Chapter 129: The Ambush

As the duty officer for the battlefield, Yang possessed certain privileges, including the freedom to enter and exit any location within the combat zone at will. This visit was no exception; once he had finished issuing his instructions, he vanished in a flash, returning to the palace of the Yadala insectoids.

This left Liu Zong and his companions in a difficult position. Concerned about reporting the mission details to the headmaster as soon as possible, they intended to leave the map immediately. However, the portals for entering and exiting the map were located at the palace, which was still a great distance away.

Liu Zong looked at Xu Ying and the others, stating simply, "Let us leave together. We shall report the mission status to the headmaster first, then return later to determine our next steps."

He glanced at a nearby hotel and added, "It will take at least a day to walk from here to the palace. Perhaps we should check the hotel for flying mounts; that would allow us to submit our report much faster."

Xu Ying and the others had no objections. They had grown weary of the forest over the past few days, and with a rare opportunity to leave, they were eager to exit the map and rest properly in the real world.

The group descended from the hillside, with Lu Shang taking the lead. They followed a side path and quickly reached the vicinity of the hotel. Familiar with the area, Lu Shang went to secure five flying mounts. After feeding the large locusts, the group climbed onto their backs.

Their spirits lifted considerably. The flight to their current location had taken only about four hours, and they expected the return trip to be similar. The thought of grabbing dinner in the real world—while not providing any attribute bonuses, it certainly tasted more authentic than anything in the game—buoyed their mood as their thoughts drifted further afield.

Suddenly, Rena called out, "Our flight path seems wrong."

Liu Zong looked up and realized she was correct. The Yadala palace was at the southernmost point of the map, yet they were flying east. Suspecting that flying in a wide circle would not benefit the locusts, Liu Zong concluded that someone was plotting against them.

Without hesitation, Liu Zong drew his spear and thrust it into the head of his locust. "The mounts have been tampered with! Kill them!" he shouted.

Most players would be reluctant to kill their flying mounts for fear of falling to their deaths, but these large locusts were different. They did not fly at high altitudes and had to land and leap again every thousand meters or so. Liu Zong and his team struck just as the locusts were descending. They were barely twenty meters from the ground, a distance from which a fall would cause little harm.

After dispatching the mounts, they had enough time to balance themselves in mid-air before landing safely. The locusts skidded forward another ten meters before collapsing. Liu Zong and his team quickly gathered around the carcasses to inspect them.

Lu Shang, being the most knowledgeable about such tactics, soon found evidence in the head of a locust. "Someone lured us in this direction. It seems our mission has attracted too much attention."

Xu Ying remarked coldly, "Perhaps we touched upon someone else’s interests. Otherwise, they wouldn't go to such lengths for a mere mission."

Yuan Ying remained silent, opting instead to equip all her gear. Rena clutched her book tightly, peering toward the east. "I feel a deep malice coming from afar. We must leave immediately. Once we are off the map, everything will be fine; they wouldn't dare act recklessly in the real world."

As they spoke, Liu Zong calculated their travel speed against the distance to the palace. He felt a growing sense of unease, as if he were being watched. Seeing that his companions had no interest in lingering to discuss their enemies, Liu Zong opened the map and said, "Let us head back along this road toward the hotel. It is more populated there; even if they have many people, they won't dare to surround and attack us openly."

His reasoning was sound, and the others nodded in agreement. The locusts had flown for less than an hour; even with the detour and difficult terrain, they could reach the hotel in three to five hours. Conversely, reaching the palace would take at least a day and a half, during which they would need to rest, eat, and sleep, making them vulnerable to further interference.

With no more to be said, they gathered their belongings and prepared to leave. After about an hour of travel, Yuan Ying suddenly stopped and stared in one direction.

Her behavior brought the group to a halt. "Is something wrong?" Liu Zong asked.

With a grave expression, Yuan Ying nodded. "I just saw a mark left by the Student Union. They are urgently summoning members to gather at coordinates 297.163. Every player who arrives will be granted a favor by Liu Gu."

"Liu Gu?" Liu Zong’s expression tightened. "The kid we met when we entered the map? What is the value of his favor?"

"He is one of the higher-ranked players in the Student Union," Yuan Ying explained. "His father, Liu Hanfeng, holds a high status in Yang City and founded the Cold Wind Mercenary Group. Liu Gu is his only son, so his favor is effectively a favor from the Cold Wind Mercenary Group. It carries significant weight."

"I see. It seems they are the ones behind the sabotaged mounts. They have their eyes on our mission," Liu Zong said calmly, though a flicker of murderous intent crossed his eyes. He suppressed it, knowing they were no match for Liu Gu at the moment. Their safety was the priority.

Liu Zong turned to Lu Shang. "Lu Shang, I may need your help again. We will head to the hotel. Can you find out who has received this signal and gone to assist Liu Gu?"

Lu Shang did not hesitate. "Consider it done. This is my specialty. I will head out now and catch up with you in an hour. I should have the information by then."

With that, Lu Shang vanished. Watching him go, Liu Zong sighed, "If only Lu Shang were stronger. Let us prepare for battle."