Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 337 - 330: Field Reconnaissance

Chapter 337: Chapter 330: Field Reconnaissance

"Forget it, forget it, I have to complete the mission anyway, what’s a mission again, huh?" Cheng Ziang shrugged, speaking indifferently.

"Much appreciated, be careful. The magic array being a bit far from the Otherworld Gate is fine as long as it is within 300 meters." Shariya said.

"Alright, I’ll go sort this out for you. If they have truly opened the Otherworld Gate, I will notify you at the first opportunity to go in." Cheng Ziang said.

"But how are we supposed to get in?" Tangmo, who was standing next to him, abruptly asked.

"There’s a sewer entrance in a secluded part of Lipei that they haven’t discovered yet. I’ll draw you a blueprint. Stay close to Lipei and wait for my instructions. As soon as they open the Otherworld Gate, I will use the signal gun to alert you to enter the city." Cheng Ziang talked while he turned to Luo’er: "Luo’er, give me the signal gun!"

"Stay safe!" Luo’er nodded, drew the signal gun from his waist and handed it to Cheng Ziang, giving him one last nagging reminder.

"Don’t worry, there’s still a Sword Saint in the city." Cheng Ziang, taking the signal gun, confidently said with a smile.

Seeing his confident appearance, Luo’er helplessly shook his head and then stepped forward to address the others, "You all listen up, I can let you complete the mission. But the moment the mission fails, no matter the reason, everyone needs to immediately evacuate Lipei City and wait outside. This is an absolute order, and I alone will be responsible for all the consequences. Understand?"

"Understood..." It was rare for Luo’er to concede himself, and although his words didn’t sound very pleasing, Tangmo and the others were already very satisfied.

After saying goodbye to everyone, Cheng Ziang, at dusk, returned to Lipei. By then, Masya’s army had already arrived at the city. But they seemed to be in conflict with the city’s guards, gathering into a large noisy group right outside the city gate.

The appearance of these people interfered with Cheng Ziang’s plans to enter the city. Only after a great detour did he finally arrive at the sewer entrance. Once he saw there was no one around, he crawled into the city.

Once on the streets, Cheng Ziang understood why Masya’s army had formed such a commotion at the city gate. These people began searching for a place to set up camp as soon as they entered the city, causing havoc everywhere. Fortunately, they didn’t dare to mess with the taverns filled with mages drinking and enjoying themselves.

After avoiding these uncouth individuals, Cheng Ziang finally made it back to the tavern and found Yalunte sitting at the door, sipping his wine while curiously observing the rowdy soldiers on the street.

"You’re really relaxed, aren’t you? What did I tell you when I left?" Disgusted by his strong smell of alcohol, Cheng Ziang stepped forward with an unhappy expression, blocking Yalunte’s view.

"Oh, you’re back. I’ve just had one drink." Seeing Cheng Ziang approach, Yalunte quickly straightened up and greeted him cheerfully.

Cheng Ziang sighed, deciding not to pursue the issue further; instead he asked, "Did anything happen in the city after I left?"

"As you can see, these lunatics are running around all over the street." Yalunte pointed at the soldiers on the street and shrugged.

"Masya’s troops are already in the city, which probably means their plan is getting ready to be initiated." Cheng Ziang said with a grave expression upon seeing the people on the street.

"Did you get any assignments when you were out?" Yalunte, nursing his glass of wine, asked.

"Let’s talk about it in our room, and for heaven’s sake stop drinking!" Cheng Ziang seized the glass of wine from his hand and urged him to leave. Before Cheng Ziang, Yalunte always seemed on the backfoot, showing none of a Sword Saint’s alertness or response.

"This darned old man wants us to steal magic crystals, why doesn’t he just have us fetch the Otherworld Gate while he’s at it?" Alone in the room, looking at the blueprint Cheng Ziang handed over to him, Yalunte couldn’t help but shake his head and mumble.

"Hold your tongue, this is the best plan we have right now." Cheng Ziang rolled his eyes in response.

"There should be magic crystals among these mages, considering they would struggle to open the Otherworld Gate just by relying on atmospheric magic power. But with soldiers and mages all over this city, it won’t be easy to steal the magic crystals undetected." After some thought, Yalunte finally began to take the situation seriously.

"Imagine how great it would be if you were the Saint of Thieves, instead of a Sword Saint. That title hasn’t done you a bit of good." Cheng Ziang couldn’t help but say, looking at him.

"Heh," Yalunte chuckled, then said, "Thieves who steal things don’t have such good titles."

In Otherworld, concepts such as robbing the rich to aid the poor, or punishing the wicked and promoting the virtuous don’t exist, hence thieves will always be reviled, regardless of how skillful they are.

