Chapter 357: Limited-Time Pursuit Mission
Just as Wise finished communicating with the chaotic ensemble of Chat Group members, he let out a slow, steadying breath. He settled his racing heart and prepared to instruct Fairy to dig deeper into the Hollow data, hoping to pinpoint Bringer's exact hiding spot.
Before he could even form the command, the familiar, ethereal pale-blue glow of the system screen flared to life in his vision.
[System Announcement]
[The first operational map for the "Hollow Evacuation Operation": Eupis Port Hollow is now officially open.]
[Administrator Belle is requested to select a suitable location within the Eupis Port area within ten minutes and establish it as the Initial Base for this event.]
[Once selected, the Base will serve as the core area for members' arrival, material storage, and tactical rest for Chat Group members.]
"A B-Base?!"
Back inside the dimly lit staff room of the Random Play video store, Belle stared at the sudden holographic prompt hovering in the air. Her eyes widened in utter bewilderment. She scratched her head, her fingers tangling in her dark hair as she looked troubledly toward the HDD monitors. She knew Wise was seeing the exact same announcement through his neural link.
"Wise! What are we supposed to do?" Belle groaned, leaning over the console. "We aren't familiar with the Eupis Port district at all! And this 'Base' doesn't sound like some tiny broom closet. We don't have the money or the underground connections for this. Where are we supposed to just magically pull a massive plot of land from in ten minutes?!"
Connected to the network through the Eous Bangboo, Wise felt a massive headache throbbing at his temples.
The pressure was mounting from both sides. On one hand, the pursuit of the dangerous target, Bringer, was imminent and required absolute focus. On the other, the Chat Group's new system requirement had a strict countdown and couldn't be delayed. Both were critical to their survival and the safety of New Eridu. His mind raced, rapidly calculating countermeasures.
"Belle, don't panic. Take a breath," Wise soothed his sister, his voice remaining a pillar of calm. Simultaneously, he diverted a fraction of his mental focus to interface with their AI. "Fairy, immediately scan the surrounding topography of Eupis Port. Look for any information on potential rental properties, vacant warehouses, or abandoned open lots. Cross-reference their location, square footage, and immediate availability."
"Command received. Initiating deep scan of the Eupis Port district..." Fairy's elegant, synthesized voice responded without a second of hesitation.
Despite Fairy's processing power, Wise knew the grim reality. Relying solely on their own limited resources to secure a fully functional operational base in an unfamiliar, highly regulated port district within ten minutes was nearly impossible. He had to seek outside help.
The only viable option—the only faction with the authority and resources to pull strings this quickly—was H.A.N.D.
He took a deep breath. A slight flush of embarrassment warmed his cheeks at the sheer audacity of what he was about to ask, but he bit the bullet and opened a secure comms channel through Eous.
Miles away, Deputy Chief Yanagi and her Special Operations Section 6 team were traveling at full speed toward the perimeter. When her tactical terminal suddenly chimed with an incoming transmission from the legendary Proxy, she immediately assumed there was a critical update regarding their target.
"What is it, Rope Master? Do you have the latest coordinates on Bringer?" Yanagi's voice was crisp, carrying a sharp edge of anticipation over the roaring engine noise in the background.
"Uh... no, Deputy Chief Yanagi," Wise replied, his voice sounding uncharacteristically awkward through the Bangboo's vocal synthesizer. "I know bringing this up right now is highly inappropriate given the active situation, but I... I need to ask for your assistance with a logistical matter."
"Please speak." Yanagi's tone remained perfectly measured and professional, betraying no impatience.
"Do you remember the... well, those rather mysterious friends I mentioned to you previously?" Wise chose his words with extreme care, handling the minefield of half-truths. "They just contacted Belle and me. They have expressed their willingness to deploy and assist us in dealing with the escalating situation at Eupis Port, including the direct pursuit of Bringer."
He paused, listening to the static on the line before pushing forward. "However, they require a temporary foothold. An operational staging ground. We need you to coordinate a vacant lot or a large abandoned building near Eupis Port to serve as their Temporary Base..."
Silence fell over the encrypted channel. For several long seconds, the only sound was the faint crackle of digital interference.
Behind her pink-rimmed glasses, Yanagi's mind worked at lightning speed. Scattered fragments of highly classified intelligence regarding "those mysterious friends" flashed through her thoughts. She recalled the strange, impossibly powerful individuals glimpsed during the Tour de Inferno in the Outer Ring. There were buried H.A.N.D. reports of an unknown faction possessing suspected teleportation technology, alongside bizarre, widely circulated—yet hard-to-verify—rumors of massive glaciers and catastrophic magma fields appearing out of nowhere.
A rogue group possessing unknown technology, unclear motives, and terrifying, unquantifiable strength was suddenly requesting to establish a physical base in a highly sensitive, economically vital area of New Eridu. The risks were astronomical.
But the opportunities were equally immense.
