Chapter 1029: No more delays, going in
The Giant Beast Forest Forward Operating Base, central command tent...
In the tent, Pelosi, Bing Ling, and Bishi are present with their lieutenants. There are also high-level officials sent here by the major factions. The officials stood to the sides while the captains: Pelosi, Bing Ling, and Bishi stood together. They looked at the corpses on the ground with different expressions.
The mood inside the tent became very heavy.
Pelosi, Bing Ling, and Bishi exchanged looks. They can see the grim looks on their faces, especially Bing Ling, he looked especially dark, it's obvious he's not dealing with this in a healthy manner.
In terms of status, power, and experience, Pelosi won by leagues. Bing Ling and Bishi have the same position as Pelosi but they are young and inexperienced. Compared to Pelosi, they are younger than him by one generation. The two young captains turned towards Pelosi for his input.
Pelosi heard the silent crowd and he organized his thoughts for a short while. He looked at the squad captain who looked emotionally destroyed.
"Are you certain a wisp of black light turned your squad into monsters?"
"Yes, I am sure..."
The squad leader looked at the bodies on the ground with a pitiful look.
"After killing the monsters, that black light turned my subordinates into monsters. The transformed victims had enhanced power, I reckon they had tier 8 power."
"We fought hard but the power-up is too great and he killed three of my squad members."
The squad leader started recounting the events with a pale look.
To prevent further casualties, we put the transformed victim down. Even so, we lost five great men, the only other survivor other than me lost his arm. I, on the other hand, got away without a scratch..."
The other soldiers started looking at the squad leader with pitiful eyes.
His comrade turned into a monster and killed his squad members. To protect the other survivors, he steeled himself up to kill his comrade only to be the only one cursed with no harm at the end of the ordeal...
This is tragic and the soldiers here doubt they would retain their sanity after surviving something so gruesome.
Pelosi sighed and he placed a hand on the guy's shoulder. He consoled him before asking another question.
"What became of the black light?"
"It flew away after the victim expired."
"It flew away?"
Bing Ling and Bishi frowned.
"Do you know the direction it flew towards?!"
The squad leader bitterly smiled while shaking his head.
"I only know it flew to the deep regions of the forest..."
The tent fell silent once more.
Pelosi stared at the bodies on the ground. He focused on the victim of the black light transmogrification. Pelosi looked at Bing Ling.
"Bing Ling, you know the monsters and the black light the best, what do you think?"
Bing Ling looked grave for a second and he loosened up after bitterly laughing.
Does he know the monsters and the black light the best?
Perhaps...
Bing Ling's uncle Marcus and his brother Bing Mian fell prey to the black light's negative effect.
"I only know a little about them. Those black lights can enter a host and turn the host into a monster. It also has the effect of raising the host's cultivation tier. I don't know much other than those effects..."
Bing Ling sighed while narrowing his eyes.
"However, I am sure Wu Yan can shed more light on this than any of us!"
When he called out Wu Yan's name, the air turned still.
Anyone who has lived long enough in the base would have heard of Wu Yan and his achievements. All of the soldiers either feared or admired him, maybe both...
He's infamously hard to control.
He's super powerful and he acts on his whim. He also has ridiculously powerful and terrifying girls with all sorts of esoteric abilities.
Who wouldn't be afraid of stepping on his toes?
Nobody's bold enough to say they can do that.
Including Pelosi, Bing Ling, and Bishi.
Bing Ling looked at everyone.
"Uncle Marcus turned into a monster because he wanted revenge. That is the only reason he would seek more power despite the downside. Bing Mian turned into a monster because Wu Yan chased the black light all the way to the Cyto clan's main compound. He is also the one who extinguished the wisp of black light.
Wu Yan didn't turn into a monster despite the black light seeping into his body. He forced the black light out of his body and he crushed it in front of Bing Ling who watched with slack jaws. Bing Ling recalled the scene with a tense look.
"He is the one who has the most experience dealing with the black lights. I believe he knows more than us on this aspect."
Bing Ling's word did garner the agreement of the soldiers present. They nodded after thinking about it.
At this moment...
"You're wrong. I know as much about the black lights as you guys..."
A figure appeared from within a void portal.
Wu Yan showed himself!
"Wu Yan!"
The other soldiers gasped and the tent became noisy with murmurs. Pelosi, Bing Ling, and Bishi also jumped back in surprise.
"Why are you here?!"
Wu Yan chuckled. Then, he saw the bodies on the ground.
" 'A squad suffered massive casualties, the leader desperately ran back to the base with the bodies of his subordinates.' It's kind of hard to ignore something on this level. The top brass also gathered so anyone with a brain can tell the squad leader brought back critical information. I came here because I smelled something fishy..."
Wu Yan looked at the three captains.
"I didn't expect my curiosity to be so rewarding..."
Bing Ling, Pelosi, and Bishi exchanged a look. They bitterly laughed at the same time.
Maybe Wu Yan's a cursed star that's bringing misfortune down upon their base. Every time this guy shows himself, something bad happened or is about to happen.
The three captains sighed and they asked him for his opinion.
"What do you have to say?"
"What can I say? I already say I know only as much as you guys."
Wu Yan crossed his arms while staring at the three captains.
"What you guys can do would be to spread the information to the other bases and teams hunting in the Giant Beast Forest. Tell them to stay on guard and stay clear of the black lights. Possession should be avoided at all cost, you guys should also increase the manpower in each team to increase overall safety and vigilance..."
Pelosi, Bing Ling, and Bishi turned taciturn. They nodded.
"About the black light..."
Wu Yan nonchalantly interrupted the captain with a cold gleam in his eyes.
"I will worry about the black lights."
The others flinched.
"Naturally, if you guys stumble on anything noteworthy, please let me know..."
Wu Yan walked out of the tent without looking back. The air turned heavy once more when he left.
Wu Yan saw Hinagiku, Mikoto, Shokuhou Misaki, Kotori, urumi, and the others waiting for him outside the tent. Judging by their looks, they heard Wu Yan talking in the tent.
"What are you planning on doing?"
Kotori asked without mincing her words.
Wu Yan looked at the Giant Beast Forest some distance away from the base and he clenched his fists.
"It's worse than we imagined. The black lights must be wandering everywhere in the forest. We have to investigate the Giant Beast Forest!"
"For the sisters!"
The girls nodded with a stern and steely looks.