Chapter 50: Two Competitions, Let’s Go!
Chapter 50: Two Competitions, Let’s Go!
Wang Che felt that the boundary area was like a small community.
It also resembled another small world, separate from the distant society of Tianxin City.
Wang Che looked back, but he could no longer see the silhouette of Tianxin City at the edge of his vision.
Around him, he saw many Soul Pact Masters wearing various Soul Guiding Devices and carrying massive weapons.
Most of them did not have their Soul Pets following them, as the Soul Pets were inside their Soul Rings.
They were only released during battles.
Amid the bustling crowd, most people were whispering quietly.
Some were waiting for their companions to gather, while others were cleaning their weapons.
Some had released their Soul Pets, feeding and petting them.
Wang Che sensed a unique aura emanating from them.
Sharp, cold, and silent…
He shook his head slightly and followed the staff for over ten minutes until they arrived at the Military Base guarding the boundary.
The Military Base was guarded by armed personnel carrying real weapons.
They were all Soul Pact Masters.
Even before approaching, special Mechanical Soul Pets called Vigilance Eagles circled overhead, observing the area.
These Vigilance Eagles were equipped with various small Soul Guiding Devices, allowing them to monitor every movement in all directions.
They also possessed strong offensive capabilities and air superiority.
They were even more formidable than drones.
As they approached the entrance of the Military Base, Wang Che saw a Soul Pet as large as the stone lions guarding ancient gates: the Tomb Guardian Hound.
And it was fully armed.
Even the Soul Pet was equipped with various Soul Guiding Devices Wang Che had never seen before. From a distance, it looked incredibly intimidating.
“Hey, you’re finally here! We were waiting for you!”
As soon as they entered, a cheerful voice called out from afar.
Wang Che followed the sound and saw a one-eyed man in a green-black military uniform waving at the staff.
Behind him stood three young students and their Soul Pets.
One boy and two girls.
They were likely his companions for this journey.
“You must be Wang Che, the champion of Tianxin City’s Dawn Cup. Wow, it really is just a Green Caterpillar…”
The one-eyed man immediately noticed the Green Caterpillar behind Wang Che, who was looking around curiously like a country bumpkin entering the city.
The little Green Caterpillar had been extremely excited ever since leaving Tianxin City, and it never stopped gazing around.
“This is Deputy Officer Li Jinghong. He will arrange everything for this wilderness expedition…”
The staff member introduced.
“Hello, Deputy Officer Li,” Wang Che said with a smile.
Among the three students behind Deputy Officer Li, the boy’s gaze was fixed on the Green Caterpillar, looking very intrigued.
The two girls, however, were looking at Wang Che and didn’t seem very interested in the Green Caterpillar.
Hmm…
“Alright, since everyone is here, let’s register first, and then we’ll set off.”
Deputy Officer Li waved his hand. “No time to waste.”
After saying this, he took Wang Che inside to register and handed him a small Communicator.
“Carry this Communicator with you. Once you enter the Floating Forest, do not go beyond its range. It’s used to track your location. If you encounter danger, press the red button, and the Soul Pact Masters we’ve arranged will come to rescue you in time.”
The Communicator looked like a wristwatch and was very convenient to wear.
Afterward, Wang Che and the other three followed Deputy Officer Li onto a modified military off-road vehicle.
Once inside, Wang Che noticed an elderly man in the back seat.
He had his eyes closed and seemed to be blind.
He was thin, with gray hair, and wore simple cloth clothes, looking like a farmer.
Based on Wang Che’s experience, he could tell at a glance that this old man was no ordinary person.
The old man was leaning to the side with his eyes closed, taking a nap.
“Deputy Officer Li, is this old man coming with us?” the male student suddenly asked.
“Him? Don’t worry about him,” Deputy Officer Li coughed lightly.
“Oh…” The male student moved aside with his Soul Pet.
“By the way, there’s something I forgot to tell you,” Deputy Officer Li suddenly said. “There are two competitions for you during this expedition into the Floating Forest.”
“Two competitions?” the male student asked in surprise.
“Yes,” Deputy Officer Li said with a smile. “There are thirty-three cities in the Xiyue Continent, and each city has one Dawn Cup champion. They will all enter the Floating Forest from different locations for this expedition. Of course, given the vastness of the Floating Forest, it’s unlikely you’ll meet them.”
