Chapter 934: Chapter 934

Kleisa flicked his wrist, and a cold glint slashed toward Lin Chen's throat.

Lin Chen let out a cold snort, shifted his body sideways to dodge the dagger, and immediately sank his arm, delivering a heavy elbow strike straight to Kleisa's wound.

Kleisa staggered back four or five steps, his face instantly turning ashen.

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed not far away—the other team members were rushing over in response to the commotion.

Kleisa's expression shifted. He quickly pulled a spherical object from his pocket and threw it to the ground. In the next moment, he turned and ran.

However, he had only taken a few steps when he suddenly felt a gust of wind press against his back.

With a muffled thud, Kleisa's body was sent flying, landing heavily on the ground.

The force of the kick had struck right in the middle of his back. After hitting the ground, Kleisa's complexion became even paler, and he spat out a mouthful of blood with a loud "splat."

Kleisa twisted his body and looked back, disbelief etched on his face as he stared at Lin Chen stepping slowly out of the mist. "How could this be possible? How could you see me through the smoke grenade?"

He couldn't fathom it. The smoke grenade he had used was custom-made, with a density high enough to obscure the sight of people standing directly opposite each other.

Yet Lin Chen had pinpointed his exact position. It was utterly unbelievable.

Lin Chen smirked faintly. "Your smoke grenade doesn't work on me."

As he spoke, Lin Chen bent down and grabbed Kleisa by the collar, hoisting him up. "Now, spill it: how many of you are there? And where's your camp?"

"Pah! I won't say a word," Kleisa replied, his gaze carrying a flicker of defiance.

"Oh, really? Don't worry—I'll make you talk," Lin Chen sneered coldly.

Just then, Lin Chen's eyes narrowed. He abruptly let go of Kleisa and leapt backward.

In that instant, bullets whizzed through the mist with a piercing sound.

With a muffled thud, one of the bullets shot straight into Kleisa's chest.

The bullet exploded within Kleisa's body, and a grotesque grimace twisted across his face.

In the next moment, Kleisa's entire body dissolved into nothingness.

"What the hell… what kind of bullet is this?" Lin Chen muttered, shock flickering across his face.

At that moment, Lan Xingyue hurried over with a few team members. "Lin Chen, what was that gunshot just now?"

Lin Chen helplessly pointed to the sniper rifle on the ground. "Someone ambushed us just now."

"What? Someone dared to ambush us?" Lan Xingyue's expression darkened slightly.

"The guy escaped. Why didn't you chase him?" Lan Xingyue asked anxiously.

Lin Chen chuckled bitterly. "I caught him, but he got shot and turned to ashes. For all we know, you might be breathing in his ashes right now."

"That's disgusting!" Wang Zixuan and the others quickly covered their noses and mouths after hearing Lin Chen's remark.

"What about the person who killed him? Why didn't you go after them?" Lan Xingyue pressed.

"Chase? How? The shot came from over a kilometer away. Besides, their skills are on par with mine, and they're clearly a sniper expert," Lin Chen replied nonchalantly.

Mu Yuqiu's gaze sharpened slightly. "A silent killer… could it be him?"

"You know who it is?" Wang Zixuan's face lit up slightly with anticipation.

Mu Yuqiu explained, "In the sniping world, there's a marksman known as 'Eagle Eye.' He has a unique skill: he can channel energy into bullets. If someone gets hit, the energy detonates inside their body, reducing them to ashes."

Lin Chen nodded. "The guy just now must've been this 'Eagle Eye.'"

Lan Xingyue's eyes gleamed coldly. "I can't believe they've managed to track down our base."

Lin Chen asked, "Before we came, was this base ever exposed to outsiders?"

Lan Xingyue shook her head. "Of course not. To reach this base, you have to traverse the treacherous slopes of Lan Mountain. Without knowing the route, it's impossible to enter the range."

"It seems our adversaries are quite formidable. The fact that they've turned the impossible into possible proves their exceptional skill."

Meanwhile, several kilometers away, Haan's face was dark with rage.

A skinny figure resembling a twig hurried over. "Lord Haan, I've eliminated Kleisa."

Haan nodded. "Good job. That fool exposed our whereabouts."

"But Lord Haan, Kleisa was the guild leader's man. Will this…" Eagle Eye began hesitantly.

"Didn't he deserve to die?" Haan snapped. "Because of that idiot, we've been exposed. Now they're bound to be on guard."

Back at the camp, Lan Xingyue and her team returned. Soon, War Dragon dispatched over a dozen units to conduct a grid search.

In the office, Lan Xingyue's expression was grim as she spoke. "Grandfather, our location seems to have been compromised."

Lan Lao nodded solemnly. "It seems those people are getting impatient."

Lan Xingyue nodded. "Grandfather, our training is complete, and the team is ready. Let's begin the operation immediately."

Lan Lao nodded again. "Very well. Now that they've shown themselves, your mission just became significantly more challenging. Perhaps I should assign you a few more soldiers."

"Grandfather, I have confidence in our team. We're already at peak efficiency; adding more personnel would just hinder our mobility. Don't worry—I'll complete the mission," Lan Xingyue assured him earnestly.

"Alright then, prepare your gear and set off for the Secret Realm immediately," Lan Lao instructed seriously.

"Yes, sir!" Lan Xingyue saluted Lan Lao and turned to leave.

"Xingyue, remember what I said—stay safe. I can't bear to lose my only granddaughter after everything else I've lost," Lan Lao's voice quavered slightly.

"Don't worry, Grandfather. I'll return safely," Lan Xingyue said with a faint smile, sticking her tongue out playfully at him.

If the other team members had witnessed the usually icy Lan Xingyue showing such a tender side, they would have been utterly stunned.

Back in the dormitory, Lan Xingyue addressed Lin Chen and the others. "Assemble in the conference room immediately."

Seeing the serious look in her eyes, everyone seemed to understand; a spark of excitement lit up in their gazes.

In the conference room, Lan Xingyue swept her gaze over the team. "After a week of training—a short time, yes—you've not only met but exceeded all objectives. Now, it's time to put that training to the test. We'll be heading for the Secret Realm."

With that, Lan Xingyue pulled down a screen, revealing a map projected on the wall.

Pointing to the map with a pointer, she continued, "We'll pass through this tropical rainforest, cross the no-man's-land, and finally enter the Secret Realm from here."

"Why don't we just parachute in?" Lin Chen asked, puzzled.

Lan Xingyue smirked coldly. "Parachute? The weather in this rainforest is unpredictable. It's perpetually rainy, with hailstorms and cyclones as frequent visitors. No aircraft can navigate that zone safely."

From the side, Yue'er added, "The area we're crossing is called the Death Forest. Legend has it that no one who enters ever comes out alive."

"Death Forest?" Upon hearing Yue'er's words, a grave expression settled on everyone's face.