Free Web NovelChapter 198: Chapter 198: One of the 13 Large Safe Zones
Ning Xuan and her group decided to head to Panshi Safety Zone to check it out and cash in their recent haul. To ensure the security of their outpost, they split into two parties. Tang Xue, Wang Teng, Zhang Nan, and the others remained behind. Of the four half-beastman slaves, Ning Xuan left Qinghe—whose combat strength was second only to Di Youlin’s—to guard their home. The rest accompanied Ning Xuan to Panshi Safety Zone.
Nine-tailed and Lan Xin took the wheel. The group had already explored the first part of the journey over the past few days and mapped out a relatively safe route. As a result, the initial leg of the trip went smoothly. Any Exotic Beasts foolish enough to cross their path were dispatched quickly.
However, as they entered the second half of their journey, the terrain grew more complex. They had no choice but to take detours around mountains, rivers, and dense forests. The number of Exotic Beasts they encountered also began to increase, but they posed no real threat. No matter how many appeared, they merely ended up as more trophies for the group.
Nevertheless, their progress slowed.
As the sun began to set, the road ahead of them suddenly buckled and cracked. Purplish-black moss surged from the fissures in the ground. A corrosive fluid secreted by these Exotic Plants dissolved the rock and soil, transforming the entire stretch of road into a bubbling swamp.
After Nine-tailed reported the situation, Ning Xuan had everyone abandon the vehicles. She quickly stored them in her Space Ring, and the group retreated. They ran back several dozen meters before the mutated moss finally stopped spreading.
Ning Xuan checked the locator, then gazed at the moss-choked swamp ahead and sighed. "Yun Han, Lin Mo, it’s getting late. If we don’t use this road, we’ll waste too much time. We have to find a way across; a detour is out of the question."
"Don’t worry, Contractor. I’ll go take a look," Yun Han offered, preparing to head down.
Ning Xuan went with him and called Lan Xin over as well.
With a THUD, Ning Xuan tossed a large rock into the moss swamp. There was a GURGLING sizzle, and in the blink of an eye, the rock was completely submerged.
"Contractor, we should try to test the depth of this moss," Yun Han said to Ning Xuan. "If it’s not too deep, we can build a path across."
"Master, there’s no need for all that trouble," Di Youlin said, sidling up to Ning Xuan. "I just flew up a tree to get a look. The moss only covers a few dozen meters, and there are still some large trees standing within it. I can fly you across."
"What about everyone else?" Ning Xuan asked. "Are you going to fly back and forth multiple times? Can you handle that?"
’My Flying Disc, made from those Flying Elephant Ant Wings, is fine for my own short-term use,’ she thought, ’but it definitely can’t carry anyone else.’
"Er... I can try," Di Youlin said reluctantly.
"I remember seeing a lot of large rocks at the foot of the mountain we just passed," Ning Xuan said to Yun Han. "Let’s try laying down some stones first and see if we can make a path."
This was where the convenience of a Space Artifact became apparent. Di Youlin flew Ning Xuan back to the foot of the mountain they had just passed. Ning Xuan gathered the large rocks into her Space Artifact, and the two quickly returned.
They then watched as Ning Xuan hurled large rocks into the moss swamp. At first, the stones were swallowed up instantly. But after a while, they began to sink more and more slowly, until finally, some began to remain visible on the surface.
Ning Xuan kept track of the number of stones and the length of the path. She told Di Youlin that if they ran out of stones before they were across, he would be responsible for flying everyone over the remaining distance.
The stone path covered roughly two-thirds of the distance. For the final third, Di Youlin had to carry everyone across one by one.
After carrying the last person to safety, Di Youlin felt a wave of dizziness. Ning Xuan immediately stuffed an Antidote Pill into his mouth. Although they hadn’t directly touched the toxic secretions from the moss, the fumes rising from the swamp were poisonous. Having made so many trips back and forth, Di Youlin had inhaled the most toxins.
For the remainder of the journey, Di Youlin whimpered and whined as he collapsed into Ning Xuan’s lap, refusing to move. Seeing how much effort he had put in, Ning Xuan didn’t push him away.
As they drew closer to the Panshi Safety Zone, their single vehicle became two.
The second vehicle had been stored in her Space Ring. They had only planned on using one, but they had hunted too many Exotic Beasts along the way. To avoid revealing the existence of the Space Ring, they had no choice but to bring out the other vehicle to carry their haul.
Panshi Safety Zone lived up to its name as a major safety zone. In terms of architectural scale alone, it was far larger than Supply Point No. 7.
As Ning Xuan’s two vehicles arrived, a transport convoy of more than a dozen trucks was just driving into the Panshi Safety Zone.
A five-kilometer security perimeter surrounded the safety zone. The first thing to greet anyone entering was a thorough inspection.
The transport convoy ahead of them presented a pass and was waved through after a routine check.
When it was Ning Xuan’s vehicles’ turn, an inspector was about to bark at them to get out for inspection. But the moment he saw Ning Xuan, his gruff expression instantly froze.
"Esteemed Miss, might you be a student participating in the final joint examination?" the man asked cautiously.
"Yes," Ning Xuan nodded. "I’m here to trade supplies and upload Merit Points."
"What are the entry procedures?" Ning Xuan asked.
"We just need to register your and your companions’ identification. This way, please," the inspector said respectfully.
The staff was highly efficient, quickly verifying Ning Xuan’s identity and completing their entry procedures.
Once inside, Ning Xuan curiously studied the architecture. The style was similar to the standard designs of the Federation, and even the building materials were Federation-issue.
As one of the thirteen major safety zones on the New Star Body, Panshi had received numerous airdropped supplies from the Federation to complete its construction. The garrison stationed here consisted of more than eight thousand soldiers.
The safety zone was divided into four main districts: the Defense District, the Functional District, the Residential District, and the Production District.
The Functional District was also known as the Trade District. It housed not only official exchanges but also many smaller, private markets. This was the first place Ning Xuan wanted to see.
When Ning Xuan and her group pulled their two vehicle-loads of spoils into the trading market, they immediately drew a crowd.
"They killed so many Exotic Beasts. They must be incredibly strong," someone whispered to their companion.
"It’s got to be some big-shot from a powerful family," the companion replied sourly. "They keep a huge team on their payroll, so they don’t even have to lift a finger to get a high rank."
But then, the person watched Ning Xuan step out of the vehicle and rubbed their eyes in shock. "I think... I think I just saw a woman."
