Immortal Martial Academy - Chapter 43

Li Junlin’s speed was swift, but even he couldn’t keep up with the vastness of this underground space. He lost count of how many marble bombs he had thrown.

For smaller convergence points, he used 1st Rank marble bombs, while for larger ones, he deployed 2nd or 3rd Rank bombs.

After one and a half hours, Li Junlin flew into the water-filled cavern.

Having exchanged the Stealth Bracelets with Linyang earlier, Li Junlin continued tossing marble bombs as he proceeded.

Once Li Junlin left, Lan Yuecai looked at Linyang, then down towards the pond below, noticing that it seemed to be draining away.

With this realization, Lan Yuecai retrieved various bottles and jars, starting to pour their contents into the water cave.

Linyang watched Lan Yuecai, and if not for his armored helmet obscuring his expression, it would have been a bewildered “⊙▽⊙”.

“What are you doing? Adding poison?” Linyang’s voice echoed in the temporary communications squad room.

“Adding poison? No way! I’m actually purifying the water; must be your mistake,” Lan Yuecai responded through the temporary communication channel.

Ignoring the vibrant colors, Linyang might have believed her explanation.

The poison in Lan Yuecai’s hand was purchased from Mao Mao. By diluting it in the water now, she could delay its onset.

Lan Yuecai calculated that it should take around six to seven hours for the poison to take effect, coinciding with the anticipated time of battle against the Alien Race’s forces.

With ample funds, Lan Yuecai had stocked up on various items, with poisons being her primary focus, while Li Junlin specialized in marble bombs.

Linyang was speechless, knowing at a glance what Li Junlin must be doing.

Having requested numerous marble bombs last night and borrowing a Stealth Bracelet just moments ago, it was clear he was setting traps all over the place.

After dispersing the poison, Lan Yuecai put away the bottle and glanced below, satisfied. “Hmm! Perfect, once the water flows, no traces will be visible.”

Let’s set aside Li Junlin for now. Chen Beixuan also borrowed Stealth Bracelets from Jiu Xian’er and Linyue, giving him a total of six hours’ coverage. As long as nothing goes wrong, much can be accomplished within those six hours.

Emerging from the water cave, Chen Beixuan reached the seabed but didn’t rush to leave. Instead, he observed underwater for half an hour, noting the scarcity of alien activity, before cautiously making his exit.

As Chen Beixuan cautiously emerged from the water’s surface, he found himself in a vast chamber resembling an underground cavern.

Scattered around were light bulbs, clearly indicating support from the Alien Race’s rear forces.

Chen Beixuan began inspecting the area, occasionally encountering Flame Rats, but his Stealth Bracelet kept him undetected.

“Fuck! Another dirty job assigned to me.” A 4th Rank Flame Rat grumbled as it approached, dragging a corpse behind.

Chen Beixuan narrowed his eyes, recognizing the fallen warrior from the military.

He stealthily followed, passing through several caves until they reached one filled with human bones.

Glancing around, Chen Beixuan identified it as a Space Altar, surrounded by a thick layer of Human Race remains.

Suppressing his fury, Chen Beixuan felt a surge of killing intent within him, yet he meticulously controlled it, knowing it was not yet the right time.

After the 4th Rank Flame Rat departed, Chen Beixuan swiftly set up marble bombs. The Space Altar served as a crucial source of reinforcements for the Alien Race; destroying it would isolate the Fifth Stronghold like a lone boat adrift.

After about fifteen minutes, Chen Beixuan completed his preparations. During this time, another Flame Rat Alien arrived to dispose of corpses.

Thinking quickly, Chen Beixuan followed, noticing the alien grumbling along the way.

“F**k, they’re already dead, yet we can’t even have a bite before sending them to the altar.”

Approximately half an hour later, the Flame Rat Alien entered a cave.

As Chen Beixuan observed the cave, his eyes lit up – it was filled with hanging prison cells, each made from alloy and suspended overhead.

Below these cells, there was a platform now devoid of any aliens, presumably because they had gone to rest.

Chen Beixuan approached and scanned the display screens one by one until he found the cell holding the Hundred Battles Squad.

His heart tightened as he noticed that three members were marked deceased, leaving only two alive. However, instead of panicking, he began carefully observing his surroundings.

The cave had only one exit, which was where he had entered.

Surveying the guards, he counted at least thirty-six Flame Rat Aliens, including ten 3rd Rankers, with the rest being 2nd Rank.

Rescuing anyone under such heavy guard seemed like a fool’s errand.

Chen Beixuan stepped out of the cavern, surveying the numerous interconnected tunnels around them. For anyone unfamiliar with this maze, entering would undoubtedly lead to death.

Their luck had been crucial; otherwise, completing this mission would have been nearly impossible.

Returning to the water cave, Chen Beixuan handed back the Stealth Bracelets to Jiu Xian’er and Linyue, then studied the map they had drawn earlier.

From their current location to the prison cells, there were at least a dozen different passages. To rescue the captives, these entrances needed to be blocked effectively.

He retrieved marble bombs and the poison used by Li Junlin previously.

An idea gradually formed in Chen Beixuan’s mind.

Gathering the trio together, he instructed, “Linyue, you’ll place the marble bombs at each entrance along with the poison. Ensure they’re set deep inside to delay the Black Rats’ tunneling efforts.

Jiu Xian’er, once we initiate our plan, throw these poisons liberally on the cave walls, sparing no amount.”

After assigning tasks, Chen Beixuan checked the time, “Let’s rest for now. It’s currently 5 PM. The military’s attack begins at 7 PM, and we’ll move at 7:20 PM.”

Jiu Xian’er and Linyue nodded, settling down to rest within the water cave.

Meanwhile, Li Junlin was fervently busy, placing marble bombs throughout the tunnels. These small devices could easily be tossed on the ground and triggered with a single stomp.

As he mapped out the area, Li Junlin also strategically positioned the marble bombs. Along his path, the highest-ranked aliens encountered were 4th Rank.

Studying the map, Li Junlin identified three exits. At each exit, he buried at least a thousand 3rd Rank marble bombs along with Bone Dissolving Powder. Once detonated, the powder would mix with the soil, ensuring that every Black Rat digging towards these exits would meet its demise instantly. Even if they tried filling the holes with their lives, by then, all the hidden marble bombs would have already exploded.

To ensure success, Li Junlin never stopped, scattering marble bombs wherever he went. Initially dropping them one by one, later he began tossing handfuls at a time. By 6:30 AM, Li Junlin started retreating back towards the water cave.

Despite exploring for so long, Li Junlin had not yet determined the full extent of this underground space.

Had time allowed, he would have filled it entirely with marble bombs.

On their return journey, the number of Black Rats increased significantly, but Li Junlin managed to reach the water cave safely, albeit narrowly avoiding several close calls.

Linyang observed Li Junlin, relieved to see him unharmed. Li Junlin’s courage was extraordinary; otherwise, he wouldn’t have dared argue fiercely with his own father.

Lan Yuecai checked the time – there were only half an hour left before the legion’s assault began, and they needed to be prepared.

“The Captain found the Hundred Battles Squad. Once we finish our preparations here, we’ll join them,” Lan Yuecai announced over the communication channel.

The three nodded and entered the Battle Team’s shared communications.

“Rest up quickly and head over when ready. We need your assistance,” Chen Beixuan’s voice echoed through the channel.