Chapter 332: The Special Forces Take Shape

Chapter 332: The Special Forces Take Shape

He hoped to be part of a team where he could maximize his value.

This answer was indeed straightforward and ambitious.

However, the question of what kind of team could bring out his full potential remained unanswered.

Lu Heng and Jane Qing exchanged a glance, both finding this person intriguing.

Jane Qing, however, was a bit puzzled and felt that Lu Heng was giving this Luo Yuncheng special attention.

Based on his combat data, Luo Yuncheng showed potential, but being only level 30, he would need at least three Abyssal Battlefields to reach level 40.

Yet, after three Abyssal Battlefields, a peak-level Ability User might already be at level 50.

In other words, it would likely take half a year for Luo Yuncheng to become an effective combatant, and that was assuming he had the ability to catch up in terms of combat power.

For a candidate with potential but not particularly outstanding, Jane Qing didn't think it was necessary to insist.

Of course, she trusted Lu Heng's judgment and thought that Luo Yuncheng might possess hidden potential that she couldn't see.

Lu Heng indeed had additional information; his memory told him that Luo Yuncheng would become a peak-level Ability User, with combat power on par with Jane Qing.

Moreover, his rank was indeed what the Special Forces needed.

Jane Qing curiously glanced at Lu Heng a few times, then turned to Luo Yuncheng and asked, "Do you know me?"

Luo Yuncheng sat up straight and nodded, replying, "Yes, Captain Jane Qing."

Jane Qing currently held the rank of Captain, while Luo Yuncheng was only a Second Lieutenant, a significant difference in military rank.

"What if I order you to join the Special Forces?" Jane Qing felt that sometimes giving direct orders could simplify matters.

"I will strictly follow orders and strive to perform well. But I still hope to be in a team where I can maximize my value," Luo Yuncheng replied firmly, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

"He's quite stubborn," Lu Heng thought, having not interacted with this future Southern Theater War God of his past life, he didn't expect him to have such a personality.

Chen Zihan, who had been listening for a while, shook his head and smiled, saying, "Luo Yuncheng, if you were a bit smarter, you'd understand that the Dragon Ascendant Special Operations Team is the team where you can maximize your value."

Luo Yuncheng's expression turned serious as he pondered for a moment before asking, "But this team actually belongs to the Mercenary Division."

Chen Zihan explained, "The Mercenary Division is where you can freely fight without reservations, while the Military Division still needs to consider the impact on a national level. The Mercenary Division doesn't have to worry about any of that."

"To be honest, I'm surprised that Commander Lu is willing to choose you. It's unlike him to be so patient and try to convince you; it's not in his character.

"Let me tell you this. According to the Southern Theater Command, we can freely choose from the files of one hundred thousand Ability Users.

"Today, we interviewed three Ability Users above level 38, and the one we talked to the most didn't even exchange ten sentences.

"I don't know what trait Commander Lu sees in you. If it were me, I wouldn't force you if you're not willing.

"In the archives, there's another Ability User with the same Warrior rank as you, and his Essence Energy level is much higher than yours.

"If you think staying in your original unit offers a better future, isn't Captain Jane's future brighter than yours? She's willing to join the Special Forces, so what makes you so special?"

Upon hearing this, Luo Yuncheng showed a surprised expression and asked, "Captain Jane has already joined the Special Forces? I thought you were representing the Theater for the interview."

The interviewers weren't limited to Lu Heng, Jane Qing, and Chen Zihan; there were also several Theater Staff Officers, including Qi Jinghui.

Not all the interviewers were members of the Special Forces.

Initially, Luo Yuncheng thought that Jane Qing's development in the original Military Division was promising, with a bright future, and they usually wouldn't be transferred casually.

Jane Qing nodded and replied, "Yes, I'm currently the Captain of the Dragon Ascendant Special Operations Team, and Commander Lu is our instructor."

Upon learning that Jane Qing had already been transferred to the Special Forces, Luo Yuncheng was even more surprised and didn't know what to say for a moment.

Jane Qing turned to Lu Heng and suggested, "Why don't I apply to transfer him over?"

This meant forcing Luo Yuncheng to join the Special Forces.

Lu Heng considered for a moment, then waved his hand and said, "Forget it. Capable people will shine wherever they are. We won't force anyone to join. Luo Yuncheng, go back and think it over. If you're willing to join the Special Forces, give us your answer within three days; otherwise, we won't wait."

After saying this, Lu Heng stood up, took out his phone, and glanced at it before telling Jane Qing and Chen Zihan, "Wu Weibing is here, he's invited us out for a meal, and it's almost lunchtime. Let's call it a day."

