Chapter 195

Chapter 195

A massive shockwave surged towards the aircraft in the blaze of fire, causing it to spin several times despite being at a distance. Even with safety harnesses, the crew felt their stomachs churn.

Along with the fire, over thirty team members emerged, their airbags deployed. A few unlucky ones failed to dodge the super-accelerated rock fragments.

The sparking rocks collided with the thin airbag shells, tearing through the first layer and grazing the second. The remaining layer barely protected them as they prepared for an emergency landing.

Fortunately, the stable aircraft amidst the storm accurately extended its mechanical arm, catching the punctured airbags and placing them safely.

"How's the situation over there?" The team leader pressed a button on her shoulder. Her liquid combat suit spread across her body, transforming into a sleek full-body armor in moments.

She then took out a backpack-like device, strapped it on, and activated it. Metal pieces connected automatically, forming a close-fitting armor within five seconds.

"The energy levels of both Night Owls have dropped by 3%. As for the corrosive solution spray, we need to wait for the dust to settle to determine its effectiveness. According to the computer's projections, at least 30% of their bodies will be exposed to the solution."

"What about the new recruit?" The team leader asked, still vividly remembering how he had jumped into the bird's mouth.

"He's still inside the Night Owl's beak... but seems to have come out."

Ji Xinghai seized the moment when the Night Owl opened its mouth and leaped out, stashing the metal plate into his backpack. Since acquiring a storage bracelet, he hadn't carried a backpack, but kept one handy for today's use.

This metal plate was similar to the one from the previous Earth Rat Secret Realm, except for the different inscriptions.

Given its origin and inability to fit into the storage bracelet, it seemed likely to be an important artifact that could aid in uncovering the mysteries of this world.

"Hmm, even darker now, and the feathers are curled." When he jumped into the Night Owl's mouth, he was fully equipped with a protective mask and goggles. The toxic smoke and airborne gases posed no threat to him.

As for the two Night Owls, having their eggs stolen and their nests blown up, their glossy black feathers turned coal gray and curled. Their fury was palpable.

"You're next."

The Gambler's skill locked onto the female Night Owl, which was still searching for the culprit. In the next second, she shrank dramatically and appeared before a gambling table.

"Choose your game type: cards, dice, or other. You have ten seconds to decide."

Female Night Owl: ...?

Outside.

"Team leader, the female Night Owl is really locked down!"

"I can see that." The team leader had two mini thrusters at her feet, allowing her to hover in mid-air. She and her subordinates were facing another enraged Night Owl.

Initially, they worried about collateral damage to Ji Xinghai, who remained stationary. However, all attacks passed through him. With this realization, they focused their firepower.

The feathers touched by the corrosive solution darkened further, so they targeted those areas specifically, causing the Night Owl's energy levels to plummet.

"Ignoring defense feels amazing! Too bad this solution only works on avian monsters; otherwise, we could sprinkle some before battles... exhilarating!" The same bullets inflicted several times more damage than usual, fueling their excitement.

"Don't get too cocky; enraged monsters go berserk, which is very dangerous," the team leader warned.

"Don't worry, team leader; we want to get back..."

"Pah, stop jinxing it. Aim for the Night Owl's neck; the feathers there are already bald."

Without further words, they concentrated their fire, causing the Night Owl in the nest to cry out in pain. It flapped its wings forcefully and flew out through a narrow crevice.

"Tsk."

Wind blades rained down like a storm, forcing the team members to scatter to avoid being caught by the enraged Night Owl. They knew that the earlier easy hits were no longer possible.

Night Owls are creatures of the sky, and once free, their combat power soared. Focused attacks were no longer feasible. Fortunately, the damaged feathers remained vulnerable, making the fight manageable.

Seven or eight people tackled the Night Owl, four from the Gun & Rose team and three solo operators. Despite their small numbers, they worked efficiently, taking down the male Night Owl in just fifteen minutes.

Meanwhile, Ji Xinghai's battle continued. He seemed to burp, puzzling the nearby armed team members. Before they could react, he tossed something at the female Night Owl's eye and leaped out of the nest, free-falling.

Bong!

The team leader instinctively extended her mechanical arm to shield herself from the shockwave. After it subsided, she lowered her arm, unsurprised to find the female Night Owl's eye gone.

With the initial explosion and control skill, Ji Xinghai had taken nearly a third of the A-level monster's health.

But what everyone envied most was the Night Owl egg, a top-tier combat pet with imprinting, fetching around 100,000 credits officially, if not more.

These thoughts flashed through their minds, but the team leader quickly refocused on the severely weakened female Night Owl.

They had spent too much time here and needed to finish the Night Owl within twenty minutes.

"I'll draw its attention; you aim for the damaged eye."

"Yes, team leader."

In the real world.

"Good!" Seeing Ji Xinghai land safely after deploying his airbag, everyone at the JiuZhou Command Unit breathed a sigh of relief. The scene had been too intense, almost making them hold their breath.

This was the accelerated version; if it were in real-time, their hearts would have raced for over half an hour.

The kid was great, except for his love for cliff-jumping and risking his life.

"This mission will bring in significant rewards." They had already calculated Ji Xinghai's expected contribution points. Just these two monsters alone would net tens of thousands, plus the commission from the mercenary group and the Night Owl egg.

Thinking of other trainees struggling to accumulate points, while Ji Xinghai earned tens of thousands, filled them with pride and concern.

It's all about risking our lives for money!

