Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1003 - 996: The Plan to Advance South

Chapter 1003: Chapter 996: The Plan to Advance South

"Oh, if you hadn’t mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten, I’ve been so busy with the affairs of the Human Race these past few years, that the life-and-death battles of the Beastman Race just slipped my mind," Luo’er realized suddenly.

"If I remember correctly, didn’t that leader of the Hound Gang leave by ship to the south anyway?" Hu Daoke said.

"Beastmen are humans, not idiots. They know very well which ships can be seized and which cannot. We shouldn’t generalize from isolated incidents," Cheng Ziang glanced at him, shaking his head helplessly, and chuckled.

"What are you laughing at? I’ll have you know, I’m not like those foolish brutes," Hu Daoke said discontentedly.

"Of course, I wasn’t comparing you to them," Cheng Ziang shrugged.

"This means that it seems unlikely we will find a ship heading south, but travelling by land is just too slow, and we would still need to cross the Namijiya Mountain Range, which could very well be lethal," Luo’er shook his head and muttered.

"Luo’er, actually, I think you should change your way of thinking," Cheng Ziang suggested.

"Change my way of thinking?" Luo’er looked at him, puzzled.

"Yes, your mindset is probably still the same as when we first arrived in Otherworld, unchanged, but times have changed, Luo’er," Cheng Ziang paused, then continued, "Our Advance Team is now seen by headquarters not just as any dispensable squad, but as an ace unit. We completely have reason and the rights to make many demands and have headquarters cater to us, rather than being overly cautious and afraid to speak or act."

"What are you suggesting?" Luo’er tilted his head, sensing an underlying message in Cheng Ziang’s words.

"Just one request, straight out ask headquarters to send an airboat to assist us, transporting us to Ilanadale, and then take a ship to Xia Yue Island," Cheng Ziang said, pointing his index finger.

"Straight up asking headquarters to send an air drop? They don’t even produce airboats, and currently, they have only leased a few. This is rather...," Luo’er hesitated.

"That’s why I’m saying, your thinking hasn’t changed; you’re still too cautious," Cheng Ziang shook his head, "Don’t forget, whether it’s our current status or the achievements we’ve made so far, it’s all worth a deployment of an airboat from headquarters to escort us. Whether there are airboats available is for headquarters to worry about, not us. We just need to ask."

"Hey, Old Cheng has a point," Hu Daoke nodded in agreement, "We are people of status now, why should we always be so humble towards the UN? Plus, the main person in charge of our base is pretty much bending over backwards to help us, why be so polite?"

"I also agree with Ziang’s view," Baiyue nodded, "Both the Ancestors’ Holy Book and Xiapei Kam are equally important, worth the headquarters going all out to cooperate with our actions. In fact, we should wait here and let them send an airboat straight to pick us up, instead of travelling south by ship."

"Sending airboats straight into the Snow Domain is too conspicuous and makes us too obvious a target, let’s not forget, the CIA has been keeping an eye on us!"

Just then, Tangmo’s voice came from the side. But there was something off about the tone, causing Luo’er to turn around, only then did he realize Tangmo had adopted a different demeanor.

"Momo, do you have any bright ideas?" Luo’er asked, looking at her.

"Of course," Tangmo casually walked up to Luo’er and squatted beside him, then smiled slightly, glanced at the map, and said, "The Snow Domain has low trade value, and hardly any High-peak people’s airboats operate here. Sending an airboat into the Snow Domain at this moment would definitely be noticed by the CIA. Now that we’ve made enemies with Tana, let’s not drag this bunch of adversaries into the mix."

As she spoke, she pointed to the map, "Therefore, the best method is to covertly transport us and what we’ve found under the guise of trade. In this, the port is the most valuable strategic hub, where the coming and going of airboats wouldn’t raise any suspicions."

"Makes sense," Luo’er nodded in approval, "Sending airboats into the Snow Domain bluntly is just too obvious, and now isn’t the best time for trading with the Snow Domain anyway, no matter the explanation, the excuse would be too far-fetched. Plus, we’ve already had contact with people from the CIA, they would definitely connect the dots to us at the first opportunity."

