Chapter 27: Rift Patrol
The rest period ended quickly.
The war zone command center issued a mission briefing: the frequency of scaled beast activity around the Black Mountain rift had been steadily increasing. The third-tier scaled beast that had escaped with injuries during the last battle was still roaming the area, constantly driving low-level scaled beasts out to hunt for prey. The frontline monitoring posts needed additional personnel to carry out a seven-day perimeter patrol of the rift.
The remnants of the previous trench defense, excluding the severely wounded veterans who could not return to duty, were all assigned to the patrol squad. Instructor Zhou's Sea of Consciousness injury had not fully healed, but he still served as the squad leader. After resting, Su Qing had recovered most of her condition, and the stability of her Sea of Consciousness was significantly better than before the battle. Lin Yan was also on the roster.
The assembly point was set at the military armory at the south gate of the bastion.
Everyone received their supplies in turn: compressed rations, emergency medical kits, spare Sea of Consciousness stabilizer patches, and serviced energy rifles. Lin Yan additionally checked the standard-issue short blade at his waist, his fingertips brushing over the cold metal. During the last trench battle, this blade had helped him distract the scaled beasts. Holding it now, his state of mind was completely different from when he had first arrived in this world.
"The core of this mission is not to actively clear out the beast swarms," Instructor Zhou stood at the front of the formation, his expression serious as he calmly outlined the key points of the mission. "Our objective is to deploy monitoring beacons and collect data on scaled beast activity around the rift. If we encounter a third-tier scaled beast, everyone must retreat immediately; prolonged engagement is strictly forbidden. When encountering low-level scaled beasts, prioritize evasion. Only engage in combat if you are discovered and cannot escape. Remember: preserve yourselves and prioritize transmitting the monitoring data."
A new recruit asked in a low voice, "What if we get surrounded by low-level scaled beasts?"
"Form a four-man formation, cover each other, and retreat in an orderly manner." Instructor Zhou's gaze swept over the entire squad. "Don't try to fight alone. Low-level scaled beasts rely on coordinated numbers and stacked psychic stings, which are enough to quickly shatter an individual's Sea of Consciousness."
The squad consisted of twelve people, divided into three four-man teams. Lin Yan and Su Qing were paired with two experienced veterans to form one team.
Two military off-road vehicles drove out of the thick bastion city gates, once again entering the gray, hazy wilderness. The scorched trees and cracked earth—the familiar desolate landscape—came back into view. The air still carried the faint, cold, and foul stench unique to the subterranean scaled beasts.
The vehicles stopped at a high ground three kilometers from the old trench. The location offered an open field of vision, allowing them to see the massive underground rift in the distance. It was also the first beacon deployment point.
"Two teams deploy the beacons; the remaining team provides perimeter security. Maintain low-amplitude Sea of Consciousness perception across the entire area. Do not fully open it, to prevent being locked onto by high-level scaled beasts," Instructor Zhou ordered quickly.
Lin Yan's team was responsible for outer perimeter security. The two veterans spread out to the left and right, their eyes fixed on the shadowy areas among the rocks. Lin Yan maintained his Sea of Consciousness in a semi-contracted state, keeping his perception range within a few dozen meters around him. This balanced early warning without excessively draining his mental power. Su Qing stood beside him, steadily holding her energy rifle, her breathing calm and even.
"Scaled beasts in this area are accustomed to hiding in the crevices of the rocks," the veteran beside him whispered to Lin Yan. "After the last major battle, many low-level scaled beasts survived. Injured, they've become even more ferocious and excel at ambushes. They will lie in wait quietly, and when the target gets close, they'll release psychic stings during their sudden assault to disrupt a person's mind."
Lin Yan nodded slightly, his gaze slowly sweeping over the undulating rock piles.
He recalled the bloody battle in the Black Mountain trench, silently comparing the beasts' movement patterns in his memory. After the recent retraining and polishing, it was much easier for him to detect faint psychic fluctuations within his Sea of Consciousness. Even if the enemy deliberately concealed themselves, he could still catch a trace of anomaly in advance.
Soon, the first monitoring beacon was buried underground. The beacon's casing was camouflaged to match the color of the dirt and gravel. Once a scaled beast approached, it would instantly transmit a warning signal to the rear of the war zone.
