy alloy gate slowly rose, and scorching wind carrying ash rushed into the passage.

Outside lies the eternal crimson light of the scorching hell, and the undulating, boundless plains of ashes.

"Let's go." Blake took the lead and stepped into the burning wasteland.

The squad maintained a standard reconnaissance formation, with Blake and a Forge Guard in front, Ella and Rayman on the left and right flanks respectively, Rolin and Liana in the middle, and another Forge Guard at the rear.

The ashes rustled softly beneath my feet, and the heat distorted my view of the distance.

The joint detector was held in Luo Lin's hand, continuously scanning the surrounding environment.

The initial readings were normal, but the high temperature and energy disturbances were typical of the Scorching Hell.

However, as they ventured deeper into the Ash Plains and approached the coordinates, the readings began to change.

The concentration of free death energy in the air is slowly but steadily increasing.

It wasn't an explosive kind of chill; it was more like a long-accumulated chill seeping from the depths of the earth.

Occasionally, the detector would capture an extremely faint, decaying echo of a soul, which would vanish in an instant.

"The deathly aura has intensified," Liana murmured. At the tip of her short staff, a wisp of pure flame flickered, dispelling the invisible chill that tried to approach.

"Watch out for the ground and the rock walls," Ella warned, her sharp gaze sweeping over the strangely shaped black rocks along the way.

After traveling about 1,200 miles, the terrain began to change. The flat ash plains were replaced by more and more undulating hills and weathered rock pillars.

These mounds and rock pillars have an unnatural grayish-white color, and their surfaces are covered with honeycomb-like holes, as if they have been corroded by some kind of acid for a long time.

A faint, sweet, fishy smell, similar to that of moldy bones, began to fill the air.

"We've entered the outer perimeter of the Bone-Eroding Hills," Blake said in a deep voice, looking at the location on the tactics board.

"Slow down and be vigilant."

On the detector's screen, the gray ripples representing death energy had turned into continuous background noise. At the same time, sporadic, flickering dark purple dots representing the source of corruption began to appear.

As for the pale blue line representing the energy of order, it never appeared, as if it had completely disappeared after the eruption.

Luo Lin switched the detection mode to active scanning and trace analysis.

The instrument emitted a low hum, and the energy beam spread out in a fan-shaped area in front.

Suddenly, the detector emitted a short beep, and at the edge of the screen, an extremely faint but structurally regular pale blue residual energy signal flashed by!

The location is about 300 meters to the left front, on the back of a weathered rock pillar!

"Residual Order Energy Detected! 300 meters to the left front, behind the rock pillar!" Roland immediately reported in a low voice.

Everyone immediately went on high alert.

Blake gave a hand signal, and the team immediately changed direction, using the mounds and rocks for cover as they quietly approached the signal point.

Approaching the tall, porous, grayish-white rock pillar, the sweet, fishy smell in the air grew stronger. Behind the pillar lay a relatively secluded depression.

The sight in the center of the depression made everyone hold their breath.

Three bodies lay there.

It is not a human corpse.

They have humanoid forms, but their entire bodies are covered with dark gray, smooth carapaces, and their joints are inlaid with crystal nodes that emit a faint blue light.

It was those non-human visitors!