Chapter 146: Unexpected Awakening - 1

Fortunately, due to frequent errors in the danger assessment of extraordinary missions by the Jiaoluo Mountain Base’s Hazard Evaluation Department, the Transcendent Management Bureau had specially dispatched an LDH Transcendent Squad to oversee the site as a precaution. As it turned out, this military squad played a vital role at the critical moment.

The squadron leader, a C-rank Transcendent, sacrificed several D-rank LDH soldiers to hold off the C-rank dimensional creature before ultimately perishing alongside it. Hearing that the squadron leader had gone so far as to detonate his own "Energy Core" to force the C-rank rodent-like dimensional creature back into the anomaly, preventing it from breaking through the containment perimeter, Bai Yuxi and his companions were filled with both immense respect and lingering fear.

So, the E3-level severely mutated rat they had encountered was merely a lowly minion in the context of the Hualan Mountain incident? Had they entered the core area any earlier, they might have faced not only D-rank super-mutated rats but potentially even C-rank dimensional creatures. If even a C-rank Transcendent had to resort to self-detonation to stop such a creature, the vast disparity in power levels between indigenous mutated creatures and those from dimensional space was clear.

"I can't tell you our designation or unit structure—you understand why!"

"Don't let our high-secrecy status fool you; compared to you guys, we’re still far behind!"

Despite the lively banter, Second Lieutenant Zhou hadn't actually disclosed any substantive information. He looked at Willie with undisguised envy, saying, "If I spoke out of turn, I’d be dragged off to the firing range for five minutes. We don’t have the freedom you Transcendent soldiers enjoy."

"The same applies to us! You have your secrecy regulations, and we have the Transcendent Prohibitions! You might just get sent to the firing range, but we’re more likely to end up sliced into sections, pickled in a jar, and put on display for paid admission!" Willie patted the lieutenant’s shoulder sympathetically. "Besides, I’m a foreigner; I understand why you can't tell me classified information."

Just as the ordinary Second Lieutenant Zhou was curious about the extraordinary world, Willie was equally intrigued by the mysterious special forces of the Yan Kingdom, though he had learned nothing.

"Actually, there's nothing that mysterious about us," the lieutenant replied. "Every major base has special logistics units like ours that are aware of the existence of the extraordinary realm."

Seeing the lieutenant’s modesty, the foreigner’s open-mindedness left him feeling a bit ashamed. He smiled, "Our primary purpose is to serve you! Besides, we aren't half as mysterious as you Transcendent soldiers. Our Captain Xie Long actually envies you quite a bit. It’s just that his personality is too rigid, and having spent so much time in the military, he naturally can't stand seeing others being too free and undisciplined." He spoke tactfully to explain the officer's earlier behavior, adding, "He doesn't actually have a problem with you, so please don't take it to heart."

From the conversation, Bai Yuxi gathered that apart from those with extraordinary abilities, there were many special units and organizations composed of ordinary people who were aware of the extraordinary world. Yet, as the lieutenant said, these groups existed solely to support the extraordinary.

Seeing the lieutenant’s clear longing to become a Transcendent, Bai Yuxi, who had awakened not long ago but had already survived several harrowing experiences, gave a faint smile. It was a classic case of those outside the wall wanting in, while those inside wanted out. However, if a special forces soldier like Zhou, who fought on the front lines, were to awaken, he would likely be far better suited to the struggles of the "Black Forest" than students like them who had grown up in peaceful times.

"Don't worry, there's always a chance! Awakening via 'Multi-dimensional Energy Pheromone' infection is unpredictable. When I awakened, I had eaten too much hotpot the day before and had such bad diarrhea that my legs felt weak and my whole body felt floaty... and then, inexplicably, I awakened an 'Agility-type' ability. I suppose I do feel light and fast when I run now!" Willie joked, patting the lieutenant’s shoulder. "Who knows, maybe you'll suddenly awaken too, Lieutenant Zhou?"

Zhou stared, wide-eyed. Can you really awaken from hotpot-induced diarrhea? He glanced at Bai Yuxi, who had been listening quietly, and seemed about to ask how he had awakened, but before he could speak, his expression shifted.

"Um..."

"May I ask?"

After a long silence, the lieutenant spoke with a visibly strained expression: "What does it feel like... when you awaken?"