The squad continued to push forward, moving toward the second point. They advanced cautiously, and the traces of the previous battle were everywhere along the way: shattered armor, dried, blackened bloodstains, and massive boulders blasted apart by energy cannons. There were also several low-level scaled beast corpses that had begun to rot, emitting a nauseating stench.
"Careful, there are fluctuations ahead." The veteran in the lead suddenly raised his hand, signaling the entire squad to stop.
Everyone halted instantly, synchronously contracting their Seas of Consciousness, and aimed their guns at a dense cluster of rocks ahead.
Faint, chaotic psychic fluctuations came from behind the rock crevices. There were three of them.
"Low-level scaled beasts. It looks like they're guarding a nest," the veteran assessed in a low voice. "We'll bypass them; no active engagements. The mission comes first; there's no need to waste ammunition and Sea of Consciousness power here."
The squad slowly changed direction, planning to detour through a depression on the side.
But the moment the group began to move, three roars suddenly erupted from the rock pile! Having caught the scent of living humans, the three low-level scaled beasts abandoned their ambush and burst out from the crevices simultaneously, pouncing toward the squad in a triangular encirclement.
"Form up!" the veteran barked.
The four quickly formed an encirclement formation. The two veterans in the front raised their guns to draw the scaled beasts' attention, continuously firing to disrupt them; Su Qing, positioned at the side and rear, steadily aimed at the soft flesh around the beasts' eyes, looking for an opening to shoot; Lin Yan maneuvered along the flank of the formation, maintaining his mobility, keeping a close watch on the beasts' pouncing routes, and immediately firing to suppress any beast that attempted to circle behind them.
The three scaled beasts launched psychic stings simultaneously, and the dense psychic impacts pressed down on the four people's Seas of Consciousness all at once.
Lin Yan skillfully contracted the core of his Sea of Consciousness. His skull only felt a slight, dull numbness, far less agonizing than when he had first faced them in the trench last time. He calmly observed the coordinated tactics of the three scaled beasts: their division of labor was clear. One took the frontal firepower head-on, while the other two waited for an opportunity to flank, exactly like the tactics used during the trench ambush last time.
"Don't engage in prolonged combat! Repel them and retreat!" the front-line veteran shouted a reminder, his short blade seizing the opportunity to slice open the flesh of one scaled beast's front limb.
Stung by the pain, the scaled beast's offensive stalled. Seizing this brief gap, the squad retreated in an orderly manner, firing as they fell back, continuously suppressing with firepower to keep the scaled beasts at bay. After being chased for over a hundred meters, the three scaled beasts, wary of the damage from the energy rifles, stopped at the edge of the rocks, letting out resentful roars but not continuing the pursuit.
Having left the danger zone, the group stopped for a brief rest.
"Not bad. Your coordination was very steady just now." The veteran looked at Lin Yan. "You were responsible for the flank suppression, and your prediction of the scaled beast's flanking timing was spot on. The stability of your Sea of Consciousness is vastly superior to your combat performance in the trench last time."
Lin Yan shook his head slightly. "I'm just familiar with their attack rhythm now."
He could clearly feel the changes within himself. If this had been before the Black Mountain trench battle, simultaneously enduring the stacked psychic stings of three low-level scaled beasts would have most likely caused his Sea of Consciousness barrier to tremble violently, throwing his mind into chaos. Now, he could endure the psychic harassment while maintaining calm judgment, continuously maneuvering and looking for shooting positions.
His Sea of Consciousness still remained at the second-tier peak, with no signs of a breakthrough in the core. However, the toughness of his Sea of Consciousness barrier, its speed of expansion and contraction, and its anti-interference capabilities were all steadily improving through controlled, practical combat experience. His foundation was being solidified bit by bit.
After a brief rest, the squad continued toward the next beacon deployment point.
In the distance, the massive underground rift stretched across the earth, its dark opening continuously emitting a cold, sinister aura. Occasionally, a deep, heavy beast roar echoed from the depths of the rift. That voice belonged to the wounded third-tier scaled beast that had escaped.
It was still in this area.
A string was pulled taut in everyone's hearts. The patrol mission was still ongoing, and the hidden dangers beneath this desolate Black Mountain land had not yet dissipated.
