Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 568 - 561: Martial Law Along the Road

Chapter 568: Chapter 561: Martial Law Along the Road

The group proceeded along the road towards Yazhi City and though everything seemed peaceful along the way, it was oddly so. In the span of almost a week, the Advance Team could see military movements every day. The troops of the Church Court were being mobilized and so were those of Odelanqi. They could even spot the troops from neighboring countries within Odelanqi’s territory. Luo’er was constantly curious as to what on Earth was transpiring between Odelanqi and the Church Court.

He tried to inquire the Headquarters but his questions were mostly met with silence. In place of answers, the Headquarters constantly urged them with orders to reach their station as soon as possible.

With various questions in mind, the Advance Team finally reached Yazhi City in about ten days. The atmosphere in Yazhi City was suspiciously eerie. Even during the day, the city gates remained firmly closed. Massive amounts of Church Court’s troops were deployed around the Otherworld Gate, making it utterly impassable, seemingly prepared for something serious.

"Does this mean another war is coming?" Hu Daoke glanced at the troops of the Church Court and couldn’t help but express his worry.

"I highly doubt it, I haven’t heard of any intent of war from either the Earth or the Otherworld." Cheng Ziang said.

"Look at their ready and alert formation, these are all elite troops of the Church Court. Even if the United Nations has fifty divisions, I doubt they could break through this siege." Hu Daoke added.

"Are we really going to war?" Even Luo’er began to worry, he then turned to Zhuyan Yu.

"At present, there are no plans for military action against the Otherworld internally. Moreover, the current international opinion believes that peaceful development is the best approach for Earthlings and Otherworlders to coexist. After the devastating defeat in the third Otherworld War, hardly any countries left on Earth are capable of organizing another war against the Otherworld." Zhuyan Yu reassured.

"So, who is this massive troop preparing against?" Hu Daoke couldn’t help but ask.

"I’m not quite sure, we may only know once we get to our station." Zhuyan Yu shrugged.

The carriage traveled along the gravel road towards their station, passing many troops along the way. Upon reaching the outskirts checkpoint of their station, Luo’er was momentarily mistaken to believe that he had crossed back to Earth.

The mercenaries manning the checkpoint were all dressed in one-piece protective suits, wearing bizarre gas masks. As they saw the carriage approaching, they all grew tense. A Captain-looking mercenary stepped forward to halt them, while the rest of the troops raised their weapons.

Luo’er got down from the carriage and communicated with the mercenaries in Chinese. As these people were hired by the Headquarters, the Captain had a decent command of Chinese. Moreover, with its specific anti-fraud nature, the accuracy of Chinese tonal accents can easily be detected.

After asking a few simple questions, the mercenary Captain confirmed the identities of the Advance Team members and gestured to his comrades to let them pass. However, Luo’er didn’t get back into the carriage straight away. Instead, he asked in Tasta language, "What happened around here recently? Why are you dressed like this?"

"Not sure," the mercenary Captain answered. "Higher-ups ordered us to put this on. We can only follow orders. Why we’re doing this, we do not know."

"Alright!" Luo’er nodded, then got back on the carriage and ordered the coachman to drive through the checkpoint.

"Did you figure it out?" As soon as they got back on, Hu Daoke asked anxiously.

"They also do not know what happened." Luo’er shook his head.

"Strange, what are these guys putting on protective suits for? Don’t tell me there’s a chemical weapons leak in the Otherworld?" Hu Daoke said with a furrowed brow, hand on his chin.

Hearing their conversation, Baiyue, seated on the side, suddenly had a thought. She slowly moved closer to Luo’er and gently tugged his sleeve.

"What’s up?" Luo’er asked, glancing at her.

Baiyue shook her head and slowly leaned in, whispering a few words in his ear. At her words, Luo’er instantly felt a chill up his spine.

"Can’t you just talk to us directly?" Tangmo pouted, actually feeling discontented with Baiyue taking the initiative to approach Luo’er.

