Chapter 175: Extensive Preparations Before Departure

After exchanging information about the participants in the upcoming mission, Aron and Irving agreed to meet at the Angel Guild headquarters the following afternoon.

"Before we set off, we must make extensive preparations. The Abyss of Death is an extremely dangerous place. If we are underprepared, we could end up perishing there," Aron said over the phone, his tone far from relaxed.

Even though Aron seemed pleased to have Irving accompany him, Irving could still sense the underlying anxiety in his voice.

"I understand. We'll be at the Angel Guild headquarters by 3:00 PM tomorrow—Benjamin, Wendy, and myself," Irving confirmed.

"Alright, then. We'll stick to that schedule," Aron agreed.

After finalizing the time, Irving hung up the phone.

"The plan is set, so everyone should take care of their respective tasks. Benjamin, you come with me. Although we won't meet the Angel Guild members until tomorrow at their headquarters, we need to make our own preparations beforehand. I won't rely on others to ensure everything is ready."

Hearing Irving's words, Benjamin turned his gaze towards Vicky.

Vicky nodded and said, "You should go with Irving. I'll delegate the security department's responsibilities to others. Once you complete this mission, you can come back and handle the security matters." Sёarch* The ηovelFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Benjamin nodded as well and then walked over to Irving's side.

Irving took one last look at Vicky and James. "You don't need to worry about us. We're strong, and we certainly won't meet our demise while exploring the Abyss of Death."

With those words, Irving led Benjamin and Wendy out. Vicky and James watched them leave.

"I hope Irving's mission goes smoothly and they return quickly. I have a feeling the Night Blades won't be satisfied with their previous defeat," Vicky said, her tone tinged with concern.

Although there had been some conflicts between Vicky and James before, they were still allies at heart.

James, however, wasn't as worried as Vicky. "I think you're overthinking it. Yes, the Night Blades won't be content with their failure, but they've lost a significant amount of their strength in the last operation. Unless they can gather more forces from elsewhere, they won't pose any threat to the City of Warding or Starling City for at least the next one or two months."

After finishing his remarks, James took his leave. "Miss Vicky, I have a lot of matters to attend to at my company, so I must go now."

With that, James turned and left.

Vicky watched James's departing figure, her expression growing increasingly grim.

"I really can't tell if you're a friend or foe. During our last operation, you indeed provided us with some assistance. But after the Night Blades were defeated, you chose to compete with the Ocean Group for business. Maybe that's just how the business world works. Sometimes we cooperate, but when competition arises, there's no mercy just because of past collaborations."

With a sigh, Vicky turned back to the documents on her desk. Although Vicky was very intelligent, she had only recently begun managing the affairs of the Ocean Group and wasn't yet fully accustomed to the fierce competition between major companies.

However, Vicky didn't need to worry too much, as the competition between big companies would soon become irrelevant. When the world of the Shelter Game faced the apocalyptic threat of the Dark Overlord's arrival, the real world would also be nearing its doomsday threats.

At Irving's home, he assigned Benjamin a room.

"You'll be staying in this room for the next few days. Though I doubt you'll get much use out of it, as we'll be heading to the Angel Guild headquarters tomorrow afternoon. Aron and Anna will surely arrange some accommodations for us. If they make us sleep on the floor, we won't be teaming up with them," Irving said with a chuckle.

Irving suddenly cracked a joke, but neither Wendy nor Benjamin seemed amused. Wendy was busy organizing her belongings.

Though Wendy had decided not to be hostile towards Irving anymore, she had previously hidden a few guns and knives in her luggage.

"Maybe the stuff I hid will come in handy. I can use my own guns instead of the equipment you guys provide for the upcoming mission," Wendy said with a smile, revealing her weapons to Irving and Benjamin.

Irving glanced at Wendy somewhat awkwardly. Benjamin then chimed in to explain, "You might have forgotten the rules of the Shelter Game. Weapons from the real world can't be brought into the Shelter Game. While weapons from the Shelter Game can be brought into the real world, they come with certain limitations. So, you'd better use the weapons Irving provides."

