Chapter 150: GOD-005, At the Borderlands, He... Can't Come Back (4K)

Chapter 150: GOD-005, At the Borderlands, He... Can't Come Back (4K)



An endless expanse of wilderness stretched out before them, a desolate landscape of parched, crimson earth dotted sparingly with withered grass that stubbornly clung to life. The air was thick with visible, dark ash that hung heavy in the scorching heat.

The intense temperature caused the very air to distort, and in the darkness of night, a distant volcano spewed forth a stream of fiery red lava, casting an eerie, murky glow across the land.

From within the aircraft's cabin, Xue Jing gazed out at the foreboding scenery and remarked, "I've heard that the 'wastelands' beyond the metropolitan areas are harsh, but I never imagined they would be this extreme."

Standing beside him, Xu Ren looked out at the desolate vista, her voice calm and steady. "It's not like this everywhere." She pointed towards the distant volcano, its molten flow glowing fiercely. "That volcano is a remnant of the 'overlapping phenomenon.' It was thrown into our world from another dimension during the collision of two worlds."

"Its internal movement patterns are entirely different from the rules of our world, and its eruptions are absurdly frequent, which has led to the severe deterioration of the surrounding environment."

Shan Zhen chimed in, "The environment here is certainly harsh, but it's not all bad. The creatures from the borderlands don't particularly like this place, so at least we don't have to worry about sudden attacks from dangerous beasts."

"We just need to be prepared with cooling measures and gas masks."

Xu Ren shook her head. "It's not impossible that we might encounter borderland creatures... There are special 'flame-dwelling species' that thrive in these conditions, so we must remain vigilant."

Shan Zhen opened the fridge, retrieved a bottle of Xinsha soda, and took a swig, letting out a satisfied "Ah!" "The temperature here isn't high enough to attract higher-level flame-dwellers. Nothing to worry about."

"Speaking of flame-dwellers, it's been a while since I last had 'Flame Crab.' Just thinking about it makes my mouth water."

"We should definitely go to the Inner Ring for a meal after this mission."

Xue Jing's curiosity piqued. "What's Flame Crab?"

Shan Zhen smacked his lips, savoring the memory. "It's a flame-dwelling creature that looks like a crab engulfed in flames. Their meat is naturally cooked, so you just peel off the shell and dig in. It's absolutely mouthwatering."

"But they have very specific breeding requirements, so only a handful of companies can cultivate them. They're pretty expensive, especially the ones from 'United Aquaculture.' Their Flame Crabs are the biggest and have the best meat, but they also cost a fortune."

"The crab kings, which are found only once in a hundred thousand, can fetch over ten thousand per pound. There was a record-breaking crab king sold at auction for almost a hundred million—absurd!"

Xue Jing nodded, intrigued. "Sounds delicious. I'll have to try it sometime."

As they chatted, the plane drew closer to their destination.

...

In the wilderness of the night, several campfires burned quietly.

Around the fires were pitched a dozen large and small tents, with various instruments scattered on the ground. Dozens of people, clad in bulky gray protective suits and gas masks, bustled about.

A black aircraft, barely visible in the night sky, approached the campsite, its passage cutting through the air with a sharp whistle. It hovered momentarily before slowly descending.

"Captain Xu Ren is back! You lot, move aside and make room!" A man in a protective suit shouted to a group of idle personnel.

The workers quickly dispersed, and the plane landed in the cleared space.

The hatch opened with a hiss, and Xu Ren, Shan Zhen, and Xue Jing stepped out.

Xue Jing immediately felt a wave of heat wash over him—not just hot, but scorching, like being inside a steamer. The air he breathed felt thick and scalding in his nostrils.

He frowned at the black ash swirling in the air.

Shan Zhen, already wearing a gas mask, handed one to Xue Jing. "Put this on."

Xue Jing took the mask and secured it over his face. The mask restricted his airflow, making breathing more difficult, but it was still better than inhaling the volcanic ash directly.

Another figure emerged from the cabin—a petite girl named Xiao Jing, also a member of Xu Ren's squad, who had donned her mask as well.

"Welcome back, Captain Xu Ren," Xiao Jing greeted their leader.

A man in a protective suit and a gas mask approached and shook hands with Xu Ren. They exchanged pleasantries before Xu Ren gestured toward Xue Jing and introduced him. "This is Xue Jing, our new explorer for the borderlands."

