Chapter One Hundred and Eighteen: Rescue Operation

Fang Tang was still asleep when someone suddenly pulled him out of bed. Groggily opening his eyes, he saw Xu Lin standing there.

“There’s a mission. Get dressed and get ready to go,” Xu Lin said, tossing clothes toward Fang Tang before turning to leave.

Fang Tang was a bit dazed but put on the clothes. At that moment, Yueyue opened her eyes and, half asleep, gave Fang Tang a curious look.

“Stay asleep, alright?” Fang Tang patted Yueyue’s little head and got up, leaving the hotel.

Outside the hotel, the team members had already gathered. Liu Yiran stood calmly with his hands tucked into his sleeves, smiling as he watched everyone.

Seeing Fang Tang come out, Liu Yiran pointed at the hovering train and said, “Get on.”

“Did something happen?” Fang Tang asked suspiciously.

Xu Lin leaned close to Fang Tang’s ear and whispered, “We’re going to rescue someone.”

“Huh?” Fang Tang looked surprised. “The people kidnapped by the Underworld Store?”

Xu Lin nodded and said no more.

Fang Tang pondered this quietly. It seemed Zhao Xiaoxiao had succeeded.

The train was filled with many people, more than half of them from the garrison forces. The rest, as Xu Lin explained, came from the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th squads of the Ninth Battalion.

A quick glance gave Fang Tang a rough understanding of his comrades’ strength.

Apart from a very few who had reached the fifth tier, most were at the fourth tier, with the remaining at the third tier likely being newcomers.

As Fang Tang sized them up, they were also studying him and his two companions.

Especially the few fifth-tier members, who lingered their gaze on Fang Tang longer than the others.

“They’re all squad leaders, on par with the captain,” Xu Lin explained.

Fang Tang suddenly understood but also grew curious.

Liu Yiran’s strength was sixth-tier, seventh stage—powerful and capable—but he was only a squad leader?

Oh! The battalion commander was seventh-tier.

That explained it.

This time, the train’s traversal was different from what Fang Tang had imagined. The train passed through walls and traveled for a long time through a dense black mist before arriving above a section of the Underworld.

Beneath the train were iron cages, each holding women shackled with time-stopping manacles on their hands and feet.

The sudden arrival of the train alarmed everyone below. Almost instantly, red warning lights flared, sirens blared, and heavy weaponry emerged from the walls and ceiling, aiming their barrels at the train.

A blue energy shield appeared around the train.

A furious barrage of fire rained down, engulfing the train in flames in an instant.

Yet, inside the train, everyone remained calm, some even chatting and laughing, exuding a relaxed air.

Liu Yiran patted Leng Shan on the shoulder, smiling, “Aren’t you going to make a move? Although this energy shield is sixth-tier tech, it consumes a lot of power. If we don’t act soon, we won’t be able to return.”

Leng Shan closed his eyes and shook his head calmly. “Wait a little longer. The Underworld Store is powerful. They won’t rely on just these means. There must be higher-level tech weapons.”

“Fine, it’s up to you then!”

Liu Yiran shrugged indifferently, hands tucked back into his sleeves, squinting as he watched the endless sparks outside.

Suddenly, Leng Shan opened his eyes and said gravely, “Advanced tech has appeared—seventh-tier technology: gravitational magnetic field. The Underworld Store’s guardians have also shown up. There are a few, all fifth-tier, ninth stage. Can you handle them?”

Liu Yiran estimated the speed of Jiying and waved his hand with a smile. “Don’t worry. The others may not know, but Fang Tang definitely can.”

“Hmm? These eight guardians are wearing seventh-tier armor. Fang Tang can handle that?” Leng Shan was surprised.

“...” Liu Yiran raised an eyebrow. “He should be able to. If Fang Tang alone can’t, there are other squad leaders.”

“Alright then. The garrison forces will handle the rescue. The explorers will handle the fight.”

Leng Shan nodded and pressed his hands together sharply. Instantly, the train’s protective firepower lost control entirely, even the seventh-tier gravitational magnetic field went into paralysis.

“Garrison forces, rescue!”

“Explorers, engage!”

Leng Shan and Liu Yiran shouted in unison.

Almost instantly, the train doors opened and everyone rushed out.

The train hovered over six meters above the ground—a height no evolved being would find challenging.

Among the crowd, a shadow stood out most. Upon landing, it turned into an orange-red silhouette and darted toward several guardians in the distance with uncanny speed.

Fang Tang immediately identified the strongest among the eight guardians.

Although the guardians were all at the same evolutionary level, their sequence talents differed.

The guardian facing Fang Tang possessed three connected sequence talents: Sequence 203 Jiying, Sequence 204 Bloodthirsty, Sequence 205 Double Damage.

This was Fang Tang’s first time encountering such a combination, but considering the guardian was from the Underworld Store, it made sense.

This opponent felt quite formidable.

In the game, Bloodthirsty functioned like lifesteal, where any damage inflicted restored the attacker’s health. Double Damage meant a 100% critical hit rate.

Combined, the more opponents there were, the harder it was to kill him.

Additionally, he wore seventh-tier armor boosting his power.

Though only one tier above lava armor, its performance was tenfold better and it had an added mimicry ability.

Thus, even with all of Fang Tang’s firepower unleashed, the fight with the guardian was a stalemate.

If not for the confidence provided by the “Decapitation” sequence, he wouldn’t have dared face such a foe.

Only by dominating weaker enemies did he find satisfaction—when strength was evenly matched, it was purely a test of endurance.

In the Underworld, the black shadow and the orange-red figure clashed repeatedly, neither gaining the upper hand, both protecting their teammates from attacks.

Xu Lin, Ta Meng, and others were also attacking a guardian in groups of three or four.

Guardians were bred by the Underworld Store, their sequence talents naturally strong. When both evolutionary level and sequence talents lagged behind, only encirclement could secure victory.

Liu Yiran and Leng Shan stood in the train’s cockpit, watching the battle below.

Leng Shan cast a faint sneer at Liu Yiran. “Your prized Fang Tang is being held back by a troublesome opponent.”

Liu Yiran’s smile remained calm. “I trust my team won’t disappoint me.”

Liu Yiran knew Fang Tang well. His specialty was speed, and when speed was neutralized or suppressed, only the Daxia Dragon Sparrow could deliver effective damage.

Fortunately, Fang Tang had a useful sequence—“Sixth Time’s the Charm.”

This greatly increased the trigger rate of Decapitation.

“You seem to have great faith in this team member,” Leng Shan remarked with some surprise, looking at Liu Yiran.

Liu Yiran smiled faintly. “His strength earns my trust. No matter the situation, this new recruit can hold up a whole sky.”

“This is the first time I’ve heard you praise someone so highly.”

Leng Shan shook his head but suddenly furrowed his brow, speaking in a low voice, “Trouble is coming.”

“Leave the trouble to me. I’m happy to handle it.”

Liu Yiran smiled lightly and glanced toward the car that had just emerged from the wall, inside which sat an octopus.