173 The Calm Before the Storm (1/2)

Zhou Lu's breath froze upon hearing Wang Baole's words. She had expected Wang Baole's denial, but she never would have thought that he would call her a fair lady.

The compliment did nothing for her temper. She snorted. This was not the time for revenge, however. She glared at Wang Baole and turned toward Chen Yutong, rising to her feet and saluting him.

”You must be Senior Brother Chen Yutong. If you may, please let me have the jade missive issued by Ethereal Dao College,” Zhou Lu requested; regardless of her military status, a greater degree of courtesy was required for someone like Chen Yutong.

There was his cultivation level to consider as well as his family background. For someone to become a candidate included in the running for the Dharmic Armament Pavilion's Deputy Pavilion Head, his status outside the college would have to be extremely elevated.

Chen Yutong set aside his thoughts and feelings, stepped forward, and presented the jade missive. He was courteous and respectful despite Zhou Lu's lower cultivation level. The positive feelings that Zhou Lu had for Chen Yutong increased substantially.

It helped that Chen Yutong had the appearance of a gentleman—well-mannered and polite. With such status and cultivation level, he was the object of adoration of many female and male disciples in Ethereal Dao College's Upper Academy Island. Despite that, he remained alone and free of romantic entanglements.

The exchange between Zhou Lu and Chen Yutong proceeded smoothly; Ethereal Dao College's missive was swiftly executed by the military. They were arranged to be stationed at a minor stronghold. Between Beast Tides, they would be charged with the task of repairing and restoring the Fire God Cannon in that stronghold.

After the mission was confirmed and they had received the safe travel jade slip issued by the military, Chen Yutong, alongside Wang Baole and the rest, walked out of the camp. Zhou Lu leveled an icy glare at Wang Baole's retreating back and sneered silently.

I, Zhou Lu, am not one who abuses public power to avenge a personal wrong. If I were the sort, getting him skinned alive would be a piece of cake! But I will get my revenge… eventually!

She turned her eyes away from Wang Baole and continued with her work.

Outside, having left the tent and boarded the cruiser once more, in preparation of heading toward the mission's designated minor stronghold, Chen Yutong, Zhou Penghai, and Sun Fang looked at Wang Baole. The latter two did not feel like it was their place to ask any questions, but Chen Yutong could not help his curiosity and finally spoke.

”Baole, you definitely know the female officer just now. Did you meet her in Spirit Breath Village as well? Can it be that she tried to strip you naked, too? That doesn't seem right. She didn't seem like she had been enrolled in the Upper Academy of the four Dao Colleges. If she had, she wouldn't have been able to join the army at such a young age. This must have been some arrangement by some family clan…” Chen Yutong looked at Wang Baole with suspicion.

Wang Baole let out a cough. There was no one else here. He decided not to hide the truth any longer. Exasperated, he spoke.

”Her name is Zhou Lu. She didn't try to strip me naked, but… I kicked her once on her butt. I remember her wearing something skin-tight then. The kick made one cheek bigger than the other… turned a peach into a gourd…”

Wang Baole's description was extremely vivid. A very clear picture of what had happened appeared in the other three's minds. Zhou Penghai and Sun Fang had no choice but to concede defeat then. They stared at Wang Baole and could not help but think that the fatty standing before them had reached a certain pinnacle when it came to flirting with women, one that left them trailing in the dust.

Chen Yutong smiled wryly before giving Wang Baole a pat on the shoulder. He spoke slowly and with great intent.

”Baole, women are troublesome creatures. My advice is to stay clear of them in the future. They are too much trouble. I'm speaking from experience, so just take it from me.”

Wang Baole thought there was something odd with what Chen Yutong just said. He barely had any chance to mull it over before the cruiser that they were on reached the designated minor stronghold.

The minor stronghold was built on a mountain peak. From afar, the stronghold looked pitch-black in its entirety and was shaped like an enormous, metallic half-moon. It towered hundreds of meters tall and spanned more than three thousand meters. The primordial jungle-facing side was curved like an arc; from it, hundreds of branches spread out and ended in a moon-shaped platform. The entire structure looked like a spoon.

Atop each round platform stood a huge Fire God Cannon that rose thirty-odd meters skyward. On each round platform, many warriors were stationed, numbering to the thousand.

Some of the warriors were responsible for the basic repair of the Fire God Cannon; others were tasked with exterminating monsters during Beast Tides and preventing the monsters from breaking through and damaging the Fire God Cannon.

The arrangement was decided because, on the one hand, the Fire God Cannon required guarding, and on the other hand, the collapse of the Fire God Cannon would result in an explosive self-destructive force, which meant that it could not be placed too near the stronghold.

Concurrently, on both sides of the stronghold, within the rise and fall of the mountain range, could be seen a translucent barrier. It flowed with the mountain range and expanded toward both ends. It was like a protective shield that not only served as a defense measure against the beasts surging from the wildlands but also as a link to two farther strongholds on either end.

If one were to stand perched on the highest peak and lower their gaze upon the scene before them, they would see that each and every one of the minor strongholds were like tiny spots that surrounded the focal seventh primary stronghold and sat within a vast and shimmering glow of a protective array formation.

Besides defending against the invasion of Beast Tides, the minor strongholds were also tasked with the mission of guarding against array formation attacks targeting the seventh primary stronghold. Regardless of where the Beast Tide sprung from, the spirit energy from the array formation attacks that they conjured would be dispersed across the various minor strongholds. Such a strategy strengthened the stability of the protective array formation.

As a result, every minor stronghold became a potential breach point in the eyes of the monsters. That was why each minor stronghold was equipped with its own Fire God Cannons. Though the numbers were not as great as that of the primary strongholds, they still numbered in the hundreds. In addition, there was also a teleportation formation, so backup could be sent or received in a moment's notice.