Chapter 583
Chapter 583 - 563 Professional
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7 min read
Lu Ping’an already wanted to go back, as he found that the events happening in this area were far different from the "adventures" he had imagined.
In his impression, adventure stories were about warriors and knights in the front, masters and healers in the back, everyone happily forming a group for adventure, and feasting on meat and wine after successful battles.
But during these few days, the adventure stories he witnessed at the frontline were...
"... ’Fengjiu Battle Team’ took three days to clear the 1st-layer E57 area and still hasn’t completed it. This has directly contributed to the difficulties in attacking areas 58/59. I propose canceling their task and assigning it to more suitable personnel. At the same time, hold the responsible persons accountable."
"Two Decree-level Magic Monsters have appeared in the third-layer A17 area. Two battle teams have already been sent back. Reinforcements are needed. It would be best if the Commander-in-chief could handle it within three days."
"We have two special combat power professionals ready to clear the fourth layer and relieve some pressure for our colleagues. Are there any expected hitchhikers? It’s not expensive, just ten United Coins."
In the small town called Wufu, Lu Ping’an saw another side of the Secret Keeper and experienced a more realistic adventure life.
There were no "grassroots" expeditions here. Each sortie and adventure targeted specific objectives.
How many people were sent out, the effectiveness of their actions, and whether they could achieve sufficient returns had all been calculated from the beginning.
This seemingly ordinary rear base was actually of great strategic importance...
"The seventh-layer has encountered the Gray Axe Tribe. Among them are several troublesome casters. Should we organize a hunt based on the frontline feedback?"
"Recently, the production of ’E-level and higher Petrified Crystals’ has fallen by more than 30%, causing the prices of Petrification Potions and De-petrification Potions to rise by more than 30%. The military has ordered us to carry out a large-scale hunt to suppress the prices."
There are mainly two types of enemies in this area.
The first is the locally produced "mass-produced Magic Monsters." Newborns do not have high intelligence, but they are abundant in quantity. Most of them are created by local pollution and need some time to accumulate higher intelligence.
In the early stages, their presence made this battlefield something like a mine, and the petrification materials Lu Ping’an saw earlier came from these creatures.
But if left unchecked, they quickly evolve into the second type...
"Do we need to clean up the tribe? Do we need the support of the military?"
"No need, it’s just a small tribe of sixty or seventy members. They’ve tamed some Newborn Magic Monsters, but their strength is just average. There’s a lot of pressure on the frontline, and we don’t need to trouble them."
Just like the volcanic belt Lu Ping’an and his team had cleared earlier, when left unattended, Newborn lifeforms will naturally become more active and intelligent over time.
Villages, tribes, towns, and cities with rapid growth could pose a severe threat, especially when a few intelligent members of their species provide guidance to others, enabling them to adapt quickly to modern society.
In a completely otherworldly world, these creatures can no longer be regarded as mere Magic Monsters once mature. The space they need to survive exceeds what is available, leading to natural conflicts and wars, often with their species and deities behind them, making them very difficult to deal with.
Taking care of them at their earliest stage, however, efficiently cuts them off... That’s the present stage of Pit No.6 where Lu Ping’an currently resides.
Of course, when an area develops further, with armies clashing and multiple nations scheming diplomatically, it is entirely normal ... The military and diplomatic departments should take care of these situations.
Under normal circumstances, human beings would not let the situation develop to that point. However, sometimes the situation is complicated, and many issues cannot be easily resolved by human power... Often, the straightforward opponents are not from the "human realm," the Outer Gods behind the Foreign Domain inhabitants are the most troublesome.
It is clear to even more obtuse professionals that this is not a heroic adventure depicted in legends, but rather a more direct and brutal competition for survival.
"Tell our superiors that we will organize a new hunting team to hunt for more petrified materials. The military also needs them, right? Tell them to hold off on dealing with those bigger troubles so that they don’t interfere with us too much."
Lu Ping’an gradually became familiar with the local environment and came into contact with the working style and principles of the local professionals.
Although these various "holes" are usually not directly connected, it does not mean that there is no relationship between them.
In a sense, they are all in an "Exotic Realm" and, at low cost, can cause a lot of trouble for weaker areas.
There may be "low-pressure areas" here, but there are no safe zones. Everyone must take responsibility for their life.
There might be rewards to be had, but if you rely only on your bravery, you probably won’t live long.
"Do you need a third-tier Gardener for a mature hunting team?"
Lu Ping’an didn’t continue venturing blindly. What he needed was not just the result of the hunt, but also the experience and methods of local survival.
From dealing with hunted creatures to surviving the vast and dangerous underground palace, experience and technique are essential.
This was why Lu Ping’an was attracting a lot of attention. Compared to other fully armed professionals who were constantly vigilant, he was like a child on an excursion, either a clueless newcomer or a dangerous trap.
It’s not that there are no strongmen here, but the strongmen should not be recklessly messing around with a "ignorance is bliss" attitude.
Everyone is a professional warrior with their own families and debts to pay. If you take risks like this, do you not value your life, or do you not value the lives of others?
"A third-tier Gardener? Combat-oriented? Can you provide logistical support and additional spoils of war? Let’s be clear, if you can’t provide a standard combat power, we’ll need 20% extra spoils."
As part of the Logistics Department, a Gardener’s combat power needs to be discounted when joining a team... This is putting it nicely, as most professional Gardeners are basically blank slates and burdens on the battlefield.
Still, many teams are willing to take them along because having a Gardener on the team sometimes offers onsite magic potions, support, and extra spoils of war.
There are many Magic Plants in the underground palaces, Exotic Realms, and forests. Ordinary professionals can only handle a few, while Gardeners can bring back Magic Plant-related spoils of wars as experts in the field.
Although the standard "escort-level dividend" is only "20%", finding a rare Magic Plant or the core material for a rare magic potion could earn a year’s worth of returns in one trip.
"Uh, if I can provide three standard combat power, all additional spoils of war should be mine, right?"
"Hehe, three standard combat power? If you can do it, there’s no problem with being a Captain."
— End of Chapter 583 —