All-out: Starting with the Awakening Special Operations Unit, search, attack, and withdrawal.

"Quickly! Summon all the top healing pioneers in the guild!"

"Bring over all the life-saving healing items in stock!"

"quick!"

"......"

Huangshan Base City!

Inside the city lord's mansion, chaos and turmoil reigned.

Lan Yujing's eyes were bloodshot, and the terrifying scene at the evacuation point was still vivid in her mind.

If it weren't for the corpse of City Lord Jiang Xingdong, which was teleported out of the secret realm along with them, Lan Yujing would have already collapsed.

Even so.

At that moment, her nerves were as sensitive as Jiang Xingdong's faint breathing on his sickbed.

It felt like it might snap at any moment.

In Huangshan Base City, the various pioneering teams and merchant guilds could no longer sit still.

Everyone rushed to the city lord's mansion in a panic. When they saw Jiang Xingdong, who was seriously injured and unconscious, just as his subordinates had reported, everyone's hearts turned cold instantly.

Sha Lie, president of the Shazhou Chamber of Commerce, roared angrily.

"What happened?! Why is this happening? Captain Lan, even the most severe injuries sustained after leaving the secret realm are fully healed by the power of the rules. How could the City Lord suffer such terrifying injuries?!"

"Could it be that the City Lord was ambushed outside the secret realm?!"

All eyes immediately fell on Lan Yujing.

"Bullshit! How could our captain possibly attack the city lord! The city lord was ambushed inside the secret realm!"

Lan Yujing's vice-captain was immediately enraged.

however.

Upon hearing this, Sha Lie let out a cold laugh.

"What a joke! How could injuries sustained in the secret realm be carried to the outside world?! Besides... when did I ever say that the City Lord was injured by your captain's sneak attack?!"

"you!"

"That's enough!"

Just as tensions were running high, a cold voice suddenly came from behind everyone.

Lan Yujing's pupils contracted: "President Song!"

The person who arrived was none other than Song Ming, who was covering the rear.

Lan Yujing never expected that Song Ming would still be alive. Behind him, Jiang Long, the captain of the Crossing Dragon Squad, was also pale-faced and followed blankly like a puppet.

They actually managed to evacuate from the secret realm.

"The City Lord's injuries were indeed inflicted in the secret realm. The reason he remained severely injured even after returning is because... the City Lord died in the secret realm!"

Upon hearing this, Song Ming...

The scene immediately erupted in uproar.

Many people immediately retorted with "impossible" and the like, saying that once a person dies, they are dead, how could they possibly be alive again and teleported out of the secret realm?

Song Ming shook his head, and a broken bronze statue appeared in his hand.

"This is the City Lord's Source Core. The Source Core was shattered in exchange for the City Lord, who was at the Core Condensation Realm, returning alive from the secret realm..."

In an instant.

Some people who were unaware of the special characteristics of Core Condensation Realm experts looked completely bewildered.

Those who knew the key to this, and what the shattering of a condensed core meant for a powerful pioneer at the Core Condensation Realm, all had their pupils shrink instantly.

Upon seeing what Song Ming was holding, Sha Lie's eyes immediately flashed with excitement.

Jiang Xingdong's source core has actually shattered!

Doesn't that mean... even if this old thing awakens, his strength will drop from the Core Condensation Realm back to the Energy Gathering Realm?!

Sha Lie suppressed the excitement in his heart that would surely invite suspicion and attacks from those around him if he revealed even the slightest hint of it. He took a deep breath, and his eyes quickly revealed pain and sorrow.

"Waaaaah, Lord City Lord! What will we do without you? What will become of our Huangshan Base City?!"

......

Chaos!

The city of Huangshan is truly in chaos.

When Chu Hong and Song Jiao'er returned to the base city, they went to the city lord's mansion to report to the city lord what had happened in the secret realm that day.

I heard the news that the city lord Jiang Xingdong was seriously injured and unconscious.

Chu Hong's pupils contracted: "No, shouldn't all injuries be healed after leaving the secret realm? Could it be that a top-secret secret realm wouldn't work?"

He shook his head immediately as soon as he had that question.

That's not right. The memories he inherited from his predecessor, the things they talked about at school, didn't mention this point.

"Dad!" Song Jiao'er's voice pulled Chu Hong back from his shock.

Then I saw a tired face.

When we met at the Pioneers Guild this morning, Song Ming was wearing a brand-new azure blue magic armor and cloak, but his equipment was already tattered.

