“As you wish.”
When the vehicle arrived at their destination, yellow and black caution tape and iron chains had already cordoned off a structure resembling a cave.
Unsurprisingly, this was the entrance to the newly discovered Secret Realm.
Once the engine cut out, Bai Xiaodu lightly hopped down from the vehicle. He had already spotted President Liu waiting in the distance.
Catching sight of the two silver fox ears and the signature fluffy long tail of the person accompanying Director-General Shen, President Liu's eyes widened in disbelief.
He rubbed his eyes vigorously, and upon confirming he wasn't seeing things, his face filled with utter shock.
“Bai Xiaodu?”
“Ah, long time no see, President Liu.”
“It really has been a while. But why are you with Director-General Shen right now...?”
President Liu suddenly remembered.
He had once jokingly told Bai Xiaodu that if he could somehow align himself with Director-General Shen, he would never have to worry about the rest of his life.
And now, Director-General Shen was leaning coldly against the car, inspecting the cave, while Bai Xiaodu stood quietly by her side. The two of them looked incredibly natural together.
It was as if they were already very close.
Wait, you actually managed to pull it off?!
Bai Xiaodu smiled.
“It's a long story, but let's skip the formalities for now.”
“Director-General Shen brought me here to participate in the Secret Realm. Please, lead the way.”
President Liu wanted to say more, but he was choked up by Bai Xiaodu's words. He could only open and close his mouth before giving up.
Stepping over soft, wild grass and muddy earth, the light gradually dimmed.
Bai Xiaodu slowly walked through the cave.
Ensuring that Director-General Shen was far enough behind and not following them directly, President Liu led the way while quietly leaning closer to Bai Xiaodu, deliberately lowering his voice.
“Uh, Xiaodu, do you even know what a Secret Realm is?”
“Of course. Not only do I know, but I've even cleared one before.”
President Liu's face immediately turned speechless.
When they first met, Bai Xiaodu had left a pretty good impression on him.
Why was he bragging with a straight face now?
Just a week or two ago, this kid didn't even know what gods or Pathways were.
And you've cleared a Secret Realm? Have you even seen one?!
Really unable to understand why Director-General Shen had brought Bai Xiaodu here, President Liu had no choice but to ask directly.
“Alright, Bai Xiaodu, now is not the time to joke around. Be serious.”
“If you want to take over a Secret Realm guide to cultivate, you shouldn't have come so early.”
“After all, even the Explorers Association is currently stuck, and we haven't fully figured out the mechanics of this 'Fearless' Secret Realm yet.”
“The main god of this Pathway is the Five-Headed Scourge. No one knows if the subsequent trials will turn into some brutal, gladiator-style arena.”
Therefore, the danger was on a completely different level compared to dealing with street gangs. Moreover, this Secret Realm was a small-scale one, meaning it barred those above the apprentice rank from entering.
Even for a powerhouse like Director-General Shen, attempting a forced rescue would be extremely difficult.
After all, if the Secret Realm overloaded, it could instantly collapse. She might survive, but the rest of them would basically be having their funerals.
As a newcomer, you should just watch and learn from the sidelines first.
“It's best to wait a bit. Director-General Shen said she was bringing an extremely powerful Warlock Apprentice. Once he arrives, he'll group up with some veterans at the apprentice rank.”
“Once the strategy guide is out, I'll apply for a spot on your behalf so you can follow behind them and get a piece of the pie.”
“Don't blame this old man for looking down on you; that's not my intention. You've only been learning spells for a very short time, and your foundation is too shallow.”
“To be honest, even if Director-General Shen wants you to follow the second-tier team, I still think it's too early.”
“A Secret Realm is no joke. People die all the time. Even if she wants to train her subordinates, she shouldn't use such harsh methods.”
“Anyway... since we're already here, let me show you the entrance up close.”
Bai Xiaodu remained calm and spoke.
His words made President Liu freeze for a moment.
