Chapter 128: Successful Transmission

On the second night, while Liu Zong was guarding the teleportation array and discussing cooking techniques with Yuan Ying, the jewel spider appeared once again.

Liu Zong removed the note held in the spider’s claw while signaling Yuan Ying to summon the others. Xu Ying and Lena knew these few days were critical for the teleportation array; even when resting or training, they dared not stray too far. Upon Yuan Ying’s call, they responded immediately.

Soon, the group stood upon the array. Liu Zong took one last look at the flesh-and-blood mannequins piled on the platform, calculated the timing, and activated a gemstone on the array. This stone served as a signal; when it lit up, a corresponding stone on the receiving end would glow as well. This was Liu Zong’s way of indicating that his side was ready and inquiring about the status of the other end.

A moment later, the other gemstone lit up in response, signaling that they were ready. Liu Zong did not hesitate; he lit another stone, counted down three seconds, and began the full activation. This was their pre-arranged signal: after the third stone was lit, both sides would activate their arrays simultaneously. Only then would this reciprocal teleportation array truly engage.

As the array began to hum, Liu Zong felt the surrounding space solidify. Looking outward, he saw a blur of shifting scenery. Before he could make sense of his surroundings, the sensation vanished, and he realized he was no longer in the forest. They now stood on a hillside; looking down into the distance, they could see the hotel built far away.

Lu Shang stood by the array, watching them with a smile. Behind him stood a young man clad in a long robe. The garment’s style was peculiar—not the typical robe worn by mages, but something akin to what a hermit might wear, yet far more ornate, clearly denoting status and authority. In his hand, he held a bronze scepter; merely standing before him, one could sense an aura of command, as if he were directing the flow of the world.

Noticing Liu Zong looking his way, the young man introduced himself casually: "Player: KC-63170611-929, Level 1 Strategic Commander. You may call me Yang. I am the duty officer for the command system this week. Lu Shang has already informed me of your situation. Thank you for your contribution to the battle at Yangcheng City No. 3 Middle School.

"We have verified your request. Due to the tight schedule, we could only select from Level 1 players currently without assignments; it took two days to gather twenty people. It won't be like this next time. Furthermore, we can only see a small portion of the task system from Lu Shang’s side. Regarding the Resonance Amber, there may be some things I need to ask you."

Liu Zong nodded. Without a word, he opened his task system and displayed the detailed attributes of Adala Strengthening, Adala Enhancement, and Adala Resonance to Yang.

Yang examined them with great care, questioning every skill. He raised points Liu Zong had never even considered, approaching the issues from entirely different angles. Finally, Yang said, "If possible, after completing the task, please prioritize choosing Devouring Swarm, followed by Song of Life and Corpse Explosion. After that, choose Bloodthirsty Swarm, Siphon, and Counter-掠夺 (Counter-Plunder)."

Liu Zong thought carefully before asking, "Do you mean that if there is no way to ensure the preservation of all Resonance Ambers, I should save them in this order?"

Yang nodded firmly. "Exactly. That is my thought, though I believe anyone else who sees these attributes would agree. It is the most beneficial plan for the overall battle situation. I truly hope you can preserve all the Resonance Ambers."

Liu Zong nodded in understanding. Yang seemed pleased, clapping Liu Zong on the shoulder. "Good. I’m glad you agree; it makes my trip here worthwhile. Now, what are your plans? Will you head back to that forest to spend the final two months, or will you return to perform battlefield missions directly? I must tell you, battlefield missions are currently in high demand, and we need manpower. If you are willing to take them on, the rewards will be doubled."

Liu Zong replied immediately, "The recent tasks have exhausted us. We intend to head to the real world to rest for a few days before returning to assess the situation. If possible, I certainly want to complete the 'Amber Light' task first, so we don't drag it out and invite further complications."

"Fair enough. That is my thinking as well; we must stabilize the entire task first. Your task is still somewhat urgent. If you chose to have a team of Level 1 players join you, the completion rate might be higher," Yang suggested.

"That’s not necessarily true," Liu Zong countered. "My current strength is only Level 0. If I bring too many Level 1 players, I might not be able to complete anything at all right now."

Yang laughed aloud, saying no more. However, Liu Zong could see the skepticism and a hint of disappointment in his eyes. Liu Zong was no fool; he understood immediately that the stakes of the 'Amber Light' task were too high, even tempting these commanders. Had they not known the task could not be traded, they might have already moved to seize it from him.

While Liu Zong could not be moved, others could. If he wished, the spots held by Xu Ying and the others could be replaced at any time—that was the opportunity these people were eyeing. But Liu Zong knew that players drawn only by profit would never listen to him. If he replaced Xu Ying and the others, he would never finish the tasks for the coming years; the chaos within the squad alone would be enough to give him a headache.

Therefore, Liu Zong chose to play dumb, ignoring the subtext in Yang's words.

Seeing that Liu Zong did not address his suggestion, Yang’s mood soured. He said, "Fine. I have recruited the people for you, but you must explain this task to the principal yourself. Otherwise, if the school's battle situation becomes even more dire, these people might be recalled, and your task will be interrupted."

Liu Zong nodded. He knew this was not something Yang could decide entirely on his own. Even if Yang gathered enough people for this task, he would still need to answer to the school afterward. As the initiator of the task, Liu Zong naturally had to explain to the principal why, at such a critical juncture, he required the reassignment of twenty Level 1 players to complete a task that might not be useful for years to come.