"Not only do we have to get the Magic Crystals, but we also have to find a suitable location to draw a Magic Array. This will facilitate their entry and immediate casting of spells. Dean Shariya said that the distance is best controlled within two hundred meters. So, while I was out of the city, did you conduct proper reconnaissance of the city’s conditions?" Cheng Ziang asked, looking at him.

"Of course I have, but I haven’t finished yet." Faced with Cheng Ziang’s gaze, Yalunte appeared very guilty. He averted his gaze, scarcely daring to meet Cheng Ziang’s eyes; then, he chuckled nervously.

"I knew it, give me the money back!" Cheng Ziang rapped, extending his hand.

"So stingy..." Yalunte reluctantly handed over the money bag, muttering under his breath and appearing as aggrieved as a child. He totally lacked the dignity that a sword saint should possess.

"Tomorrow we conduct reconnaissance together; it’s better to complete the task early. Masya’s army has arrived now, and the opening of the Otherworld Gate is imminent," Cheng Ziang sighed deeply as he took the money bag and tucked it back in his pocket.

"Don’t worry," Yalunte nonchalantly responded, "If things go sour, we’ll just off that Fu’en guy. I suspect he’s key to opening the Otherworld Gate. If we take him out, their reunion will be for naught."

"Are you mad? With so many enemies around, how would you escape after killing him?" Cheng Ziang retorted with a frown.

Upon hearing Cheng Ziang’s concern for his safety, Yalunte chuckled contentedly. His plan was extreme but nonetheless clever. Cheng Ziang wondered; if he could get Baiyue to assassinate this Summoner named Fu’en, could they thereby halt the Gate’s opening?

However, Cheng Ziang doubted that these people who had worked so hard to gather would just abandon their plan because of Fu’en’s death. They had many Mages to help. Even without Fu’en, they could open the Gate, albeit needing more time.

Regardless, this plan was only a last-ditch effort. Luo’er would never agree on this plan, let alone Cheng Ziang. Completing the task discreetly was the best way. Opened or not, the Otherworld Gate’s threat to Earth wasn’t too substantial.

Even if these characters had state-of-the-art technology, they could only resist for a few more minutes at best. Their lack of understanding of Earth inflated their confidence thinking that once they possess Earth’s weapons they could pose a threat. If Earth’s military tech could have been used in the Otherworld during the war, they would have been defeated even with Forbidden Curse Magic.

The next day, the two started their physical reconnaissance along the city streets. Lipei City wasn’t too big. Cheng Ziang estimated it to be about two kilometers of length from north to south and three kilometers of width from east to west. It was considered a big city during the Aud Empire period.

But since the Otherworld made contact with Earth, all the cities have been developing rapidly. The city walls became restrictions to the Magic Array. Most of the cities moved away from the protection of the city wall and built new areas outside the city directly.

The most typical example was Yazhi City. The Otherworld Gate was outside the city. The city center was built around the Otherworld Gate, leaving the enclosed walled city as the old city section without much development, while the new areas thrived.

After some rounds, Cheng Ziang finally found a spot suitable for drawing the Array. The location was part of the city wall, irregular in shape, with the farthest point about two kilometers from the Otherworld Gate and the nearest point about three hundred meters.

The two took advantage of an open spot and climbed onto the wall. The area was just wide enough to draw an Array. More importantly, the place was easy to defend but hard to attack. Anyone with a lance could block the ascending path, thus is an optimal place to start the Array.

The selected segment was taller than others. Standing on top, it commanded a clear view of the city. It was best suited for heavy firepower. From the wall, the two looked at the Otherworld Gate was located not too far away. It was not as impressive as the one in Yazhi City, but it looked majestic from this direction.

"Looks like we have our location, now we just need to figure out how to get the Magic Crystals." Cheng Ziang murmured to himself as he gazed upon the Otherworld Gate not too far off.

"What is your world like?" Yalunte suddenly asked, breaking Cheng Ziang’s contemplation.

"What?" Cheng Ziang turned around to look at him.

"Really, if I could visit your world someday...I do wish." Yalunte cast a glance at him and chuckled.

"You do have great timing," Cheng Ziang shook his head with a touch of exasperation, dismissing his own thoughts, "What good comes from an Otherworlder showing up on Earth, it’s too dangerous... You would never survive there."

"But you’re an Otherworlder too..." Yalunte felt a bit sore at hearing Cheng Ziang’s remark, and mumbled more to himself than to Cheng Ziang.

"What did you say!" Cheng Ziang had sharp hearing - he had caught what Yalunte had muttered. He turned around, furrowing his brows at Yalunte.