CH 12

Qin Tan and Lou Fan looked at each other, they had a bad feeling about this. This time, the task should be diving underwater to look for the sunken ship. The level of danger is much higher than that of Luoyang Ancient Village.

Chen Shuyang is still talking about the mysterious events he knew that happened in the waters of Lao Ye Temple: how many ships have disappeared, what lake monsters are there, or the current vortex and underground magnetic field. As he said it, he wrote down everything he could think of. When Chen Shuyang first saw this place (in real life), he only felt that the place is strange and interesting. But now, when he thought of the fact that he is about to go there to deal with monsters and ghosts, his calves trembled.

"Why aren’t there any temples in Lazuli Town? I want to pray and ask for a safety amulet!" Chen Shuyang murmured, trying to calm himself down. "Dear gods in the sky, please bless us a lot. I will definitely worship you every day and offer sacrifices to you. Don’t worry, next time I will bring your statues back for daily prayers!"

Lou Fan got a headache from Chen Shuyang’s muttering, and interrupted him, "Alright, alright, I’m getting dizzy by your mutterings. Let's see what we need to prepare. Also, should we go and meet our random teammates?"

The trading hall in South Square will announce the team information and also release the task 3 days before the departure date. For those who got randomly assigned to a team, those people can go there (trading hall) to meet up if they wanted to. After swiping their watch with each other, one can only view the location information of their team members according to their watch's level of authority. One can't see information regarding other teams, not even other teams in the same mission world. But if the random team members did not come to meet up, they could not contact the other party one-sidedly.

Qin Tan agreed with Lou Fan’s suggestion, "Let’s go and see. It's best if we could reach a consensus (to work together)."

However, their luck is obviously bad. The other 2 random team members with the same task did not come to meet at all, and the three returned without any result. Lou Fan is a little irritable. He doesn't understand why people in the same team cannot work together on the same task. Wouldn't the chances of survival be higher? What are those people thinking?

Qin Tan doesn't care too much for the random teammates and said, "We have done our best and are fully prepared. Even if there are only three of us left, I believe there will be a way to complete the task." At most, their task gets a little more difficult to complete with just them.

After surviving 2 missions worlds, Qin Tan's thinking has changed significantly. Now that he has 2 teammates, Lou Fan and Chen Shuyang, he is more willing to focus his energy on his team. On the other hand, they really have to find a way to recruit 2 more team members to their team. Otherwise, there will be random team members assigned to their team every time, which is very passive and is not conducive to the formulation and completion of the mission plan.

After a discussion, Chen Shuyang began to draw a map of the Lao Ye Temple and its surrounding. Lou Fan checked if there is anything useful in the exchange machine. Qin Tan walked into the kitchen and no one knows what he is doing.

"Okay." Chen Shuyang stretched out and drew a very detailed map on a large white paper, marking the key locations and buildings. This is what Chen Shuyang saw countless times during his previous research trip. Fortunately, he still has some drawing skills and can draw complete maps.

Lou Fan walked over from the exchange machine and looked at Chen Shuyang. Then he gave him a big praise, "Not bad, Shuyang, your drawing is great. It’s amazing that you could remember it so clearly, your memory is superb."

Feeling embarrassed to be praised by Lou Fan, Chen Shuyang touched his head, "Brother Lou, you also know that I'm a nerd."

Qin Tan came out of the kitchen carrying a tray of food and stunned Lou Fan and Chen Shuyang.

"Oh my God, Brother Qin! What did you cook for us? It smells good!"

"Qin Tan, why didn’t you cook previously?! I was about to vomit from eating dry food every day."

For the 3 people who haven't eaten hot staple food for a long time, this meal of stir-fried potato shreds and steamed sweet potatoes is very fragrant. As they are eating, Lou Fan suddenly slapped his forehead. He ran to the exchange machine and started to tap on various buttons. A minute later, several ingredients appeared on the tray of the exchange machine.

Qin Tan: "..." Why doesn't he know that the exchange machine can also exchange food (ingredients)? Indeed, technically speaking, there’s nothing wrong with the exchange. Ingredients are also a type of food.

Lou Fan: "I saw these on the last page that day. But since no one is cooking, I didn't mention it. But it’s decided now, I assign you as the chef."

After a good meal, Qin Tan as the main force tried to work out a basic plan. But right now, they don’t know anything about their task, and they don't know the specifics. They can only try to be familiar with the terrain and area distribution, as well as the points where most incidents are highlighted.

On the morning of November 1, after Lou Fan got up as usual and finished his basic training, he saw Chen Shuyang rushing over from afar like a gust of wind, yelling at him with a look of excitement.

"Brother Lou, Brother Lou!!! Brother Qin, Brother Qin!!!" Chen Shuyang couldn't restrain his excitement, "I figured out! I figured out!!!"

Lou Fan felt speechless and asked, "Can you finish the whole sentence? What did you figure out?"

Qin Tan poked his head out from the balcony upstairs and leaned on the railing. Then he heard Chen Shuyang say, "I finally know how to use my book!"

Hearing that, Lou Fan pff-ed and sprayed out the water he was drinking. Qin Tan is also taken aback and immediately disappeared from the balcony. The next moment, Lou Fan went to the living room and saw Qin Tan bringing Chen Shuyang in.

Chen Shuyang has never given up on studying his spirit weapon book. Every day, even if he is tired from training, he will try various methods. The book cannot be torn, but yesterday he had a whim and grabbed at the picture of the radish flower with his hand. Unexpectedly, he managed to take the radish flower out but the flower disappeared after a while. He put one in again, close the book, and waited for a while. When he opened the book again, that flower has turned into a picture. He took it out again and timed the disappearance. Chen Shuyang found that the flower will disappear after 10 minutes. So, his finding is things can be inserted into the pages of his book. Then it can be taken for use and the limit is it will disappear after 10 minutes, a one-time usage item.

