The comments said I was deeply affectionate, I just added points by using an alternate account.

"She possesses a destiny, representing the destiny of humanity, but she is not a hero. Therefore, Lord Baal cannot see through what she intends to do, nor can he foresee what outcome she will ultimately lead to."

"This kind of unknown is much more troublesome than a hero who will definitely come to cut you down with a holy sword."

Chen Guan did not ask any further questions.

The concept of yin and yang balance is too advanced; he can't handle such high-level games.

……

afternoon.

The logistics department was located on the west side of the camp, which was a row of huge military warehouses.

When they arrived, teams from other colleges were already lining up to receive supplies.

The person in charge of distributing the equipment was a middle-aged sergeant, who rarely smiled, and whose skin was dark and rough from the winds of the North.

When it was their turn, the sergeant checked An Changxin's student ID and mission approval slip.

"The eastern exploration team consists of eight people from Huaqing University and four people from Yanjing University, right?"

"That's right."

The sergeant turned around, took several standard tactical backpacks from the shelf behind him, and handed them to them one by one.

The backpack contained high-energy compressed food, purified water, a medical kit, and some standard detection instruments.

"These are extras." The sergeant took out twelve palm-sized metal discs from a locked iron box and handed them over.

The disc felt cool to the touch, its surface engraved with intricate patterns, and a dull crystal was set in its center.

"What is this?" An Changqing held it in his hand and examined it.

"Soul Beacon".

"A soul beacon?" Long Ao examined it closely; he'd never seen anything like it before, it was probably newly made. "What's it for?"

The sergeant glanced at him and said, "The energy field around the rift can interfere with the mind, and in severe cases, it can cause hallucinations, disorientation, and even mental breakdown."

"This thing can forcibly anchor your consciousness to the real world when your mental barrier fails."

"A disposable consumable, it lasts for fifteen minutes after activation," the sergeant added. "Hopefully you won't need it."

After he finished speaking, he ignored them and began distributing supplies to the next group.

Holding this cold metal disc, the tension from the previous meeting transformed for the first time into an imminent danger.

"It seems this mission is more troublesome than the report says," Qin Wu said, weighing the beacon in his hand.

He didn't have any objection to his junior, who was two years younger than him, being the team captain. He was, in a way, good at enjoying the thrill of battle, just like his name suggested.

Managing the club was already a huge headache for him, let alone having the life and death of the entire team in his hands.

The pressure was immense; he should be thankful he wasn't the captain.

Baal's voice rang in Chen Guan's mind again, filled with undisguised mockery.

"Soul anchoring? Interesting."

"Humans have actually managed to figure out something like this, even though it's as crude as a child's toy, the principle is correct."

"What's the principle behind it?" Chen Guan asked in his mind.

"Using a crystal containing pure spiritual energy as a coordinate is like giving you a rope to climb back when your soul is being dragged into the abyss."

Baal scoffed: "However, if it really comes into contact with mental pollution of the level of Astaroth, this thing is just a cotton thread that will break with a single pull."

It must be admitted that although Baal was not the kind of demon with a lot of culture, his wonderful metaphors were always easy to understand, just like the White Tiger.

It has a feeling of hearing celestial music and temporarily clearing the ears. In an era when riddle makers are popular, there are still old artists who insist on using vernacular Chinese.

After collecting their equipment, the group returned to their dormitories to make final preparations.

As night deepened, the military camp was brightly lit.

At 9:30, the twelve members of the eastern exploration team met at the designated assembly point on time.

An Changqing stood at the front, with Wang Shuo from Yanjing Academy standing next to him. Wang Shuo still had that resentful expression on his face, but he didn't say anything more.

Li Ce, dressed in combat uniform, stood beside a military armored personnel carrier. He would be in charge of escorting them into the cordon.

His gaze lingered briefly upon seeing the coffin before shifting away.

An Changqing glanced at his watch; the hands pointed to 9:50.

"It's almost time." He turned around, his gaze sweeping over everyone. "Check the equipment one last time. We'll depart in ten minutes."

The troop carrier's engine was already running, emitting a deep roar.

Chen Guan tugged at his shoulder strap, the soreness in his left arm seeming to be amplified by the somber atmosphere.

He looked at the ominous blue light in the night sky, the dry, cold air of the North filling his lungs with a stinging sensation.

An Changqing's voice came from ahead.

"Let's go."

The troop carrier was dimly lit, with only a few emergency lights emitting a faint red glow, blurring the outlines of everyone's faces.

The heavy car door slammed shut behind them with a loud bang, completely cutting off the lights and sounds of the military camp.

The engine's roar turned muffled, the car began to vibrate, and it headed towards the dark northern wasteland.

An Changqing turned his gaze to Su Yuehe, who was sitting opposite him.

Su Yuehe leaned against the cold car wall, her gaze unfocused, staring at the tips of her shoes, lost in thought.

An Changqing gently nudged her: "What are you thinking about? You haven't said a word since earlier."

"It's nothing."

Su Yuehe shook her head, forcing an ugly smile, but her eyes remained dim, and she lowered her head even further.

The atmosphere inside the carriage fell silent again, broken only by the continuous jolting of the vehicle as it rolled over the frozen ground.

Wang Shuo, sitting next to An Changqing, broke the silence.

"Team Leader An, is our reconnaissance this time really only limited to the outer perimeter?"

He was still holding the data report in his hand, clearly harboring doubts about White Eagle's arrangements.

An Changqing shifted his gaze from the tactical terminal on his wrist to look at him: "The mission briefing is very clear: Phase One, Initial Positioning."

"But the data from the south is abnormal. I'm worried that relying solely on the Great Wall's own monitoring system might lead to oversights."

Wang Shuo persisted; he has always been very suspicious.

"Your concerns are valid, but this is not something we can decide."

An Changqing's tone was gentle, but the meaning behind his words was clear: this was an order, and there was no room for argument.

Wang Shuo's lips moved, but he ultimately remained silent and turned his head to the side.

The Yenching College student next to him muttered quietly, "No wonder he's from Tsinghua University, he speaks such official jargon so fluently."

The murmurs were very soft, but they reached everyone's ears in the cramped carriage.

Long Ao, who had been pretending to sleep with his eyes closed, opened them a crack upon hearing this and gave the man a cold glance.

The student felt uneasy under his gaze and immediately shut his mouth.

Liu Feiyu was listening to upbeat music in his headphones. He leaned against the corner, tapping the drumbeats on his knees, looking completely absorbed in his own world.

He suddenly spoke, his voice just louder than the engine noise: "Wang, have you ever wondered why they won't let us go south?"