Translator: AnubisTL
"What is it?" Amy asked curiously.
"Based on its energy structure, it should be a type of shrine," Jieming explained, detailing the information he had gathered.
Victor frowned, his voice low. "A shrine guarded by Orc elites? Jieming, are you sure? The guards there must be battle-hardened Orc warriors, possibly even shamans who can wield the power of divine beings. The three of us..."
Amy gripped her staff tightly, her nervousness evident. "We've only just landed. Isn't it too risky to immediately provoke Orc elites?"
Jieming calmly glanced at them both. "Precisely because it's guarded by elites, their numbers will be small."
He elaborated, "To maintain maximum secrecy, the core security force of such a vital religious hub would never be large. They rely on elite personnel, likely no more than a dozen. The outer perimeter guards might be slightly more numerous, but still no more than a few hundred."
"Moreover, this shrine isn't particularly strong. My reconnaissance indicates that while the guardian units inside are competent, they fall within our capabilities."
He paused, then continued, "Secondly, we need to test the combat methods of this world's intelligent beings. We should observe how they use their transcendent powers and their fighting habits. This will help us understand our enemies. Furthermore, if we can capture any survivors, we might be able to gather intelligence."
"If their strength is within our capabilities, it's worth considering. After all... gathering intelligence is indeed crucial," Victor said, frowning in thought before nodding.
"We still don't know the specifics of this plane. At the very least, we need to obtain some basic enemy intelligence."
Amy nodded in agreement. "And language-related information too. After all, if we need to disguise ourselves later, that will be unavoidable..."
"And," Jieming pointed in the general direction of the shrine, "though this shrine isn't large, analyzing its energy fluctuations and structure suggests it serves as a faith nexus for the Orc forces in this region. It likely provides continuous blessings and healing to the Orcs on the frontline."
"Destroying it would significantly impact the battle in this area and earn us a substantial number of contribution points," he added. "More importantly, this is an excellent opportunity to refine our combat coordination as a team."
Victor and Amy exchanged glances and nodded in agreement—they were convinced.
Both understood that risk and opportunity went hand in hand.
Beyond the importance of intelligence, the contribution points from this final assessment were crucial. These weren't just numbers; they represented tangible benefits they would receive in the future.
"Since we've decided to attack, let's make it swift and decisive. We'll infiltrate their core area directly, strike with lethal precision, and decide whether to take prisoners based on the situation."
Seeing their agreement, Jieming quickly organized the plan: "After eliminating their core units, avoid prolonged engagements. Escape swiftly while eliminating any enemies attempting to pursue us."
Neither Victor nor Amy objected to his plan. Through their previous monster hunt, Jieming had implicitly established himself as their leader.
Amy nodded and pulled a spell artifact from her backpack. "I can use this to search souls for information. If we act quickly enough, it'll only take a dozen breaths."
"A fifth-tier spell artifact? You actually have something this good?" Jieming raised an eyebrow.
Victor, standing beside him, also looked surprised.
The artifact Amy produced was specifically designed for intelligence gathering, inscribed with the "Soul Search" Witchcraft Model.
Soul Search could be cast by first-tier wizards, but its effectiveness improved with the caster's rank.
When used by a first-tier wizard, the spell took a long time, yielded only fragmented information, and often produced useless results. Moreover, the target's soul would collapse under the spell's strain.
At the fifth-tier level, however, the spell could be cast in mere moments and could selectively target specific information.
Jieming had also prepared a similar artifact, but it wasn't as high-tier as Amy's. Since she had already produced hers, he decided to keep his own.
After all, as a team, it was best for everyone to contribute.
"Hehe... I only managed to get this thanks to my mother's connections," Amy said with an embarrassed smile.
Jieming nodded and immediately revised their plan. "In that case, let's modify our approach. I'll try to capture a relatively important enemy. Besides language information and basic intelligence, check their soul for any clues about the search for us wizards. If you can find their patrol routes, even better."
"Excellent," Victor agreed. "With that intel, we can determine our next course of action. If there are few enemies, we'll eliminate them on the spot. If they're too numerous, we'll exploit their weaknesses and escape."
This was their first time participating in a real planar battlefield, so even though the enemies weren't particularly strong, the trio remained cautious.
After finalizing their plan, they quickly reached a consensus, adjusted their preparations, and stealthily moved toward Jieming's chosen target.
On the tactical map constructed by his Five Aggregates Rainbow Transformation Mirror, every Orc patrol's movement trajectory was clearly visible, along with their faint life fluctuations and crude energy flows.
He chose the optimal infiltration route, avoiding all patrols and approaching the Shrine as silently as a ghost.
It was only now that Amy and Victor truly grasped the "terrifying" advantage Jieming's intelligence provided.
Under his guidance, their stealth felt like moving through an uninhabited realm.
Jieming would occasionally signal them to stop, then urge them to accelerate.
Anxious about being discovered, the two tacitly ceased using detection spells.
Yet even after reaching the core area, they remained undetected.
Finally, a faintly glowing cave appeared before them.
Inside the cave stood a small Shrine, constructed from rock and massive vines, its surface carved with primitive yet powerfully evocative totems.
Around the Shrine, ten burly Orc elites patrolled listlessly. Eight were warriors wielding massive axes, their muscles bulging, while the other two were shamans carrying bone staves and adorned with strange body paint.
Their auras were several times stronger than those of the monsters they had encountered earlier, reaching the level of third-tier apprentices. The two shamans had even reached the peak of the third-tier apprentice realm.
(End of the Chapter)