In the crowd, only Wei Lan was thinking about the energy from the night owl that Ji Xinghai had consumed. That bite must have been substantial, causing the system to urgently issue three red cards, kicking Ji Xinghai out of the gambler skill space.

This kid used to love eating cola chicken wings, but he eats night owl wings mainly for the energy.

Seeing Ji Xinghai seize every opportunity to absorb energy and strengthen himself, she felt a sense of comfort.

Strength is the ultimate reliance. Once he comes out of there, honored and powerful, others will respect him and dare not scheme against him. Moreover, her little star naturally prefers a peaceful life. He’s a child who loves food and play, not involving himself in others' affairs, making him perfectly safe.

But the current reality is at a critical juncture of change, and the situation is inevitably volatile. Wei Lan hoped these fluctuations wouldn’t affect her child.

When the team leader and others finished off the female night owl, Ji Xinghai had just finished cleaning the saliva and dirt from the night owl’s mouth—pouring a basin of water over it and wiping it clean.

"These are the spoils of war; see if you need anything."

Ji Xinghai looked at the row of spoils, numbering more than thirty pieces. He had obtained 3.2% blood from the male night owl and 32.8% from the female night owl, allowing him to choose two of the best items first.

"This one, and this one, plus I want 20 free attribute points." He selected two items.

Ji Xinghai chose the four-star skill Wind Rush and a four-star battle pet crystal. Wind Rush was a skill for acceleration.

The team leader thought about it and realized that Ji Xinghai played an irreplaceable role in this battle. After some consideration, he gave him a piece of four-star equipment that he had eyed several times.

"You held back the female night owl, allowing us to defeat them so quickly. And you alone took down a third of their health. These two items are too few."

"This ring will be useful to you."

The four-star ring, Radiant Sunlight, added +10 strength, +10 agility, and +8 intelligence. It also came with the skill "Daily Update," which could reduce the cooldown time of a skill by 8 hours, usable once a day.

Ji Xinghai put it on his left index finger, and the ring automatically adjusted to fit him. The golden band, set with a round feldspar stone and two small diamonds, served as a fine piece of jewelry.

In return, he took out one gemstone of each variety from the nest: "These are what I found in the nest. They were laid near the night owl eggs."

"Energy stones!" The members of the Expert Group rushed over, examining the minerals while educating Ji Xinghai. "Monsters naturally know what benefits them. Since they chose to place these minerals in their nests, it means these stones have significant effects on the night owl eggs or themselves."

Listening to the Expert Group and others discussing, Ji Xinghai learned about the existence of "energy stones." They weren't just a single type of stone but a general term for minerals with special energies.

Generally, it’s hard to distinguish energy stones by appearance. The night owls choosing these shiny gem-like stones might simply be due to their bird preferences.

"Crows, for example, love shiny things."

"This is a temperature-regulating stone. It keeps the temperature around twenty degrees, warm in winter and cool in summer. Low-purity temperature-regulating stones are expensive building materials, while high-purity ones are used to make combat suits and even mecha parts, as many materials require stable temperatures. High-purity temperature-regulating stones are hard to find."

The Expert Group quickly identified the origin and function of one of the minerals: "These are high-purity stones. The night owls lay them in their nests to accelerate the development of their chicks."

Hearing that they could be used for mechas, Ji Xinghai perked up. Good, he would take more next time. Thinking about the numerous high-purity temperature-regulating stones in the nest, he felt he had taken a small step closer to his mecha dream.

The Expert Group then identified other minerals, all top-grade, highly sought after by many crafting masters.

"It’s no wonder they’re boss-level selections." A team member muttered.

"Night owls, though powerful monsters, aren’t good at mining. So these minerals were either stolen or found in open-air mines. Either way, it indicates that resource sites are nearby."

The team leader boosted morale: "Finding the resource site and establishing a small base will complete our mission. This time, we’ll receive S-level mission bonuses."

Upon hearing this, the tired team members instantly revived, and even the observing Expert Group and lone wolves began to ponder.

No wonder the Guns and Roses team became an A-level team in just a decade. Their leader is fair and generous, making the team members work hard.

After boosting morale, the team leader approached Ji Xinghai, who had repeatedly given her ‘surprises’: "Are you short on money, Ah Hai?"

Given his risk-taking attitude and his blatant pursuit of contribution points, it was clear he needed money. Concerned, the team leader wanted to understand his situation and see if she could help.

"Short on money," Ji Xinghai nodded, "very short."

"Is there any trouble at home?" The team leader thought of the occasional difficulties team members faced—perhaps a family member needing expensive medical treatment or debts from indulging in vices. Given Ji Xinghai’s age and state, the problem likely wasn’t with him but his family.

If it’s family issues, that’s easier to handle!

"Ahem," the team leader glanced upward, slightly embarrassed, "you’re with Ah Mao’s team, right? Ah Mao is a good person, but their team only goes on missions occasionally and rarely takes high-risk ones for safety. Unlike our team, which splits into two groups, taking turns on missions. If you need money, you can join both groups."

"Our team, well, the main criticism is that we go on too many missions. Though it’s lucrative, with high welfare and overtime pay, and it helps people grow quickly, it’s tiring..."

Ji Xinghai understood and tilted his head slightly: "Do you want to poach me?"

"...Well, if you put it that way, yes, I do. Ah Mao would let you come if it’s beneficial for you."

Before the team leader could finish, Ji Xinghai asked happily: "Can I work part-time for both teams?"

"Huh?"