End of Chapter
The war zone command center issued a mission briefing: the frequency of scaled beast activity around the Black Mountain rift had been steadily increasing. The third-tier scaled beast that had escaped with injuries during the last battle was still roaming the area, constantly driving low-level scaled beasts out to hunt for prey. The frontline monitoring posts needed additional personnel to carry out a seven-day perimeter patrol of the rift.
The remnants of the previous trench defense, excluding the severely wounded veterans who could not return to duty, were all assigned to the patrol squad. Instructor Zhou's Sea of Consciousness injury had not fully healed, but he still served as the squad leader. After resting, Su Qing had recovered most of her condition, and the stability of her Sea of Consciousness was significantly better than before the battle. Lin Yan was also on the roster.
The assembly point was set at the military armory at the south gate of the bastion.
Everyone received their supplies in turn: compressed rations, emergency medical kits, spare Sea of Consciousness stabilizer patches, and serviced energy rifles. Lin Yan additionally checked the standard-issue short blade at his waist, his fingertips brushing over the cold metal. During the last trench battle, this blade had helped him distract the scaled beasts. Holding it now, his state of mind was completely different from when he had first arrived in this world.
"The core of this mission is not to actively clear out the beast swarms," Instructor Zhou stood at the front of the formation, his expression serious as he calmly outlined the key points of the mission. "Our objective is to deploy monitoring beacons and collect data on scaled beast activity around the rift. If we encounter a third-tier scaled beast, everyone must retreat immediately; prolonged engagement is strictly forbidden. When encountering low-level scaled beasts, prioritize evasion. Only engage in combat if you are discovered and cannot escape. Remember: preserve yourselves and prioritize transmitting the monitoring data."
A new recruit asked in a low voice, "What if we get surrounded by low-level scaled beasts?"
"Form a four-man formation, cover each other, and retreat in an orderly manner." Instructor Zhou's gaze swept over the entire squad. "Don't try to fight alone. Low-level scaled beasts rely on coordinated numbers and stacked psychic stings, which are enough to quickly shatter an individual's Sea of Consciousness."
The squad consisted of twelve people, divided into three four-man teams. Lin Yan and Su Qing were paired with two experienced veterans to form one team.
Two military off-road vehicles drove out of the thick bastion city gates, once again entering the gray, hazy wilderness. The scorched trees and cracked earth—the familiar desolate landscape—came back into view. The air still carried the faint, cold, and foul stench unique to the subterranean scaled beasts.
The vehicles stopped at a high ground three kilometers from the old trench. The location offered an open field of vision, allowing them to see the massive underground rift in the distance. It was also the first beacon deployment point.
"Two teams deploy the beacons; the remaining team provides perimeter security. Maintain low-amplitude Sea of Consciousness perception across the entire area. Do not fully open it, to prevent being locked onto by high-level scaled beasts," Instructor Zhou ordered quickly.
Lin Yan's team was responsible for outer perimeter security. The two veterans spread out to the left and right, their eyes fixed on the shadowy areas among the rocks. Lin Yan maintained his Sea of Consciousness in a semi-contracted state, keeping his perception range within a few dozen meters around him. This balanced early warning without excessively draining his mental power. Su Qing stood beside him, steadily holding her energy rifle, her breathing calm and even.
"Scaled beasts in this area are accustomed to hiding in the crevices of the rocks," the veteran beside him whispered to Lin Yan. "After the last major battle, many low-level scaled beasts survived. Injured, they've become even more ferocious and excel at ambushes. They will lie in wait quietly, and when the target gets close, they'll release psychic stings during their sudden assault to disrupt a person's mind."
Lin Yan nodded slightly, his gaze slowly sweeping over the undulating rock piles.
He recalled the bloody battle in the Black Mountain trench, silently comparing the beasts' movement patterns in his memory. After the recent retraining and polishing, it was much easier for him to detect faint psychic fluctuations within his Sea of Consciousness. Even if the enemy deliberately concealed themselves, he could still catch a trace of anomaly in advance.
Soon, the first monitoring beacon was buried underground. The beacon's casing was camouflaged to match the color of the dirt and gravel. Once a scaled beast approached, it would instantly transmit a warning signal to the rear of the war zone.