Lou Fan felt happy for Chen Shuyang. He finally knew the function of his spirit weapon and added a life-saving option for himself. Thinking about it, Lou Fan thinks Chen Shuyang’s book is a bit like cheating, even if the items are for one-time use and last only 10 minutes.

After the excitement, the team packed up their things. They ate a hearty breakfast, put on their backpacks, and set off to go to the station platform. They arrived at the platform 10 minutes earlier. As usual, the trains leave every 5 minutes, just like the countless trains waiting for them, not knowing where they are coming from or where they are going to be sent. Seeing those people getting in the trains looking despaired, Chen Shuyang suddenly became a little nervous. He looked from left to right and saw a man in a red sweater running in a hurry. He should be coming for the next train.

"Hey, Brother Lou, is that Lang Wen?"

Lou Fan turned to where Chen Shuyang pointed and looked over. He saw someone in a red sweater running towards them. Seeming to recognize them, the person suddenly stopped moving about 10 meters away; froze in place.

Lou Fan chuckled softly, "Hehe, so it’s true that enemies will meet each other somehow?"

Wen Lang stopped running, the expression on his face froze. Frick, is he so unlucky that he actually met those 3 again? It’s not a car-flipping (lies being exposed) situation, right?! And most importantly… He looked at those people incredulously, and asked with a voice that seemed to be squeezed out of his mouth, "You guys won't be getting on the 11.00 am train... right?"

Lou Fan crossed his hands and stared at the person. His eyes filled with narrow smiles, "What a coincidence, you are also getting on the 11.00 am train huh, Lang Wen."

Wen Lang: "..."

Damn, this is not a car-flipping situation, it is simply a car accident straight away! It’s too frickin bad luck!

‘Woo…’

The familiar train whistle sounded, and the train appeared punctually from the thick fog and stopped in front of them. Qin Tan got into the car first and Lou Fan followed closely, Chen Shuyang glanced around before getting in. Wen Lang rubbed his hair, cursed inwardly, and stepped onto the train compartment. A short-haired woman who was leaning on the pillar not far away straightened up. She lifted the backpack by her feet indifferently and got into the train. At 11.00 am, the train started to leave.

Lou Fan looked around in the train and saw Wen Lang shrinking in his seat, looking out the window. The woman with shoulder-length hair came up last has a cold expression and she has closed her eyes to rest. The atmosphere in the car is kind of awkward and quiet. Chen Shuyang is so absorbed with his book that he didn't pay attention to the atmosphere in the car. He lifted his glasses and wrote and drew in his small notebook. Lou Fan shrugged and followed Qin Tan to close his eyes to rest.

Soon, the whistle sounded again to remind them 5 that they are about to arrive. Lou Fan glanced at the time, the journey is about 15 minutes; so fast. Everyone is prepared and slung their bags on their backs. When the train stops, they still get off the train in the same order as before. They are in the compartment on the left, while the middle compartment carries the newcomers, as usual. The other team is in the right compartment. After they got out of the train, the other team came down one by one on the right and saw Qin Tan’s team. The 6 people team looked at their team contemptuously, as if they are looking at something that is going to die soon. Lou Fan felt uncomfortable from their gaze. Then, he heard Wen Lang behind him mutter something softly - ‘such bad luck’.

"Who are you and why are we here?! Who are you guys seriously? Hurry and let us go!"

The newcomers are still a terrified bunch and they came out of the carriage yelling. The 6 people team over there is obviously not interested in taking care of the newcomers, and they walked out of the platform one after another. Lou Fan sighed and could only take up the matter himself.

"The standby time is only 5 minutes. Take your flyers, yes, it's the black one. Then follow us out of the station first. If not, after 5 minutes, it's death for you."

There is only so much that can be said. After Lou Fan finished his words, his team of 5 also stepped out of the station. Looking at those newcomers with disbelief in their eyes, Chen Shuyang couldn't bear it, as if he had seen himself from that time. "Come out quickly, or you will really die. Come out first and talk later."

Chen Shuyang looked like an honest child with his neat appearance and glasses. The newcomer inside the station did not hesitate anymore and immediately rushed out with their flyer. Unfortunately, there is still someone who has torn their own flyer. The 5 people didn't look back anymore. They turned their heads and heard the newcomers scream and cry with extreme horror around them. Then, they lifted their feet and left. This time, there are only 5 newcomers. 2 did not come out, and only 3 are left. The other team stopped not far away. It should be they determined that there is no danger around, and are planning what to do.

Qin Tan also led everyone to stop. It seems desolate around them. There are half-human-tall weeds everywhere, and one can't see anything from afar. Qin Tan said calmly, "Stay where you are, and eat something to replenish your energy first." After that, Qin Tan took out a small telescope from his bag. He choose a direction and walked across the weeds alone.

Lou Fan is a little worried. He reminded the rest a bit before following Qin Tan with his bag on his back. After walking several tens of meters, passing through a cluster of bushes taller than a person, a calm lake appeared in front of them. Lou Fan didn't speak, he just looked into the distance and saw nothing. Qin Tan looked around with the telescope before putting it away.

"Let's go back." Qin Tan stretched out his hand to support Lou Fan's arm. Their backpacks are not light so with this support, Lou Fan suddenly felt his footing is much easier.

They returned to the gathering place and heard a beautiful-looking woman in the other team over there speak out. That woman is actually wearing a pair of high heels.

"Hey, what is your team’s level? And what is your mission?" Her words sounded a little unclear as she is chewing gum in her mouth, but everyone present could hear her undisguised contemptuous tone.