Chapter 354
At this moment, Miss Nian quietly came to Shi Lei's side, covered her mouth with one hand, and whispered:
"It's too hot today, I'm not used to it. You guys go ahead and have fun, I'm going back to the hotel to enjoy the air conditioning."
Shi Lei didn't believe Xi would be so weak, and looked at her suspiciously, asking:
Are you feeling hot or uncomfortable?
"They're all a little bit, but it's nothing serious. Just rest for a bit and you guys have fun."
After saying that, she explained to the others that she wanted to go back to the hotel to enjoy the air conditioning and would not participate in beach volleyball.
Given that Miss Nian is usually quite socially awkward and doesn't like crowded places, no one insisted that she go home and get some rest.
Xi left the group and returned to her room. But instead of staying to enjoy the air conditioning, she used her abilities to unfurl a scroll and paint another version of herself that stayed behind.
He then took the Sistag tourist map and quietly left the Herman Grand Hotel.
Xi just heard from Provence that the nearby volcano is showing unusual signs and may have become active.
If she could resolve the issue secretly on her own, she might receive praise and compliments from Shi Lei afterward.
In special environments like volcanoes, it would be extremely dangerous for ordinary people to get close. However, Xi can withstand temperatures of several thousand degrees Celsius, making her more suitable for in-depth investigation than others.
July 31, 1:30 pm
Amiya summoned three elite Rhodes Island Elite Operator, Ace, Blaze, and Scout, to the scene via phone.
Now that there are three people per group, there are four teams that can take turns fighting.
When Texas and Mudrock wanted to team up with Shi Lei, Huang immediately objected:
"No, you can't team up."
Why?
"If the three of you form a group, you'll be invincible. No one can beat you. That's no fun at all."
Shi Lei nodded, agreeing that it made sense. If the skill gap was too large, it would easily diminish the enjoyment of the trip.
"No problem, then we'll each take a team. Let's find two people to pair up and form new teams."
He looked around and named Lisa and Surtr, who was licking an ice pop, as his teammates.
She needs Reine des Neiges to unleash her full power. But in beach volleyball, you can't bring weapons onto the court. Without the boost of an epic weapon, Surtr's physical abilities are no different from an ordinary person's.
Texas and Mudrock were very unhappy with Blaze's proposal, but they still teamed up with the Sarkaz mercenaries. Together with the three from Rhodes Island, they made a total of four teams.
The Doctor and Amiya decided not to participate; they simply wanted to be spectators on the sidelines.
Each of the four teams sent a representative to determine their next opponent based on the palm and back of their hands.
The first round was Mudrock teaming up with two Sarkaz to fight against three Elite Operator from Rhodes Island.
After finding a suitable court and setting up the net, they bought volleyballs, put on protective shields, and prepared to begin.
Mudrock was secretly seething with anger, but it wasn't showing on her face. She won the first serve by guessing heads or tails with a coin.
As the volleyball was thrown into the air by the Mudrock, two other round jade balls followed her jump and rose into the air.
Hmph, serves you right for being nosy!
With a loud bang, Mudrock's spike actually smashed the volleyball to pieces.
"Bang!"
She possesses the bloodline of the 'Child of Earth and Stone' from the Sarkaz Ten Royal Courts, granting her strength far exceeding that of ordinary people.
After becoming a dependent, she frequently enjoyed the benefits provided by Shi Lei. Over the years, her strength seemed to improve by leaps and bounds without any apparent bottlenecks. Smashing a leather volleyball with a single slap wasn't particularly unusual for her.
"..."
Upon seeing this, Huang's lips twitched.
If it weren't for Doctor Zhong's shield, taking that hit head-on would have meant certain death or serious injury. This isn't beach volleyball, it's Grim Reaper volleyball!
"I'm sorry, I couldn't control myself."
Seeing that the volleyball was gone, Shi Lei conjured up an empty black iron ball and threw it back to Mudrock.
"Then."
The rock material is too rough, and the Pure Gold and Originium materials are too conspicuous. In comparison, the black iron is better.
Mudrock instinctively caught it, weighed it in his hand, and estimated it to be about a pound. In terms of weight, it should be about two to three times that of a leather volleyball.