Xue Jing nodded and extended his hand, smiling as he said, "Nice to meet you."

The man's eyes lit up, and he reached out to shake Xue Jing's hand, saying enthusiastically, "Nice to meet you too, Brother Xue. You're finally here... I'm Shen Da, the leader of this 'Roaring Waterfall Temporary Research Group'."

Xu Ren spoke up from the side, "This borderland exploration mission is under the full responsibility of Dr. Shen. He will provide you with logistical support. As for what to do once you're inside the borderlands, just follow Dr. Shen's instructions."

Shen Da urged, "Let's go, let's talk inside the tent. The air outside isn't too good."

...

They entered a large tent that occupied an area of more than 20 square meters. As soon as Xue Jing stepped inside, he felt a wave of cool air wash over him.

He glanced around the interior and noticed that aside from a small bed and a few chairs, the tent was filled with various instruments that emitted a constant stream of beeps and mechanical noises. The space left for people to move around was only about five or six square meters, making the tent feel cramped.

Once everyone was inside, Shen Da zipped up the tent, sealing it closed. Then, he removed the gas mask from his face and took off his bulky protective suit, revealing a man in his mid-twenties with a receding hairline, thick eyebrows, and a slightly plump face.

"Phew, that's better. This place is a real hellhole," he sighed, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Only then did Xue Jing get a good look at his face.

Xiao Jing and Shan Zhen also took off their masks, and Xue Jing followed suit.

Breathing the air inside the tent was a refreshing change from the harsh conditions outside.

"This tent is equipped with a simple air conditioner and air purifier," Shan Zhen explained.

"Consider it a little-known, high-tech perk from the Sixth Bureau. Don't underestimate it—it's military-grade equipment that you can't even buy in the Inner Ring."

Xue Jing nodded, "I can feel the difference."

The inside of the tent was like a different world compared to the outside—a stark contrast between heaven and hell.

It was impressive how two portable machines could provide such a comfortable environment in the midst of such harsh conditions.

Shen Da walked to a corner of the tent and lifted a canvas covering, revealing a large box underneath. He opened it and took out a black cylinder, about the size of a water bottle.

The cylinder had a high-tech, sleek design with intricate, regular indentations that made it look like it could transform into a robot at any moment.

Shen Da held the cylinder up for Xue Jing to see as he explained, "This is the 'Borderland Real-time Monitoring Scanner'. Its scanning range is six kilometers in radius, covering an area of approximately 110 square kilometers. It can detect any changes occurring within the borderlands in real-time."

"Your primary task is to find a concealed spot roughly every six kilometers within the 'Roaring Waterfall' area and set up this device until you've achieved coverage of the entire borderland."

As Shen Da spoke, he pressed a button on the cylinder, and it immediately transformed. Eight small panels on one end of the cylinder flipped open, revealing eight alloy mechanical legs that made it resemble a mechanical spider.

"Once you find a suitable location, just place it on the ground, and it will automatically dig a hole and bury itself," Shen Da continued.

"I'll give you a tablet that will display a real-time map based on the GPS installed in the monitor. The map will mark the scanner's coverage area, so you can easily determine the placement distance for the next monitor."

Shen Da went on to explain many other details, and Xue Jing listened attentively, nodding from time to time to indicate his understanding.

"...The most challenging part will be placing the monitor in the habitat of that pure-blood dragon species, near the large waterfall," Shen Da emphasized.

"The physical capabilities of pure-blood dragon species are unbelievably powerful, and their senses are extraordinarily acute. They can detect sounds and scents from over a dozen kilometers away."

"It's impossible to place the monitor in their territory without being noticed, so it's a matter of luck. If you're lucky, it might ignore you, but if you're not, just run as fast as you can. Don't even think about trying to fight it."

"Brother Xue, I've seen your records, and I know you're an exceptional martial arts genius. But believe me, you absolutely cannot take on such a monster in your current state. You don't stand a chance, not even a one-in-a-thousand chance. Don't entertain any foolish ideas."

Xue Jing nodded sincerely, "Rest assured, my motto is prudence. I'll be extra cautious in the borderlands and won't do anything beyond what's required for the mission."

Hearing the sincerity in Xue Jing's words, Shen Da nodded in satisfaction.