He walked out of the city lord's mansion.

Hearing his daughter's voice instantly softened Song Ming's tense and extremely tired nerves.

"Dad, what happened to you? What exactly happened in the secret realm? I heard that the City Lord is seriously injured and unconscious? Aren't injuries in the secret realm supposed to not affect the outside world? Are you hurt...?"

Listening to the little girl's worried and tearful questions.

Song Ming smiled slightly and patted his daughter Song Jiao'er's head.

The soft touch of that hair finally pulled Song Mingcai out of his daze, gradually freeing him from the tension and despair that had been teetering on the edge of death.

Footsteps came from behind.

Several people turned around.

Wang Suming's eyes widened: "It's Jiang Long! It's Jiang Long, the captain of the Crossing-the-River Dragon Squad! Wow! I saw him in person! I didn't even have time to look this morning at the guild..."

As he spoke, he was filled with excitement and admiration, wanting to rush up and ask for an autograph or a photo.

however.

Despite Wang Suming's admiring invitation, Jiang Long walked past him with a blank expression throughout.

His expression was numb, his figure desolate...

"Captain Jiang Long, I'm your fan, I..."

"Fatty! That's enough!" Chu Hong frowned, pulled Wang Suming, who looked puzzled, and looked at Song Ming beside him.

Then came a soft sigh.

"The entire Crossing-the-River Dragon Squad is gone except for him."

Upon hearing this, a look of shock flashed across everyone's eyes.

"This, how could this be... Didn't the Crossing Dragon Squad already suffer heavy losses once in the [Clifftop Plague Hospital]? I heard that among those who entered the secret realm this time, there were also their reserve members." Wang Suming gasped.

Even the reserve team perished in the secret realm.

Doesn't that mean...?

"The Crossing-the-River Dragon Squad is no more..."

......

Night Raven Society.

The five figures trembled like dogs with their tails between their legs, kneeling on the ground in fear.

Mo Ling sat expressionlessly on the deep purple throne.

Behind.

Two delicate, slender fingers teased him, stirring a few strands of hair on his head.

Nearby, several ravens were playing a violin fluently.

Amidst the magnificent yet alluringly elegant strains of Paganini's Capriccio No. 24, Mo Miao smiled, but her gaze remained fixed on the five figures before her.

Yet it contained no warmth whatsoever.

The white-haired butler bowed respectfully and waited at his side in a state of fear.

I didn't dare to breathe.

As the five waited with prayers and fear, Mo Ling finally spoke slowly.

The words he spoke caused a sudden heat to rise between their legs.

"Give your last bit of value to the Night Raven Society."

The Vulture Squad leader turned pale and looked up as if to beg for mercy.

however.

The white-haired butler was even faster than them.

Several white strips of cloth appeared out of thin air behind the group, instantly binding them into mummies in just a few seconds before they could even struggle.

The butler bowed and said, "Yes, Master..."

Mo Ling said calmly, "Find out who's blocking my party, and then... let the Dark Knights take care of them!"

"Yes, Master!"

On the dark, winding stone steps, the butler carried a lantern all the way, not knowing how long he walked or how many steps he descended.

They soon arrived at a huge underground dungeon, about seven or eight hundred square meters in size.

I heard his footsteps.

In the dark dungeon, a bloated, wolf-like monster immediately pulled on the chains binding it, making a clanging sound.

"roar!!!"

The stench and pungent odor clearly entered the butler's nostrils right in front of the gaping, blood-red mouth that was almost touching his face.

However, it did not move him in the slightest.

However, the five "mummies" floating in mid-air behind them were making whimpering sounds as they struggled and twisted in mid-air.

"Thank your master for the gift he has given you."

Five mummy figures were thrown into the cell as the butler opened the cell door. Immediately afterwards, a heart-wrenching scream and the rough sounds of chewing and tearing flesh filled the air.

The butler stood at the door, watching and waiting without moving.

After the entire Vulture Squad became the imprisoned monster's meal, a hand suddenly pressed on the switch on the wall beside them.

"roar--!"

The monster's angry and painful howls rang out.

Runes lit up on the wall, connecting to the chains binding the monster's body.

A thick, ominous aura was extracted and, following the runes, flowed like a trickle into a metal component embedded in the wall.

Bullet-shaped objects were ejected from it.

If Chu Hong were present, he would definitely recognize him at a glance.

These items were none other than [Forbidden Item No. 832 Bullet (Gold)].