Although it looks heavy, the hollow layer is thin and hard. The fact that the object can be made with such precision shows how skilled the owner is.
Mudrock, holding the hollow black iron sphere, glanced at Huang, who was beginning to back down.
"Again!"
July 31, 1:37 pm
Provence and Skyfire brought Ceylon to the This Ship, which was docked in the port.
They sent the samples collected from the volcano to Ifrit, an expert in the field.
After nearly an hour of analysis, Ifrit gave her final conclusion:
"Based on the isotope comparison and sample analysis, we can basically confirm that your hypothesis is correct. The frequency of volcanic activity is on an abnormal upward trend. Although it is unlikely to cause an immediate natural Catastrophe, it still cannot be ignored."
According to my model calculations, the volcano should reach a critical point within two to four weeks. After that, it will trigger an eruption. It is best to arrange for the citizens of Sistag to evacuate to a safe location in advance.
"I didn't really understand much of what you said before, except for that last sentence."
Ceylon was deeply impressed by the volcanologist's expertise and took out a small notebook to take notes.
Ifrit, seeing her engrossed in taking shorthand notes, expressed her regret:
"Although the information we have so far is limited, my assessment aligns with that of Provence. This dormant volcano has likely become active again. As for why this is happening, I need to analyze samples from deep within the volcano. If we have enough samples, we can accurately determine the approximate cycle of the eruption."
"Thank you, you've been a great help. It seems my efforts have been effective."
Ceylon had no time to investigate why the dormant volcano had become active. All they had was two to four weeks to live, and they needed to evacuate the citizens of Sistag as quickly as possible.
"Perhaps it's a problem with the testing equipment; the Sistag volcano observation point isn't showing any abnormal data. I need to get back quickly and inform the city government. If we delay, the consequences could be dire."
Hearing that nothing unusual had been found in the area, Provence, who had once been Catastrophe Messenger, found it very strange:
"Really? You didn't even notice? I remember you're hosting the Obsidian Music Festival here, which lasts for half a month. Doesn't the city have any Catastrophe Messenger to prepare an emergency plan for a volcanic eruption in advance?"
Ceylon sighed, feeling utterly helpless about the situation.
"Well, let alone preparations, citizens and tourists may not even know that the volcano has been activated."
My father went to the new development zone last month and won't be back for a few days. All of Sistag's affairs, big and small, are handled by his secretary Croning.
"Expert, could you please provide the relevant volcanic activity report? Croning is the Catastrophe Messenger; he'll understand once he sees this data."
Ifrit tilted her head, seemingly not having heard clearly. Only after Ceylon repeated it did she reply:
"No problem, I'll print it out right away."
[Urge Update Sign-in]
423 Come here 3K
This beach volleyball tournament uses a best-of-five format, with winners playing winners' matches and losers' matches.
After several rounds of matches, Rhodes Island's three elite Operator were eliminated 3-0 by Mudrock's team. They only managed to score a few points and were completely outmatched.
If it weren't for Shi Lei providing the Jade Shield, they probably wouldn't have been able to last even one game.
The Mudrock's force was immense; Ace and Huang couldn't raise their hands high enough to mount a counterattack. Even though their arm strength wasn't weak, they were simply not on the same level.
Moreover, Mudrock played with increasing ferocity, dominating both offense and defense. His teammate, the Sarkaz mercenary, played a supporting role, standing near the boundary line to receive some difficult shots.
Running back and forth for a long time left Mudrock drenched in sweat. She wiped her forehead with a towel, gulped down a large mouthful of mineral water, and voluntarily gave up the space.
The second match was between a team consisting of Shi Lei, Lisa, and Surtr (without swords) and a team consisting of Texas, Exusiai, and a Sarkaz mercenary.
Texas, dressed in a sexy swimsuit, had her fair legs gleaming in the sunlight!
She didn't have the ability to launch three balls into the air, but her long and alluring legs were the killer weapon in this game.
This is Texas's biggest advantage in leaping left and right on the sand, making quick saves and catching the ball.
When she runs, fine sand is lightly kicked up by her legs. Her graceful curves resemble a moving black hole, attracting countless onlookers.