"What did she say?" Cheng Ziang inquired.

After looking around at everyone with a grave expression, Luo’er spoke up, "Yue’er suspects, could it be... genetic weapons!"

"Genetic weapons!" Luo’er’s words instantly stunned everyone. The members of the advance team immediately recalled what had happened on Lipei. Not just them, Zhuyan Yu, who was usually relatively calm, couldn’t help but frown.

If it were indeed genetic weapons, then the problem would be quite severe. That technology was Earth’s most notorious example of a biological weapon. Once deployed, it would kill people with specific genes. Before Fu’en opened the Otherworld Gate to let the Otherworld army attack, he gave those Otherworld soldiers a solution of genetic weapons, hoping to kill the forces on the other side of the Otherworld Gate.

Actually, if you look at it logically, Fu’en, after being apprehended by Headquarters, could only face the death penalty, as he committed a crime against humanity. But considering that he understood how to open the gate to the Otherworld and that the advance team had thwarted his plan, the Headquarters decided to spare his life on the condition that he cooperated with them.

In the shock, Cheng Ziang was the first to regain his composure, and with a furrowed brow, asked, "But, genetic weapons infect specific races. Why would those mercenaries need to wear hazmat suits? And it still doesn’t explain why the Church Court’s army is waiting in battle formation near the Otherworld Gate."

"Could it be that Earthlings plan to use genetic weapons against the Otherworlders?" Hu Daoke asked, his eyes wide in surprise.

"It’s unlikely. Although the nations of Earth pursue their own interests, they still maintain at least a basic sense of morality. Using genetic weapons to kill Otherworlders would bring unbearable public pressure on both the military and the government," Cheng Ziang analyzed.

"If Earthlings plan on using genetic weapons against Otherworlders, the Church Court’s army should have retreated from the Otherworld Gate after being warned. The fact that they’re stationed near the Otherworld Gate seems to prove that they’re not preparing for an attack from the Earth side," Luo’er added.

"If Earthlings truly plan on using genetic weapons against Otherworlders, it would mean that the situation has escalated beyond reconciliation. It’s either you die or I die. In such a scenario, the frontline command post deployed by Headquarters should retreat from the Otherworld, not continue to hold their ground," Zhuyan Yu responded after analyzing the situation.

"So what exactly is going on?" Looking at the consistent view shared by the three, Hu Daoke asked half exasperated, half amused.

"We aren’t certain. We will only know what they’re up to when we return to the station," Zhuyan Yu replied, shaking her head.

The carriage traveled along the road and finally reached an iron gate. After Luo’er paid the remainder of the fare, he dismissed their coachman. As soon as the two guards at the gate saw the return of the advance team, they immediately opened the gate to welcome them in.

The station was exactly the same as when the advance team had left, although there seemed to be many more handmaidens, who were scurrying about busily. On seeing them, Fulajie’er let out an excited cheer and drifted towards them.

"Fula, don’t show yourself, understand?" Luo’er called out anxiously from behind.

"Alright, got it!" Fulajie’er responded, then drifted towards a handmaiden who was busy working on a flowerbed. The handmaiden was taken aback momentarily, then began interacting with the unseen Fulajie’er, looking joyous.

Arriving at the station as soon as he received the communication, Li Si hurredly rushed over with a few other men. On seeing Zhuyan Yu, he bowed respectfully: "Teacher Zhu, welcome back!"

Zhuyan Yu gave a small smile and a slight nod as a reciprocation. Her rank was much higher than Li Si’s, and even though she was just a teacher, Li Si had to respect her.

"Brother Li, you promised us a plane ride home, but you left us hanging, making us chase wild boars in the mountains!" Hu Daoke said to Li Si, his face filled with grievance.

"I apologize, I truly apologize, there were circumstances beyond my control, otherwise I would have definitely brought you all back," Li Si said apologetically, waving his hands. Facing the members of the advance team, he showed no sign of a leader’s arrogance.