Chapter 771 Tracking

In the Federation Council Hall, the delegation members were once again seated around the conference table.

Unlike the previous two meetings, which only key representatives attended, every member of the delegation was present this time. The long conference table was completely filled.

The Director of Operations stood at the head of the table, his expression grave as he addressed the members. "Gentlemen, we’ve received news from the Merging Land. Our Camp One there was hit by a surprise attack. Mr. Wilhelm of the Lynx Federation has been confirmed killed."

"Wilhelm is dead?"

Looks of shock and disbelief spread across the faces of many delegation members.

However, some members had already heard whispers of the situation before their arrival. One of them asked with great seriousness, "Are we certain this information is accurate?"

"The message arrived half an hour ago. It was an encrypted telegram. The Lynx Federation delegation also received the same report, sent by one of their own people. We can therefore confirm that this information is genuine."

"Who did it?"

"The telegram was brief, so we haven’t been able to confirm the attacker’s identity. Based on the description of their attire, the assailant was wearing the uniform of an Investigation Chief from the Dashun Processing Bureau."

’An Investigation Chief from the Dashun Processing Bureau?’

The implication registered instantly with every delegation member present.

One of the representatives asked gravely, "Is it the same Investigation Chief who was sent to reinforce the Merging Land?"

"It’s possible."

Another representative immediately demanded, "Didn’t you say he was reinforcing Dashun’s own camp? Why would he show up at ours?"

The Director of Operations replied with a helpless air, "We can’t be certain it was him. But if it was, then our assessment was indeed mistaken."

"’Is that so?’ the representative pressed. ’I recall your strength assessment placed him firmly within the top four hundred worldwide. So how do you explain what happened today? It seems you’ve made more than one error. Perhaps it’s time we audited the funding for your intelligence and operations departments.’"

The Director of Operations immediately offered a sincere apology, bowing slightly. "Gentlemen, ladies, I am deeply sorry. This was our error."

He continued, "Those evaluations were conducted by professionals based on his past performance. If we assume the attacker was indeed him, then the data we used for our assessment must have been wildly inaccurate. It’s possible he deliberately concealed his true strength."

’Another Fighter in the top thirty?’

The delegation members exchanged glances. Regardless of the attacker’s identity, anyone capable of killing Wilhelm possessed undeniable power.

Someone else asked, "Was the attacker injured? Can they still fight? Is it possible for the camp to capture this individual?"

"I’m afraid not," the Director of Operations said apologetically. "The telegram was sparse on details. We’ve already messaged the next Airship en route to assess the situation, but capturing this person will be extremely difficult...

According to the report, the attacker killed Wilhelm almost instantly. We should probably..."

He looked at all the delegation members and issued a grave warning. "We should be more concerned with the camp’s security rather than capturing this individual. The camp’s main forces have already ventured into the unknown regions, leaving insufficient strength behind to stop such a powerful Fighter."

A chill went through many of the delegates in the room.

They were well aware of the camp’s importance; they wouldn’t have diverted supplies from their various subsidiaries to build it otherwise. If the camp were to fall, it would be nearly impossible to transport the Lost Object back safely, even if they managed to acquire it.

One of the delegates suggested, "Could we take legal action against the Processing Bureau? We went to reinforce the front, only to be attacked by one of their own. That’s a violation of the Grand Alliance’s treaty."

The Director of Operations glanced at the speaker, noting he was a representative who rarely attended these meetings. ’That explains the naive question,’ he thought. Still, he explained patiently, "That’s impossible. All we have is a single telegram, not even a photograph. The Processing Bureau can simply deny everything."

Even if we were to press charges with this information, the Dashun Government would simply refute it. They could argue that if someone wearing an Investigation Chief’s uniform is their agent, then couldn’t someone wearing one of our uniforms be used to frame us for infighting?

Furthermore, the Merging Land lies at the intersection of two worlds. It is a killing field, a lawless battlefield. Conflicts in its depths cannot be resolved by any legal system. The only rule there is the most primitive form of violence: the strong triumph, and the weak are culled.

A delegate seated near the front asked calmly, "What’s the reaction from the Lynx Federation’s diplomatic corps? One of their people died. Have they made any statements?"

The Director of Operations replied respectfully, "As of now, we’ve heard nothing from them."

"What’s your plan?"

The Director of Operations said, "This individual poses a grave threat to the Federation. However, with our communications limited, we can’t make any concrete plans until the next intelligence report comes in. I believe we must prepare for the possibility of heavy losses at the camp."

