CH 111

The reinforcement team consists of a total of sixteen people, including two instructors and one teacher.

The teacher is the old blind-eyed Mole, and the two instructors are the instructor An Ye, who assesses Rode's destructive power, and Bach, who once carried out a hunting mission with Rode in the sewer.

Rode is very impressed with his Moon Bow, but he wonders why he is not a member of the Knights? Why did he become an instructor?

Bach is a silent middle-aged man. When faced with Rode's question, he simply replied, "Instructors are all combat personnel."

Mina knows about Rode's amnesia and thinks that he has not fully recovered, so she explains, "Most teachers and instructors have military positions and participate in combat. They only come to class during their recovery period."

No wonder the courses at the academy are so relaxed... Rode suddenly realizes. It turns out that there are only a few professional teachers.

It's no wonder that the royal city is so eager to train new warriors to join the battlefield. The dean of the academy is still able to stick to the four-year teaching plan in this situation, which is really impressive.

The group quickly prepares and then sets off in a spirit car.

This is Rode's first time participating in a formal war mission.

The biggest difference from the missions in the royal city is that there is a new position in the reinforcement team: the Lantern Bearer.

This position is personally taken by Teacher Mole, and his lantern is different from the one Rode often hangs around his waist.

The lantern is larger in size, with an outer layer made of gray metal grille and a thick translucent glass inner layer. It has an elegant and simple design, without a handle, and only a large loop at the top.

But the biggest difference is that the inside of the lantern is not a ball of light, but a small flame.

This reminds Rode of the scene of destruction during the migration team—among the many corpses, there was an old man tightly holding such a lantern, and its light illuminated at least hundreds of yards of space.

The lanterns he encountered afterwards mostly had a range of only a few yards.

Rode asks Mina, who is sitting next to him, about this question.

Mina is surprised and says, "Rode, I really feel that your amnesia is particularly strange. It accurately lost a certain part of your memories, while another part remains intact. The knowledge you possess sometimes makes me think you are a scholar, but sometimes you are like an ignorant baby, like a traveler who came from an unknown world to here."

Congratulations on discovering the truth... Rode casually replies, "You don't understand. Humans are creatures with infinite possibilities. Whatever strange things happen to them can be understood. I have a disease called Azheimer's, and my memories appear or disappear with the rise and fall of the void."

"Why do I feel like you're making it up..."

"It's impossible."

Rode denies firmly.

"I never lie."

Mina looks at him suspiciously, but still explains, "This is the Guardian Fire. The lantern that carries it is a soul tool. A team of more than fifteen people can apply for it to accompany us when we perform missions outside the royal city and within the defense perimeter. It provides us with light and protection. Of course, under normal circumstances, the royal city will not easily provide the Guardian Fire. We are considered to be highly equipped."

As soon as she finishes speaking, Rode instantly understands.

The fragmented knowledge in his memory suddenly connects.

The Guardian Fire is the fire that protects humans. It can dispel the black mist and repel all creatures born from darkness. It is also the source of all light powers.

According to the current mainstream theory of light in the royal city, fire is considered light, and darkness, the opposite of light, is the black mist that shrouds the world.

Therefore, fire can dispel the black mist, and the black mist can extinguish fire. The fundamental law of the world is the law of light and darkness. All beings and powers in the world are either derived from light or darkness. Humans represent light, while the black mist and the monsters derived from it represent darkness.

The "residual light" and "residual fire" in the lanterns are all powers derived from the Guardian Fire, so they also possess the power of light, but much weaker than the Guardian Fire.

When humans leave the royal city, they leave the protection of the Holy Fire. In order to avoid being eroded by the black mist, they need to bring the Guardian Fire or its derivatives.

Not only that, even the restoration of spiritual energy must be done within the range influenced by fire.

If spiritual energy is restored through meditation in an area without fire, it will be corroded by darkness.

Therefore, actions outside the royal city are very dangerous.

The monsters inside the royal city are suppressed by the Holy Fire and are very weak, but outside the royal city, the power of the fire bearers is suppressed while the monsters are exceptionally strong. If they don't have the Guardian Fire, they can only rely on potions to restore their spiritual energy.

No wonder Mina said this is a highly equipped team.

Rode thinks to himself.

It seems that I need to focus on hunting monsters.

The spirit car stops near the city gate of the outer city area. It can only be used within the royal city and cannot leave the city.

Under the towering city wall, there is the city defense army guarding unit. Their main enemies are not monsters, but the doomsday cultists who want to infiltrate or escape from the royal city.

After inspecting all the documents of the reinforcement team, the guarding unit allows them to pass.

In the long corridor, they are the only team, and the thick blue city wall exudes a strong sense of oppression.

Karlamon couldn't help but ask, "Why is there no one? I remember there are usually many people at the city gate."

Egg scolds, "You're so stupid, did you forget what Dean Vila said? The Black Tide is coming."