“The Military Bases stationed around the Floating Forest in our Xiyue Continent have prepared two small competitions for you future Soul Pact Masters.”
As he said this, Deputy Officer Li lightly tapped the Communicator on his wrist.
A pattern immediately appeared.
The pattern was very interesting.
It was a bright red flower.
“Let’s talk about the second competition first. This is a flower found in the Floating Forest called the Heart-Splitting Flower. It usually grows near Soul Beasts like the Heart-Splitting Ant. Harvesting it can be somewhat dangerous.”
Deputy Officer Li continued, “The more you collect, the better the rewards we’ll give you, but only if you can ensure your safety. During your expedition, I don’t expect too much. Just pick up as many as you can.”
“It all depends on you. After entering the Floating Forest, I personally recommend you stick together so you can look out for each other. Of course, you can also go alone.”
“Don’t force yourselves to compete. After all, there are many more treasures to be found in the Soul Land during your expedition.”
Overall, this small competition was a reward prepared for high school students venturing into the Soul Land.
Wang Che knew about the Heart-Splitting Ant Soul Beast.
It was highly aggressive and would attack any humans who approached their nests.
Their saliva contained a strong paralyzing toxin, but in modern times, after processing, it became a life-saving medicine for certain incurable diseases.
However, these Soul Beasts were very difficult to tame, and the saliva from artificially bred Heart-Splitting Ants couldn’t be processed.
It could only be obtained from the wild.
It was quite peculiar.
As for the Heart-Splitting Flower, Wang Che didn’t know its purpose.
After leaving the area around Tianxin City, his Communicator signal became very weak, and internet searches were extremely slow.
Especially after driving past the massive wall, the signal was completely lost, and even basic communication was impossible.
Only the military Communicator given by Deputy Officer Li still had a signal…
The true wilderness began after leaving that giant wall.
Wang Che saw a vast, endless grassland—a real grassland.
It was different from the artificially cultivated forests he had seen before.
After driving a few hundred meters, the vehicle stopped.
“From here onward, it’s the wilderness. About fifty miles ahead is the entrance to the Floating Forest. Later, I’ll give you a map. You’ll have to find your way into the Floating Forest yourselves. The first competition, the training expedition, begins now.”
“The requirement is simple: the faster you reach the Floating Forest from here, the better the rewards.”
Deputy Officer Li said, “If you have any questions, ask me now. When you’re ready, let me know.”
“If you plan to travel together, it’s best to get to know each other beforehand. Introduce your Soul Pets, their roles, and their Soul Skills to one another.”
“I recommend you pair up in groups of two. You can reach the entrance faster, and then you can split the rewards equally.”
Deputy Officer Li explained everything in great detail.
He was likely very experienced, as this happened every year.
Wang Che and the others asked a few simple questions.
For example, how many days would they be exploring in the Floating Forest? And so on.
They also got to know their three companions a little better.
One could say… they were all from wealthy or noble families.
The boy was good-looking, named Chen Fei, tall and thin, wearing glasses. His Soul Pet was a Rare Soul Pet: the Swift Thunder War Eagle.
Swift Thunder… well, it wasn’t a Thunder-Type Soul Pet.
It was a Sky Element Soul Pet known for its extreme speed.
It had evolved twice and had a Soul Power Cultivation of one hundred and ninety years.
The two girls were both very attractive. One of them had a particularly striking figure, unlike what you’d expect from a high school student.
Her name was Cheng Cheng, with a ponytail, wearing specialized travel gear, giving off a capable vibe.
Her Soul Pet was also a Rare Soul Pet: the Golden Bramble Grass.
It had evolved twice and had a Soul Power Cultivation of two hundred years.
This Plant-Type Soul Pet, being a plant, could freely control its size and appearance.
Wang Che first noticed it when he saw it on the girl’s ponytail…
When it jumped down, it was only palm-sized and looked quite cute.
But it was not to be underestimated…
The last girl had a more average figure but was even more beautiful, with a delicate and charming appearance.
Her Soul Pet was still a Rare Soul Pet: the Rolling Rock Weasel.
Its Soul Power Cultivation was over one hundred and ninety years.
Although Wang Che didn’t plan to travel with them, he still took the time to learn a bit about the three.
Once everyone was ready,
facing the endless grassland, he contemplated and prepared to set off…