Shi Lei was very considerate of Lisa and Surtr's feelings, letting them take on the tasks whenever possible. This would give them a greater sense of participation; he would only take on tasks he couldn't handle himself.
Beach volleyball is, after all, a recreational activity.
There was no need for a fancy trick like a flying catch to turn the tide. Shi Lei suppressed his individual abilities and played like an ordinary person.
Most importantly, Texas doesn't seem to have any desire to win. They often toss the balls to a normal height, making it easy for Shi Lei or someone else on the other side to catch them.
They fought back and forth quite leisurely, completely lacking the ruthlessness that Mudrock displayed when beating Rhodes Island's elite troops.
After repeated running and positioning, Lisa and Surtr were exhausted. In the end, they suffered a heartbreaking 2-3 defeat to the Texas team.
After a ten-minute break, the winners' bracket resumed. For some reason, the match between Mudrock and Texas was incredibly intense.
Texas's advantage is speed; they can run back and forth to provide support and hit the ball from tricky angles.
This is the foundation she laid in the Syracuse gang; she is extremely agile.
Mudrock represents the other extreme; while lacking in speed, he possesses a significant power advantage. Once he finds an opportunity to dunk, it becomes extremely difficult for the other side to defend.
Both sides were determined and fought fiercely, neither willing to back down. Gradually, this attracted more and more tourists to join the crowd of onlookers.
After all, who could resist watching two stunning beauties play beach volleyball?
July 31, 2.30. pm
After receiving Ifrit's report, Ceylon left Rhodes Island's This Ship.
Provence and Skyfire followed behind, hoping to be of some help.
"Speaking of which, should we call the Doctor and Amiya to let them know?"
Skyfire felt it wasn't necessary and shook his head.
"There's no need for that. Miss Ceylon is the daughter of Mayor Sistag. He's just an assistant secretary; he wouldn't risk so many lives, would he?"
Provence thought it made sense, so he didn't call the Doctor to report it. The three of them hailed a taxi on the street and headed to the Sistag City Hall.
Upon hearing of Ceylon's visit, the mayor's assistant secretary, Croning, dressed in a suit and tie, proactively came out to greet him.
"Eldest Daughter, what important matter requires your personal visit? The Obsidian Music Festival starts tomorrow, and I've been very busy today."
Ceylon, knowing the Obsidian Music Festival's significance to Sistag, stated bluntly:
"Croning, I won't beat around the bush. Take a look at this monitoring report. Sistag Volcano is about to erupt. Maybe in a few days, at the latest within five weeks. It's estimated that the volcano will erupt before the Obsidian Music Festival is over."
At that point, the safety of all travelers and residents will be severely threatened. We need to evacuate now to avoid the harm of this Catastrophe. The Obsidian Music Festival needs to be canceled immediately and rescheduled.
Upon hearing Ceylon's announcement that the music festival would be closed, Croning's face immediately darkened.
"Eldest Daughter, do you know what you just said? If someone else had said that, I would have kicked them out immediately! But you are the mayor's daughter, and I'm willing to explain it to you clearly. The volcano is doing very well now, there's absolutely nothing to worry about. I don't know where your data came from, but it's not trustworthy."
"Croning, are you kidding me? If the volcano erupts, the entire city of Sistag will be severely affected! There are currently a large number of Originium Crawler near the volcano, and they are emitting a pungent odor. If you think I'm just making things up, you can take a look at this volcano assessment report before making a decision."
Croning did not take the documents; he merely glanced at them before looking away.
Croning actually knew the volcano would erupt, but deliberately concealed the data. He hoped the erupting lava would engulf Sistag, making it easier for him to mine obsidian.
"Eldest Daughter, you're too naive. Does the discovery of Originium Crawler near a volcano mean it's about to erupt? Besides, the data you provided isn't from a monitoring station; the source of the data is highly questionable."
Seeing the mayor's assistant's stubbornness, Provence chimed in:
"You used to be Catastrophe Messenger, so you should be able to understand this data. Now that the facts are right in front of you, why are you unwilling to admit it?"
Croning frowned and questioned:
"Eldest Daughter, who are these two people?"
"They are the researchers responsible for the on-site survey, and the report was provided by their volcanologists. These parameters are completely consistent with my arguments, confirming that the dormant volcano has been activated..."