The squad continued to push forward, moving toward the second point. They advanced cautiously, and the traces of the previous battle were everywhere along the way: shattered armor, dried, blackened bloodstains, and massive boulders blasted apart by energy cannons. There were also several low-level scaled beast corpses that had begun to rot, emitting a nauseating stench.
"Careful, there are fluctuations ahead." The veteran in the lead suddenly raised his hand, signaling the entire squad to stop.
Everyone halted instantly, synchronously contracting their Seas of Consciousness, and aimed their guns at a dense cluster of rocks ahead.
Faint, chaotic psychic fluctuations came from behind the rock crevices. There were three of them.
"Low-level scaled beasts. It looks like they're guarding a nest," the veteran assessed in a low voice. "We'll bypass them; no active engagements. The mission comes first; there's no need to waste ammunition and Sea of Consciousness power here."
The squad slowly changed direction, planning to detour through a depression on the side.
But the moment the group began to move, three roars suddenly erupted from the rock pile! Having caught the scent of living humans, the three low-level scaled beasts abandoned their ambush and burst out from the crevices simultaneously, pouncing toward the squad in a triangular encirclement.
"Form up!" the veteran barked.
The four quickly formed an encirclement formation. The two veterans in the front raised their guns to draw the scaled beasts' attention, continuously firing to disrupt them; Su Qing, positioned at the side and rear, steadily aimed at the soft flesh around the beasts' eyes, looking for an opening to shoot; Lin Yan maneuvered along the flank of the formation, maintaining his mobility, keeping a close watch on the beasts' pouncing routes, and immediately firing to suppress any beast that attempted to circle behind them.
The three scaled beasts launched psychic stings simultaneously, and the dense psychic impacts pressed down on the four people's Seas of Consciousness all at once.
Lin Yan skillfully contracted the core of his Sea of Consciousness. His skull only felt a slight, dull numbness, far less agonizing than when he had first faced them in the trench last time. He calmly observed the coordinated tactics of the three scaled beasts: their division of labor was clear. One took the frontal firepower head-on, while the other two waited for an opportunity to flank, exactly like the tactics used during the trench ambush last time.
"Don't engage in prolonged combat! Repel them and retreat!" the front-line veteran shouted a reminder, his short blade seizing the opportunity to slice open the flesh of one scaled beast's front limb.
Stung by the pain, the scaled beast's offensive stalled. Seizing this brief gap, the squad retreated in an orderly manner, firing as they fell back, continuously suppressing with firepower to keep the scaled beasts at bay. After being chased for over a hundred meters, the three scaled beasts, wary of the damage from the energy rifles, stopped at the edge of the rocks, letting out resentful roars but not continuing the pursuit.
Having left the danger zone, the group stopped for a brief rest.
"Not bad. Your coordination was very steady just now." The veteran looked at Lin Yan. "You were responsible for the flank suppression, and your prediction of the scaled beast's flanking timing was spot on. The stability of your Sea of Consciousness is vastly superior to your combat performance in the trench last time."
Lin Yan shook his head slightly. "I'm just familiar with their attack rhythm now."
He could clearly feel the changes within himself. If this had been before the Black Mountain trench battle, simultaneously enduring the stacked psychic stings of three low-level scaled beasts would have most likely caused his Sea of Consciousness barrier to tremble violently, throwing his mind into chaos. Now, he could endure the psychic harassment while maintaining calm judgment, continuously maneuvering and looking for shooting positions.
His Sea of Consciousness still remained at the second-tier peak, with no signs of a breakthrough in the core. However, the toughness of his Sea of Consciousness barrier, its speed of expansion and contraction, and its anti-interference capabilities were all steadily improving through controlled, practical combat experience. His foundation was being solidified bit by bit.
After a brief rest, the squad continued toward the next beacon deployment point.
In the distance, the massive underground rift stretched across the earth, its dark opening continuously emitting a cold, sinister aura. Occasionally, a deep, heavy beast roar echoed from the depths of the rift. That voice belonged to the wounded third-tier scaled beast that had escaped.
It was still in this area.
A string was pulled taut in everyone's hearts. The patrol mission was still ongoing, and the hidden dangers beneath this desolate Black Mountain land had not yet dissipated.
End of Chapter