Shen Da reached into his jacket pocket and took out a black wristband, which he handed to Xue Jing.

"This is a recording wristband. It will record everything you see and hear in the borderlands in real-time."

"There are human natives in these borderlands. Your second task is to try to make contact and communicate with them as much as possible... Of course, this task is secondary, and it's fine if you don't complete it."

Xue Jing took the black wristband and put it on.

"I'll do my best," he nodded.

White Crow had already given him his reward for this mission, [A Hundred Feet From the Top], which he used to upgrade his Visualization to Visualization True, a significant help to him.

Although the reason for giving him A Hundred Feet From the Top was not purely altruistic, Xue Jing still appreciated the gesture, and he would do his best on this mission regardless.

This could also be considered an 'investment'... If he did a good job, White Crow might think of asking for his help again in the future, and with A Hundred Feet From the Top as a precedent, the next reward wouldn't be too shabby either.

Ideally, he would be allowed into the Sixth Bureau's collection of divine relics for a good 'appreciation'...

...

Early the next morning.

Boom!!

A distant volcano erupted, causing the earth to tremble slightly.

In a small, separate tent, Xue Jing opened his eyes and sat up from his sleeping bag.

The night before, he had arrived at the camp by plane and discussed the mission with Dr. Shen, receiving the necessary equipment. He had intended to enter the 'Roaring Waterfall' immediately.

But Dr. Shen had said there was no rush, as it was late and many of the instrument operators would be sleeping. He suggested waiting until morning.

So Xue Jing had spent the night in the camp.

Inside the small tent, an air conditioner and air purifier hummed almost inaudibly as Xue Jing, well-rested, stretched and got out of his sleeping bag.

He picked up the custom-made black tactical suit White Crow had prepared for him and put it on.

The tight-fitting suit accentuated his perfectly sculpted, god-like physique, highlighting his distinct muscles in an enticing way.

After donning a gas mask and carrying the Fu Rabbit knife, Xue Jing stepped out of the tent.

Half an hour later, Xue Jing stood before the land shrouded in a faint, shimmering light barrier, his eyes filled with curiosity.

Behind him, dozens of Bureau personnel scurried back and forth, operating various instruments.

"Recording wristband test complete."

"Cross-dimensional trait-sensing device test complete."

"Indigenous language simultaneous translation headset test complete."

The Bureau personnel kept reporting the test results of the equipment on Xue Jing, ensuring everything was in order.

The members of Team Xu Blade beside him were a little nervous, feeling that something was a bit off.

God's Chosen One didn't have to worry about pollution and mutation, but it was hard to say if he truly counted as a natural human.

If, after all this effort, Xue Jing couldn't even enter... Well, that would be interesting.

"...All tests completed, no abnormalities."

With the personnel's final words, all eyes turned to Xue Jing.

"If you run out of rations inside and can't get more, you can come out at any time. The exit has been marked with a GPS, so you won't get lost."

"Remember, absolutely do not confront that pure-blood dragon species head-on..."

Dr. Shen fiddled with a tablet as he gave Xue Jing a few last words of caution.

"Alright, you can go now. Be careful!"

Xue Jing, dressed in a black tactical suit, with a Bluetooth headset in his left ear and a large backpack on his shoulders, smiled and nodded.

"Then I'm off."

"Go on, be careful. We'll eat Flame Crab when you get back," Shan Zhen waved his hand.

"Be careful," Xu Blade nodded.

Xue Jing stepped into the shimmering light barrier, his figure passing through without any hindrance.

Seeing this, Xu Blade breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness..."

Before she could relax, something unexpected happened.

"Buzz—"

A circular light ring suddenly descended from the sky, enveloping the entire 'Roaring Waterfall' borderland area.

The next moment, the entire borderland erupted in light, causing everyone present to shield their eyes with their arms.

As the light gradually faded, Dr. Shen's expression changed as he looked at the borderland, now completely distorted by the light barrier.

"GOD-005, Mirror World... 'Reflective Integration Phenomenon'... Why? How did it happen so suddenly?"

Xu Blade frowned and asked, "Dr. Shen, what's going on?"

Dr. Shen's face was grim. "This is bad... He didn't enter a pure borderland, but a borderland affected by the Mirror World's reflective integration."

"He... can't come back."

...

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end