Chapter 623 - 620: That’s Great

Chapter 623: Chapter 620: That’s Great

However, the news Yin Ze brought back upon returning from a routine scouting mission that day made everyone’s recently-eased nerves tense up again.

"I found a dozen or so Beastman males in the canyon up ahead," Yin Ze said, landing on a branch next to Jin Yi. He retracted his wings, his expression grave. "Their behavior... it’s a little strange."

"Strange how?" Bai Wanwan straightened up, her arms wrapped around Jin Yi’s neck tightening slightly as she looked up and asked.

"They aren’t hunting or communicating with each other. They’re just silently marching in a single direction, and they’re very fast."

Yin Ze continued, his brow furrowed. "And I watched them for a long time. The look on their faces... it’s exactly the same as when Hua Han was under control."

"You mean... all of those dozen or so Beastmen are being controlled by Dark Energy?" Bai Wanwan’s heart sank.

"Yes, I’m almost certain," Yin Ze nodded.

The news was like a stone dropped into a placid lake.

Bai Wanwan immediately turned to Chou Rong. "Chou Rong, according to our original plan, are we still good on time? If we follow them and investigate for two or three days, will we be late for our business with the Elephant Clan?"

Chou Rong quickly calculated the distance and remaining time in his head. "If it’s just for two or three days," he replied in a deep voice, "we should still make it, as long as we hurry."

"So, do you think we should go?" Since Chou Rong was leading this expedition, she didn’t make the decision herself.

The situation instantly grew dire. All the Orange Rank males turned their eyes to their trusted Clan Leader, waiting for his decision.

Chou Rong mulled it over briefly before quickly making a decision. "We’ll go. But you aren’t coming with us. Yin Ze and Jin Yi will stay here to protect you. I’ll take five males and follow them..."

She met Chou Rong’s worried gaze, shook her head gently, and laid out her analysis, speaking clearly and quickly:

"Chou Rong, splitting up now will only make it easier for them to take advantage of us. If that group of controlled Beastmen is just a decoy, or if they have allies nearby, we’ll be easily defeated one by one if our strength is divided."

Her gaze swept over her three powerful mates. "The three of you are Red Rank; you need to stick together to handle any powerful enemies we might encounter. We must not split up unless we have absolutely no other choice."

Seeing Chou Rong’s frown, a clear sign he was still worried, she continued, "If we go together and run into danger, I can protect myself. I won’t be a burden. Besides,"

She glanced at Yin Ze, who stood silently at the ready, and nodded. "If things get really dangerous, you know how fast Yin Ze is. He can get me away from the battlefield in an instant."

Having been brought into the conversation, Yin Ze assured Chou Rong, "I think Wanwan is right. We’ll be safer together. If anything happens, I’ll get her out of there immediately."

Chou Rong knew Wanwan was right, of course. He just selfishly wished she wouldn’t have to face any danger.

’But letting her out of his sight, especially when the enemy is unknown, is perhaps the greatest danger of all.’

’With the three Red Rank males protecting her together, their concentrated strength would allow them to face even greater threats.’

The scales in his mind tipped instantly.

’It’s better to keep her safely under my wing where I can see her than to let her wait in some unknown place, exposed to unpredictable risks.’

"You’re right." Chou Rong finally nodded, his gaze regaining its usual resolve. "We should keep our forces concentrated. I’ll feel more at ease if I can keep an eye on you."

He hesitated no longer. In his tiger form, he was majestic and imposing. He leaped forward and commanded in a deep voice, "Everyone, pick up the pace! Follow their trail!"

"Yes!"

With the order given, the entire group’s atmosphere shifted, becoming like a tightly wound spring. Their movements were now swift and orderly.

With Chou Rong, Jin Yi, and Yin Ze at the vanguard, the group shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, speeding off in pursuit.

Under Yin Ze’s precise guidance, they quickly picked up the trail of the Beastman group.

So as not to tip them off, they kept a safe distance, using the dense forest and terrain to conceal their presence.

Riding on Jin Yi’s back, Bai Wanwan kept an eye on her surroundings while quietly opening the system interface in her mind.

’Traditional tracking methods are too risky; we could easily be exposed. I need a more discreet approach.’

’Hua Sheng,’ she called to the system in her mind. ’Since the system has tracking items like the Tracking Bird, does it also have more versatile reconnaissance tools? Something like the ’drones’ from my world?’

She had been actively completing quests and earning a massive amount of Points lately. As a result, the system had unlocked more and more redeemable items for her. The selection was now so dazzling and varied that she didn’t have time to browse everything in detail. Asking her system assistant directly was the quickest way.

"Yes, Host," Hua Sheng responded instantly. "Just flip to the page after the ’Tracking Bird’ redemption screen. There are several reconnaissance tools with different forms and functions available, designed for a variety of complex environments."

Bai Wanwan immediately followed the instructions and found the page.

Sure enough, an amazing array of options greeted her: reconnaissance drones that mimicked various insects, small fish, birds, and other small animals.

Bai Wanwan opened their detailed descriptions. She discovered they could perfectly simulate a target creature’s appearance, movements, and even its calls and biological behaviors. They could also transmit real-time video and audio back to a receiver. They were top-tier spy gear, practically tailor-made for this primitive world!

’This is perfect!’

Bai Wanwan’s heart pounded with excitement.

’With these, in situations where close-range surveillance is too difficult, I can send them out without anyone being the wiser, greatly reducing the risk of being discovered.’

As she browsed the details, however, she began to notice some drawbacks.

The insect-form drones were the smallest and most stealthy, perfect for operating in tight spaces like thick grass or rock crevices. Their downside, however, was their slow speed and limited range, which made it hard to track fast-moving targets over long periods.

The avian drones, on the other hand, were highly mobile with a wide field of view, making them ideal for large-area surveillance and tracking. But if a target hid in a cave or the depths of a dense forest, a bird rashly following it inside would look out of place and arouse suspicion.

’Looks like I’ll have to choose based on the situation,’ she mused. ’First, we’ll catch up to them and figure out their final destination and the surrounding environment. Then I’ll decide which type of drone is best.’

She glanced at the prices as well. The smaller insect or fish-type recon units cost about ten thousand Points, while the more powerful bird or small animal models—with their longer battery life and more sophisticated mimicry—cost twenty thousand Points.

Though pricey, they were a much better value in the long run compared to the single-use Tracking Birds, since these drones were rechargeable and reusable.