The delegate stated grimly, "This puts us back on equal footing with the Dashun Government. If that was the Dashun Defense Department’s objective, then they have now succeeded."

"But it’s useless," the Director of Operations interjected decisively. He raised his head and looked at the entire delegation with immense confidence. "Due to the breach in the World Ring, the Jibei Dao Government’s forces are stretched thin. The power that we and our partners have deployed to the front is far beyond what they can currently match."

"Even with the addition of one more Third Limit Fighter potentially ranked in the world’s top thirty, it changes nothing. Wilhelm may be gone, but we still have Heros."

At the words "we still have Heros," many of the delegates nodded in agreement. Heros, the "Giant God," was the best card they held. Not to mention the other operatives they had in play. The advantage they had built through their initial investments was not something Dashun could overcome with just one or two individuals.

「Deep within the unknown region.」

Xu Chan led his squad carefully through a clearing in a dense forest. They had been here for many days but still hadn’t found any trace of the Lost Object.

The brilliant glow that heralded the Lost Object’s arrival had long since faded, making it only possible to determine the general area where it had landed.

Furthermore, the Lost Object attracted not only humans but also the creatures of the Merging Land. It was highly likely that some beast had already devoured it, a fact that would be impossible to discern without getting close. This necessitated a patient and thorough search.

Finding such a small object in such a vast area was an immense challenge, especially since the depths of the Merging Land were an exceptionally dangerous place. It was a true test of their mettle.

In that time, his squad had already sustained losses. While the core members were still alive, their technical, logistical, and support staff had been reduced by thirty percent.

Even with him providing protection, he couldn’t keep everyone safe.

He recalled an incident just two days prior. A team member had spotted a flash of light less than a few dozen meters away, thinking it might be the Lost Object. The moment the scout ran over to investigate, a creature lurking there swallowed him whole.

Another man had been walking fine, following a path a teammate had just trod, when he inexplicably sank into the ground. A squadmate managed to grab and pull him free, but everything below his waist had been fused together by a powerful, corrosive digestive fluid, rendering it an unrecognizable mass. Worse, his body had been injected with parasitic eggs, turning him into a living incubator. They could only give him an inhibitor injection and carry him away on a stretcher.

The man was tough. Whether because he knew he was a burden to the team or simply because he couldn’t face his fate, he chose to end his own life that night. The person assigned to watch him either knew and let it happen or was simply negligent. No one spoke of it. They could only cremate his body on the spot and carry the ashes with them.

Incidents like these had happened several times. Ironically, the Federation and Lynx Federation operatives they had been so wary of had inflicted far fewer casualties.

Just then, a team member providing rearguard cover reported through his Realm Token, "Captain, they’re on us again."

The team possessed small Domain Creatures that allowed them to maintain constant communication.

Xu Chan had expected this. Ever since their encounter with Blood Diamond, they had been followed. They had managed to shake their pursuer a few times, but he always caught up again.

It was unavoidable. A group of their size was bound to leave traces in this unfamiliar land, traces that an experienced veteran could never miss. And with the Merging Land fraught with danger at every turn, they had to move cautiously, which slowed their pace considerably.

He immediately used his Realm Token to alert the entire squad. "Everyone, keep moving. Follow the pathfinders’ route and don’t look back. Captain Hai, you’re in command while I’m away."

Captain Hai, a big man with a bushy beard, immediately replied, "Captain Xu, I’ll take care of the team."

Xu Chan clapped him on the shoulder, then walked to the rear of the formation alone. After the rearguard scout had also departed, he waited a moment longer. A blurry figure appeared amidst the trees, forcefully tearing away the serrated vines that snaked toward it before stepping out in front of him.

The man was clad in a crimson protective suit, his hair tied in a topknot. His face and shoulders were exceptionally broad and thick, making his upper body seem abnormally powerful, though his legs looked somewhat slender in comparison. His eyes were an equally rare shade of red, likely the result of a mutation from some Mutated Organization.

"’Blood Diamond...’"

Xu Chan watched the newcomer. He had clashed with this man before. Back then, the man had taken a direct hit from his Heart Force and emerged completely unscathed.

’Even I couldn’t take a direct blow from someone’s Heart Force without injury,’ Xu Chan thought. ’This man’s Power and physique must be unique.’

’After our last battle, he must have realized he couldn’t defeat me, which is why he retreated and disappeared. Why has he come back now? Is he more confident this time?’

Just as this thought crossed his mind, his eyelid twitched. A series of explosive booms rang out, rapidly drawing nearer. In the next instant, two agile figures appeared on the other side of Blood Diamond.

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