"If we reach the port city and then transfer by airboat, even if the CIA has suspicions, they wouldn’t necessarily link it back to us. After all, headquarters has already established an air route from Yazhi City to Ilanadale. Airboats operating from Yazhi City to Blue Bay for trade, then detouring to Ilanadale is completely logical and reasonable," Cheng Ziang nodded.

"Old ginger is still spicier after all," Luo’er admired, looking at Tangmo.

"I don’t like the word ’old’," Tangmo said with a stern face.

"Then," Luo’er paused, then smiled, "you really are a fox, aren’t you?"

"Glad you know it," Tangmo said, smiling slyly, as she looped her arm through Luo’er’s.

"You can’t just do whatever you want in front of everyone," Luo’er rolled his eyes, then pushed her hand away and said, "Both of you sisters have the same attitude."

"Hehehe," Tangmo squinted his eyes, wearing a look of enjoyment.

"Luo’er, it’s time to make a decision," Baiyue couldn’t stand it any longer, so she reminded him expressionlessly.

"Oh, sorry, sorry," Luo’er coughed awkwardly, then said seriously, "Very well, so our target is clear. We head to the port city of Luscaque, then take a ship southward to reach Blue Bay, where we wait for the airboat to arrive, and finally take the airboat directly to Ilanadale."

"You’re going to Ilanadale?" Upon hearing this name, Talis’s ears perked up immediately.

"Yes, what’s the matter?" Luo’er asked.

"No, it’s, it’s nothing." Talis stammered, unable to say anything conclusive.

"Don’t worry," seeing Talis’s concerns, Luo’er waved his hand and said, "Our interests are aligned, I won’t harm you."

"I hope you will keep your promise." Talis glanced at Luo’er then turned away, saying no more.

Luo’er looked at her, then continued, "Once we arrive in Ilanadale, we will hand over the Ancestors’ Holy Book along with other relevant materials to headquarters. Some personnel will also return to the base with the airboat, while the others will travel light and head to Xia Yue Island."

"Luo’er." At that moment, Cheng Ziang suddenly called Luo’er’s name, his expression somewhat odd.

"What is it?" Luo’er asked.

"Don’t forget, your relationship with Ilanadale, is your going to Xia Yue Island... appropriate?" Cheng Ziang hinted indirectly.

"There’s nothing inappropriate about it," Luo’er shook his head and said as a matter of fact, "Ilanadale has reached a point where change is inevitable. If it continues to be conservative and stubborn, such a nation might as well be discarded."

"Putting duty above family sentiments..." Cheng Ziang raised his thumb and remarked.

"What’s that?" Axia, having heard them, couldn’t help but ask.

The conversation between Luo’er and Cheng Ziang was primarily in Tástatá language but interspersed with a lot of Chinese, which led to confusion among those who weren’t members of the Advance Team.

This was a habit developed at the academy by the sub-race, mixing Tástatá language with Chinese for conversation, which helps maintain secrecy in the Otherworld, with some sensitive content shared in Chinese so that only insiders could understand, and others would find it hard to comprehend.

Of course, someone like Nightingale, who is proficient in the official general-use language of the United Nations, is another matter entirely—such small tricks are no match for her.

"It’s nothing," Luo’er waved his hand, then said to her, "Don’t worry, our organization also has a cooperative relationship with Ilanadale, so I can assure you of your personal safety there."

"Then I’m much obliged, Captain Luo’er," Axia said respectfully.

"No need to be polite. After all, we are all on the same team, aren’t we?" Luo’er said with a smile.

Upon hearing his words, Axia was momentarily startled, then also revealed a knowing smile.

It must be said, Luo’er was indeed adept at recruiting talents. Axia had just expressed her admiration for the headquarters, and Luo’er immediately applied the existing reality to her, making her feel as though she had already joined the headquarters.

However, returning to the matter at hand, Luo’er’s actions were always under scrutiny by those at the base, mainly because most of the people he brought back were girls.