Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1451 - 1444: Heading to the Seaside

Chapter 1451: Chapter 1444: Heading to the Seaside

"So, you’ve come to stir up trouble?" Cheng Ziang asked.

"Since what’s done is done, better to let things fall into place," Baiyue shrugged and said, "Teacher Zhu is also very interested in Aximiya Island. My visit this time is not only arranged by Luo’er but also involves a task from Teacher Zhu."

"Alright then!" Cheng Ziang, biting his lip, nodded heavily.

"Who is Yichuan Ying? Can I meet her?" Baiyue looked around and asked.

"Oh, Old Hu!" Cheng Ziang said, gesturing to Hu Daoke.

Hu Daoke followed the command and left the tent; shortly after, he brought back a girl about fifteen or sixteen years old. When the girl arrived in the tent, she noticed the unfamiliar member of the Demon Clan and curiously sized her up with a somewhat timid gaze.

"You didn’t kidnap her just because she’s pretty, did you?" Baiyue stared at her and finally looked at Cheng Ziang with a face full of suspicion.

"Do you think I am that kind of person?" Cheng Ziang frowned slightly, feeling a bit angry due to Baiyue’s mistrust.

"Her brother is Yichuan Long who controls the Yichuan Clan’s military power?" Baiyue narrowed his eyes and continued staring at Yichuan Ying.

"Uh-huh." Cheng Ziang nodded sullenly.

"How likely is it to use her to threaten Yichuan Long?" Baiyue asked.

"Not even a slim chance; forget about using her against Yichuan Long," Cheng Ziang said, "I know this guy, he won’t be thrown into disarray because of Yichuan Ying. Instead, he’d fight to the bitter end and then push the blame of Yichuan Ying’s death onto us, viewing us as enemies."

"What a peculiar guy." Baiyue couldn’t help but mutter.

"Huh, I actually find this guy quite manageable to deal with," Cheng Ziang chuckled.

"In any case, arrange someone to protect Yichuan Ying, and let the others follow Zisu to Aximiya Island. At this stage, the Demon Clan certainly won’t turn against us as long as someone watches over Yichuan Ying," Baiyue retracted his gaze and said.

"Yeah," Cheng Ziang nodded, focusing his gaze on Hu Daoke, then pointing at him, he said, "Fine, let Old Hu stay and accompany Yichuan Ying."

"No way, why am I the one singled out?" Hu Daoke pointed at himself, his eyes wide in confusion.

"Do you want Little Fengye to stay?" Cheng Ziang asked.

"Not really, I’d be more worried if she stayed," Hu Daoke scratched his head, muttering as he glanced at Feng.

"So, is there a choice?" Cheng Ziang shrugged, an expression of ’it’s only natural’ on his face.

"Then why don’t you stay?" Hu Daoke pointed at him and asked.

"If I stayed, who would protect Zisu, you?" Cheng Ziang asked.

"Me and Little Fengye, the two of us, feels like no problem, plus Yue’er is joining too," Hu Daoke put his arm around Feng’s shoulder and said.

"Do you think Zisu, upon finding us, would want me to go with him, or you?" Cheng Ziang continued questioning.

"Just say I’m not competent enough," Hu Daoke said unhappily.

"That’s actually the case," Cheng Ziang matter-of-factly spread his hands.

"You..." Hu Daoke was so infuriated that he was at a loss for words.

"Alright, let’s not argue about this matter," Baiyue slightly frowned and looked at Hu Daoke critically, "This is a command, not a request, there’s no room for refusal. After all, Cheng Ziang is the Deputy Captain, and he has the authority to mobilize the Advance Team members. Do you think you are so high and mighty that only if Luo’er personally asks, will it be acceptable?"

"I get it, I’ll just stay behind..." Hu Daoke, scratching his head and speaking somewhat sullenly added, "After such a long time not seeing each other, I didn’t expect you to turn your back on me too."

"In any case, while we’re away, you must keep an eye on Yichuan Ying and make sure the Demon Clan doesn’t target her. If there’s a conflict with the Demon Clan, don’t succumb to their threats. You are an Advance Team member under the jurisdiction of Captain Luo’er, not the Demon Clan’s army," instructed Cheng Ziang.