Directly providing the real estate meant that Section 6, and by extension the higher-ups at H.A.N.D., would establish a direct line of communication with this mysterious faction. It was a golden ticket to observe them, understand their capabilities, and potentially guide their actions to prevent them from causing uncontrollable collateral damage to the city's fragile order.
For Yanagi, who had spent countless sleepless nights trying to profile their background, this was an incredibly tempting tactical advantage.
After a brief, calculated deliberation, she made her choice.
"No problem," Yanagi stated, her voice clear and decisive. "Hold the line. I will immediately report this development to the Director and formally apply to requisition a suitable location."
Wise blinked, genuinely surprised that she had agreed so readily without demanding a mountain of paperwork. "Thank you so much, Deputy Chief!"
Yanagi cut the chatter and immediately opened a heavily encrypted priority line directly to the H.A.N.D. Director. She delivered a rapid, concise sitrep, heavily emphasizing the strategic necessity of establishing a controllable, monitored connection with this mysterious multiversal faction, especially given their willingness to act as allied assets.
The Director's reply came through almost instantaneously. Clearly, the absolute highest echelchelons of New Eridu's administration were deeply concerned—and intrigued—by this unknown force.
A minute later, Yanagi's tactical terminal pinged with an encrypted data packet.
Her eyes scanned the glowing text rapidly before she reopened the channel to Wise. "Rope Master, the requisition has been approved and coordinated. The location is a large-scale warehouse situated near the Eupis Port Lighthouse. It is an off-the-books asset belonging to H.A.N.D. and is currently vacant. I am transmitting the specific geographical coordinates and the structural blueprints to your system now."
Instantly, a highly detailed 3D holographic blueprint of the warehouse, along with a pinpoint GPS marker, materialized on Eous's visor screen.
Wise quickly analyzed the data. The warehouse was relatively remote, keeping it away from prying civilian eyes, yet it offered an open, unobstructed view of the surrounding area. It sat right on the edge of the port, providing excellent logistical flexibility for entry and exit via the waterways or directly toward the Hollow's perimeter. Its massive square footage was more than sufficient to accommodate a large number of chaotic Chat Group members and their endless supplies. It was the perfect Initial Base.
"The location is absolutely perfect. Thank you very much, Yanagi," Wise said, genuine relief washing over him.
"Do you need me to dispatch a logistics team to clean up the interior beforehand?" Yanagi offered smoothly. "We can arrange for basic living quarters, power generators, and office facilities to be installed within the hour."
Wise thought about it for a second. Given the absurd, reality-bending "Super-Standard" capabilities the Chat Group members casually displayed on a daily basis, he figured a dusty floor was the least of their worries. Someone would probably just snap their fingers and spawn a luxury mansion inside the warehouse anyway.
"No need to trouble your personnel, Deputy Chief," Wise replied with a faint, knowing smile. "Just securing the venue is more than enough. They will... arrange the interior furnishings themselves. Thank you again!"
Severing the connection, Wise immediately routed the encrypted coordinate data back to the Video Store.
"Belle, did you receive the data packet? Select it quickly, the timer is almost up!"
"Got it!" Belle cheered. Seeing the pristine coordinates pop up on her primary monitor, her anxiety vanished. She rapidly handled the Chat Group's holographic interface, inputting the exact GPS location of the warehouse and locking it in as the Initial Base for the Hollow Evacuation Operation.
The very millisecond her finger struck the confirmation key, the Chat Group interface flared with blinding light.
[Base selection complete! Performing Adaptive Adjustment based on World Rules...]
[Adjustment complete! Base "Eupis Port Lighthouse Warehouse" activated!]
The blue text dissolved into digital dust, but the relief was short-lived. Immediately afterward, the interface glitched. Two massive, imposing announcements framed in jagged scarlet borders forcefully hijacked the screens of every single online Chat Group member. The sudden appearance was accompanied by the blaring, adrenaline-spiking sound of an urgent tactical alarm.
[Hollow Evacuation Operation · Limited-Time Special Mission]
[Mission One: Pursuit of Bringer]
[Mission Location: Eupis Port Hollow]
[Mission Requirement: Pursue target Bringer. After dealing a certain amount of DMG to him, he will potentially drop Classified Items carried on his person. Successfully slaying Bringer will yield the Special Mission Item—the Heart of the Skeletal Remains.]
[Base Mission Reward: 6,000,000 Gear Coins.]
[Additional Reward: Submitting the Heart of the Skeletal Remains can be exchanged for an extra 10,000,000 Gear Coins.]
[Mission Two: Pursuit of Sarah]
[Mission Location: Eupis Port Hollow]
[Mission Requirement: Pursue target Sarah (Yuanjing Industry's Mastermind).]
[Mission Reward: 5,000,000 Gear Coins.]
The sheer, astronomical scale of the bounties hung in the air for a fraction of a second before the inevitable happened. Across multiple universes, the entire Chat Group completely and utterly erupted into chaos.
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