Hearing Benjamin's words, Wendy looked a bit disappointed. She tossed her weapons back into the room.

"It's no big deal. Besides, you're not the main force in the upcoming mission. You just need to take care of the tasks I assign to you," Benjamin reassured her.

Irving had already meticulously laid out his plan. He called Benjamin over to brief him on the details ahead of time.

"Although we're teaming up with the Angel Guild for this operation, we need our own separate plan. My plan is to oversee the overall operation. In case of danger, I'll step in to handle any sudden threats. However, under normal circumstances, I won't be providing much assistance because both of you are capable of ensuring your own safety."

From Irving's perspective, Benjamin was a highly experienced Shelter Game player. Therefore, Benjamin should be able to avoid most risks on his own. Wendy, although new to the Shelter Game, was a professional assassin. A professional assassin should possess an instinct for avoiding danger, even within the game.

Both Benjamin and Wendy nodded in agreement.

"During the operation, Benjamin, you'll be in charge of vigilance and scouting the surrounding area. Wendy, your task is to observe the members of the Angel Guild. If any of them act suspiciously, you must inform Benjamin and me immediately."

Although Irving had previously collaborated with the Angel Guild, he didn't entirely trust them. Irving was particularly wary of Aron.

In a previous mission, Aron had attempted to abandon Irving and his friends.

"It seems you don't have much trust in the Angel Guild," Wendy remarked quietly after hearing her assigned task.

Irving nodded. "You're right. There's not much trust between us and the Angel Guild."

"Why is that? Is it just because the Angel Guild is an official organization?" Benjamin immediately followed up with a question.

"That's part of it. As an official organization, the Angel Guild can't act solely based on their own plans. Aron and Anna are only temporarily in charge of the Angel Guild. They could be replaced at any time. If the leadership changes, I don't think we can continue to cooperate with the Angel Guild."

Irving's reasoning made a lot of sense. Both Benjamin and Wendy nodded in agreement.

"Now that we've discussed everyone's specific responsibilities, the next thing I need to cover are the key points to pay attention to during the mission."

Irving then pulled out two folders from his backpack and handed them to Benjamin and Wendy.

"In these folders, I've detailed numerous key points you need to memorize. You must learn all of them by heart by 3:00 PM tomorrow," Irving instructed. "While there are many points, I believe you won't find them overwhelming, as these are things you should already be familiar with."

Benjamin flipped through the folder he received. As Irving had mentioned, most of the points were things Benjamin already knew.

"No problem. I can have all of these memorized by tonight," Benjamin stated calmly.

Upon hearing Benjamin's confidence, Wendy quickly interjected, "We should stick to Irving's instructions. He said we need to have them memorized by 3:00 PM tomorrow."

As a professional assassin, Wendy understood some of the key points in high-risk operations. However, she hadn't undergone the specialized training that someone like Benjamin, a professional security expert, had received. Just because Benjamin could memorize everything quickly didn't mean she could do the same.

Irving nodded and didn't say much more.

"In addition to the key points, I've selected three weapons for each of you. If you think these weapons are suitable, take them along. If not, we can discuss carrying other weapons," Irving said, laying out six weapons in front of them.

Benjamin immediately picked up the three weapons in front of him. "I find these three weapons quite suitable. I'll get familiar with them as soon as possible," he said calmly.

Wendy, however, looked at the three weapons before her with a slightly displeased expression. The weapons were all close-combat and not particularly powerful.

"I'm a professional assassin. Are you seriously expecting me to fight in the Abyss of Death with close-combat weapons? Do you have any guns or bows?" Wendy asked.

Irving slowly shook his head. "I do have those weapons, but I believe they are not suitable for you in this mission. You only need to bring the three weapons I've selected for you."

With that, Irving returned to his room.

Left with no other option, Wendy began to familiarize herself with the three weapons in front of her.