"I don’t need you to teach me that, I know what to do," Hu Daoke waved his hand and said despondently.

"This journey is perilous, not only do we have to cross territories of the three great aristocratic families, but also seas. We must be extremely cautious," Cheng Ziang continued.

"Speaking of crossing the sea, I think it’s wise of me to stay behind," said Hu Daoke, somewhat guiltily.

"Coward," Cheng Ziang rolled his eyes.

"You’re not a coward because you have ancestors to rely on, what about me?" Hu Daoke retorted unabashedly.

"Enough, let’s stop arguing. It’s settled then," Baiyue earnestly stated, "Whether it’s those heading to Aximiya Island or those staying here, everyone must be extra cautious. The war has been going on for a long time; it’s time to put an end to it."

After a brief rest, on the second day at the frontline, Zisu led Cheng Ziang, Baiyue, and the others, embarking on the southward sea-crossing journey.

Perhaps out of trust for the Advance Team, Zisu brought only a few attendants to help carry supplies, with all security being the responsibility of the Advance Team members. Her trust in the Advance Team seemed rooted not only in Luo’er’s influence but also in the formidable combat abilities they had shown.

The group rode horses, avoiding the confrontational frontlines and taking backroads to enter the territories of the three great aristocratic families. Although in a state of war, both sides still had interactions.

Their main communicative counterparts were traders from Kyushu. These people were not part of the Demon Clan and bore no goodwill towards the aristocratic families, thus blithely indifferent to the ongoing conflict, often navigating between the frontlines, risking their lives for profit.

However, with the intensity of the war escalating, life hasn’t been easy for these traders. Their trade activities significantly harmed the interests of the three aristocratic families, resulting in frequent targeting and often ending up with the loss of both goods and personnel.

In these circumstances, most of these Kyushu traders have sided with the Demon Clan, planting many spies in the cities of the three aristocratic families, keeping a vigilant eye on every move of the aristocratic families.

This time, the group’s operation benefited from these traders’ assistance, providing intelligence, including patrol routes of the mansion guards, etc. The information helped Zisu and the others effectively evade the patrols and roundups by the aristocratic families, and even allowed them respite in inns along the way as necessary.

The contradictions between the traders and the aristocratic families were nearly irreconcilable, meaning even if some traders sided with the aristocratic families, most remained their adversaries, as competing interests naturally breed disputes.

Thus, with the traders’ assistance, the group cautiously navigated through the territories of the three aristocratic families, taking twenty-three days, and finally reached the coast from the Southwest of West Outer Heaven.

The East Continent also had canal transportation, but like the West Continent, it was limited to coastal operation. Both the East and West Continents faced threats from Leviathans in the deep sea, deterring any ventures into deep waters.

There was a nearly ten-kilometer-wide shallow sea route from the East Continent to Aximiya Island, where ships could navigate to effectively avoid Leviathan threats, as the water depth along this route was only around ten meters deep, making it impossible for even the smallest Leviathans to traverse.

Yet, despite the existence of such a route, the boats traveling from the Continent to Aximiya Island were few. It seems that even the profit-driven traders harbored apprehensions towards Aximiya Island.

This was not only because the Kyushu Empire suffered a catastrophic defeat in their campaign to conquer Aximiya Island, but also due to their fear of the Ghost Race.

The Ghost Race, as told among the people of Kyushu, were portrayed as a group of dwarf monsters adept in Witchcraft and Curse Arts, capable of soul-snatching, often killing invisibly.

Moreover, the environmental conditions on Aximiya Island were harsh, only barely survivable by the Ghost Race. Traders had attempted island trade before, and most perished from diseases contracted on the island, heightening further the fears, deterring more from daring to venture onto the island.

As for these rumors, Cheng Ziang and the others were largely skeptical. As the saying goes, "hearing is false, seeing is believing," and to truly understand Aximiya Island and the Ghost Race, one must visit the island.

These rumors, like many of their kind from the feudal era, are imbued with bizarre absurdities, thus should not be too credulously accepted. The reason is simple, because it has been proven that in Otherworld, no such thing as ghosts exists—it’s all nearly the effects of magic.