“When it comes to eating meat, I've always preferred the first bite. I have no interest in settling for leftovers.”
With his hands behind his back, he swayed side to side, stretching his muscles. His joints popped and cracked like roasting beans.
The system's basic talent didn't make him taller, but it made his muscle tissue much denser, packed with latent explosive power.
Thus, from a distance, his height combined with the classic look of the silver fox-kin made him look like an easy target.
But once anyone actually came into physical contact with him, they would realize his muscle density was terrifyingly high.
That was exactly how the library supervisor's head had been punched into pieces, one blow after another.
Bai Xiaodu finished warming up.
This old man was actually quite decent. Knowing that Director-General Shen's Pathway was incredibly ruthless, he was trying to warn him both directly and indirectly.
But... he was overthinking it.
Bai Xiaodu had actually cleared an entire Secret Realm by himself!
What was there to fear from this "Fearless" Pathway?
Avoid its edge?
Bai Xiaodu said calmly.
“To tell you the truth, I am the Warlock Apprentice Director-General Shen said she was bringing.”
“...You are?”
“What reason would I have to lie about this? If you don't believe me, you can just go back out and ask Director-General Shen yourself.”
“But—but, Bai Xiaodu, this is truly dangerous! You've lived in the city and have never experienced real combat, yet you're going straight into a live mission? And you're going to be the captain?”
Bai Xiaodu chuckled.
“Trust me, President Liu.”
“There is no force more powerful than belief. Besides, I am someone Director-General Shen thinks highly of.”
“Speaking of which, you really are a senior who cares deeply about your juniors.”
President Liu wanted to cry but had no tears.
His old, wrinkled face crumpled even further.
“No, can you stop raising death flags? My granddaughter is also going in this time!”
“I already have one foot in the grave. I'm just hoping she can make something of herself. If you end up getting her killed, how am I supposed to go on living?!”
Bai Xiaodu: “...”
Haha.
What a waste of emotion. He thought the old man was actually worrying about him.
No wonder he had been trying so hard to persuade him.
For the rest of the walk, the two remained silent.
However, after learning that the Bai Xiaodu standing before him was indeed the powerful Warlock Apprentice Director-General Shen had recruited, President Liu's face looked as utterly miserable as if he were mourning a tragedy.
Soon, a faint red glow began to leak into view.
Turning the final corner, Bai Xiaodu stopped.
He saw a massive, illusory portal glowing with red light in the distance.
He also saw his teammates, who were already waiting there.
One of them was a human girl wearing light green hunter's garb, carrying a dark gray longbow made of an unknown wooden material.
She looked about seventeen or eighteen years old, with delicate features and a somewhat shy expression.
The moment President Liu saw her, he immediately rushed over and began whispering to her.
Presumably, this was his granddaughter.
Bai Xiaodu shrugged.
This old man wasn't bad. He would make sure to keep a close eye on his granddaughter inside the Secret Realm.
The other teammate was a Winged human male who looked incredibly honest and reliable. He was shirtless, holding a slender silver blade.
Strange patterns were etched across his well-defined muscles, and a pair of grayish-brown wings sprouted from his back. Notably, his limbs were long and slender, and his build was exceptionally agile.
Seeing Bai Xiaodu approach, the two of them exchanged a glance before speaking in unison with loud, clear voices.
“Hello, Captain Bai Xiaodu.”
“I am Liu Qingzhu, a Rank 0.6 Ranger Apprentice. I can boost the team's movement speed and specialize in long-range sniping.”
“I am Tromand, a Rank 0.9 Ranger Apprentice. I excel at high-speed flight, possess high mobility, and specialize in aerial combat and assassination strikes.”
That's a bit strange. Why are they both Rangers?
Does this Secret Realm heavily require speed?
But it didn't matter.
Bai Xiaodu's gaze drifted, seemingly by chance, to the skill icon of the Roaming Dragon Technique.
Rate on N.U.