Jane Qing and Chen Zihan began packing up and left the Dragon Might Base together to meet with Wu Weibing.

...

Inside the Dragon Might Base.

Qi Jinghui took the metal-encased notebook, checked the files, and after ensuring everything was in order, he turned off the power, closed the lid, and then locked the notebook with a key before carrying it back to the Theater Headquarters.

In the Southern Theater Command, there were over ten thousand files of psionic warriors stored in a laptop. Losing these files would be a major issue, so every time after using it, Qi Jinghui had to bring it back to headquarters for a report.

Qi Jinghui, in his thirties, was a civilian staff member in the command department, one of the younger officers, and already held the rank of Captain.

After locking the laptop, he picked it up and handcuffed his wrist to the handle of the laptop case.

Only after completing this ritual did he stand up and, seeing Luo Yuncheng still there, reminded him, "You can go back now. Captain Lu said that if you want to join the Special Forces, you should consider it and contact me within three days. Currently, the logistics team of the Special Forces is not yet fully established, and I'm in charge of that."

"Yes, sir!" Luo Yuncheng snapped to attention and saluted, his leather shoes making a sharp sound.

"No need to be so formal. Today's work is done, you can go back now," Qi Jinghui waved his hand and left, calling for a guard to accompany him out.

Luo Yuncheng watched him walk to the door, wanting to speak several times but stopping himself. Finally, he asked, "Should I transfer to the Special Forces, Staff Officer?"

Qi Jinghui stopped and turned to look at him, considering for a moment before patting the laptop he was holding and saying, "The files in here are grouped by energy levels, totaling 40 groups. There are 10 groups above you, and the combined number of people exceeds ten thousand.

"However, most of the files in here have not been reviewed because Captain Lu and Captain Jian only looked at the files of the top 5 groups with levels above 36.

"To be honest, your level doesn't meet the recruitment standards of the Special Forces.

"The reason you were notified for an interview is that Captain Lu searched for the Warrior rank and found your file.

"There were two Warrior files, and you were the one with the lower level.

"Whether or not you want to join the Special Forces, I won't give you any advice. I can only tell you that this team is only under the command of the Theater Command.

"In simple terms, this team nominally follows the orders of just one person."

After saying this, Qi Jinghui turned and left.

Luo Yuncheng stood there, stunned.

Initially, he had heard that the newly formed Psionic Special Forces was part of the mercenary division, which instinctively made him hesitant.

Now, after hearing Qi Jinghui's explanation, he realized how unique this team was.

Such a unique team was undoubtedly created for special missions.

When he had answered the question earlier, he had sincerely expressed his desire to maximize his value, and it wasn't a lie.

He didn't actually care much about rank; he just wanted to maximize his worth and not waste his abilities.

Following the normal path, staying in the military division would have offered a brighter future.

However, after hearing the staff officer's words, he understood that this Special Forces team was an extraordinary entity beyond the normal hierarchy.

Upon returning to his original unit, he sought out the instructor and expressed his desire to transfer to the Special Forces. After the approval process, he reported to the Long Wei base on the third day.

...

On the other side, Lu Heng met with Wu Weibing, and they also invited Su Muyu, Lin Zeyu, and Xie Shien to join them for a meal.

At first, they chatted about their emotional bonds and the battles they had fought side by side.

Later, they discussed their current situations, and everyone was doing well.

Finally, Wu Weibing took the initiative to ask about the purpose of this gathering.

When he had suggested the meeting, he knew there must be something important.

In the era of the Abyss, the more capable one was, the busier they became. Without a pressing matter, it was difficult for them to gather.

Chen Zihan, who was closest to Wu Weibing, briefly explained the situation with the Dragon Ascendant Special Operations Team and expressed his hope for Wu to take charge of the logistics work.

Wu Weibing asked a few questions and learned that both Jane Qing and Chen Zihan had confirmed their transfer to the Special Forces. He immediately agreed to join, slamming his hand on the table.

In his original unit, Wu Weibing had already held a relatively important position in information technology management, and his future prospects were promising.

However, having gone on many missions with Lu Heng, Jane Qing, and Chen Zihan, he was well aware of the caliber of these individuals.

Working with such figures meant that the tasks would never be trivial.

As he had already transitioned to logistics, taking on the logistics work for the Special Forces meant he would be the head of logistics for the team.

This position was crucial, and he didn't hesitate to agree, knowing he would be working on significant projects with these influential figures.

...

With Wu Weibing's addition, the framework of the Special Forces' logistics team was established, and the remaining task was to fill the positions.