Karlamon couldn't help but feel nervous, "Then aren't we in danger?"Instructor Dark Leaf said, "The danger is not great. The Sword Pass is in the center of the Dead Mountain Canyon, the last line of defense in the seventh zone. Ahead is the Dawn Fortress, and on the side is the Giant Fortress. It's far from the most dangerous area. Our mission is just a normal defense deployment."

As soon as his words fell, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Only Beowood seemed a bit disappointed, "Without challenges, there will be no growth."

Old blind Mole chuckled, "Young man, there's no shortage of challenges outside the royal city, don't worry."

Beowood bowed slightly, respectfully saying, "I understand, Teacher Mole."

When the city gate guards pushed open the massive steel gate, at least a person thick, Rode finally stepped out of the royal city after two months.

An unusual feeling hit him, desolation, bleakness, terror, no light, black fog rolling, as if countless monsters were lurking in the heavy darkness. As soon as they stepped in, it was like falling into an endless dark abyss.

Not until Mole walked out of the city gate, lifting a lamp, did the gentle light illuminate at least a hundred yards. The rolling black fog was blocked outside the light, as if separated by an invisible barrier.

A shadow on the ground let out a horrible howl, its body ignited into raging flames, and in an instant, it turned into a pile of ashes.

A chubby boy screamed in fright, and Mole scolded, "Dodo, shut up!"

The chubby boy named Dodo closed his mouth, but his body was still trembling.

Rode glanced at him, thinking, "How can there be such a timid person in the secret branch?"

Mole held the lamp, leading the team forward for a while, until they could no longer see the city gate and the high walls.

The firelight illuminated this small area alone, as if the world was reduced to this small bright spot. Everyone felt an inexplicable sense of panic, like children leaving their warm homes, about to face the infinite terror of the outside world.

Mole cracked a smile, revealing his uneven yellow teeth:

"Little ones, this is the real outside world. In most cases, you won't have such good visibility. Your light can only illuminate a few yards around you. The black fog is within your reach, and monsters can burst into your surroundings at any time, tearing your bodies apart with their claws, gnawing your flesh with their teeth. The black fog will devour your souls, turning your broken bodies into one of them."

Many students turned pale, and even some veterans tightened their clothes.

They knew that the old blind man was not scaring them. He was talking about things that had happened and were still happening.

Rode suddenly smelled a stench of urine. Looking down, he saw that the chubby boy had wet himself.

What the hell is this guy? If you're so timid, why did you come here? You could have refused.

Rode quietly stepped forward, pushing the chubby boy to the back, blocking his view.

Dodo's gratitude +21

Humanity +2

Not bad. Rode glanced at his humanity, which was still 312, not much. If it were to be eroded, it might only last a few seconds.

He needed to earn more. Humanity was not just a material, it could also prevent erosion, which was very important.

While thinking, Mole continued:

"Therefore, in battles outside the royal city, be very careful. Even the most insignificant threat can cost you your life. Be vigilant!"

He shouted, startling everyone.

Then, Instructor Dark Leaf began to assign duties.

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Unexpectedly, neither the instructor nor the teacher took on the role of team leader.

The team leader was the bear-like Beowood, and the deputy leader was the equally bear-like Raisin.

The two bear-like men stood at the front, inexplicably giving people a sense of security.

"All actions must follow the team leader's orders. No individual actions are allowed. This is a basic principle," Instructor Dark Leaf said seriously.

"And you two, you carry the fate of the entire team. Your decisions must be calm, careful, cautious, yet decisive and swift. Hesitation is a fatal flaw for a leader, and rashness is the main cause of a team's destruction."

Beowood and Raisin nodded together.

"During the mission, you can ask questions, discuss, plan, but once an order is given, there must be no hesitation. Team members can question, but they are not allowed to refuse to act, let alone sabotage or drag their feet. Understand?"

The students answered in unison, "Understood."

"Good. Now I will explain our operational guidelines. We are going to reinforce Sword Pass and repair the spirit generator. Therefore, researcher Mina is our core defense target. If she loses her ability to act, the mission will have failed by half."

Everyone's eyes focused on Mina.

Mina remained calm, showing no reaction.

Instructor Dark Leaf continued:

"The lamp bearer is the core of the team. If the lamp goes out, we are not far from death. He is our key defense target,"

"The scouts are the eyes of the team. If the eyes are blind, we will be very passive. So, Annabel, Rode, you are our key defense targets."

"Here I want to mention, Annabel's personal ability is very strong, she is the secondary scout, no need to worry. Rode is the primary scout with full spirit vision, he has no ability to defend himself, he is a fragile valuable. For such a teammate, we need to protect him very carefully, tenderly care for and love him, understand?"

In the neat chorus of "Understood", under the many gazes, under the various looks from Raisin, Karamon, Mina and others.

Rode's face was almost burning.

Am I that fragile?

Damn it, I'll show you how tough I am in a moment!

(=)