Logistics personnel had a broader selection, as there were no strict requirements for combat power. As long as they had sufficient work capabilities and good teamwork skills, they were suitable for the role.

On the third day, Lu Heng received a report from Luo Yuncheng, which, although not entirely unexpected, prompted him to decide on a meeting.

After all, Luo Yuncheng's Third Stage Source Essence, the Void Hunter, needed to be extracted.

This time, unlike an interview, Lu Heng met with Luo Yuncheng alone.

As soon as Luo Yuncheng saw Lu Heng, he immediately stood at attention and saluted, "Lieutenant Colonel Lu."

Lu Heng waved him to sit down and said, "I called you here to discuss the Source Essence. As I mentioned during your interview, the Void Hunter Source Essence isn't suitable for your rank progression. Do you remember that?"

Luo Yuncheng nodded, "Yes, I absorbed this Source Essence in a dangerous environment to break through a difficult situation."

Lu Heng continued, "Are you willing to extract the Void Hunter Source Essence? Think it through carefully, as the extraction process can be painful."

Luo Yuncheng nodded, "I am willing. This Source Essence indeed doesn't fit my rank progression."

Lu Heng nodded, "That's right. This Void Hunter Source Essence is more suitable for another Special Forces instructor. So, if you extract it, I might take it and compensate you with other resources."

"Since I want the Void Hunter Source Essence, I don't want this to become a situation where I force you to extract it. Do you understand?"

Luo Yuncheng nodded seriously, "Of course, I'm willingly extracting this Third Stage Source Essence. If I knew how to extract it myself, I would have done it long ago."

Lu Heng asked, "Are you willing to let me handle the extraction of the Void Hunter Source Essence? If so, what conditions do you want in exchange?"

Luo Yuncheng quickly replied, "I obey your orders, Lieutenant Colonel Lu. I don't need any explanations; just give me the command."

Lu Heng waved his hand, "It's better to clarify things. If you're unsure what resources to exchange..."

"I have an idea. I noticed in your skill set that you have a D-grade skill with good effects, but its level is too low. I can help you upgrade it to C-grade."

"Additionally, I'll give you an extra opportunity to upgrade another skill of your choice. Does this exchange sound acceptable to you?"

Upon hearing the terms of the exchange, Luo Yuncheng was momentarily stunned and asked in confusion, "Can you upgrade skills?"

Lu Heng nodded, "Yes, but there's a chance of failure, and it requires Divine Energy. I'll explain the specific upgrade method to you. It's up to you if you're willing to take the risk."

Luo Yuncheng eagerly nodded in agreement, "Yes, I'm willing."

For him, upgrading skills was a significant challenge, as it was a World Quest reward, no less difficult than obtaining a Source Essence.

In fact, for ordinary Ability Users, upgrading skills was far more challenging than acquiring a Source Essence.

Especially for those cultivated by major factions, Source Essences could be purchased, albeit at astronomical prices. If something had a price, it could be bought.

Even if it couldn't be bought with money, it could be acquired through resource exchanges.

Upgrading skills, however, was different. Aside from the special method of Moonwell Water, only World Quest rewards could upgrade skills.

Ordinary Ability Users could barely complete Challenge Quests, let alone dare to aspire for World Quests, which were far too challenging.

Therefore, when Luo Yuncheng learned that he could upgrade skills, and even two of them, he agreed without hesitation.

After reaching an agreement, Lu Heng asked Lin Zeyu to gather the materials needed for the extraction process, helped Luo Yuncheng extract the Void Hunter Source Essence, and then assisted him in upgrading two skills.

Once the Void Hunter Source Essence was extracted, it was given directly to Lin Zeyu.

The Void Hunter rank's ability was the Void Trajectory, a standard long-range rank that perfectly aligned with Lin Zeyu's rank progression.

Lu Heng had intended to give the Void Hunter Source Essence to Lin Zeyu from the start.

"After absorbing it, test its effects. If it feels good, go ahead and integrate it into your rank. You can use the Moonwell Water," Lu Heng said as he handed over the Source Essence and patted Lin Zeyu's shoulder.

After reviewing the data of the Void Hunter Source Essence, Lin Zeyu excitedly exclaimed, "The data alone is mind-blowing. I don't even need to test it; I'm going to drink the Moonwell Water right now."

Moonwell Water could enable rank evolution, and both Lu Heng and Su Muyu had already achieved their Third Stage rank evolution with its help.

Lin Zeyu had also obtained a bottle of Moonwell Water from the Sprite World but hadn't had the opportunity to use it due to the lack of a suitable Third Stage Source Essence, until now.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end