In the outskirts of Jiangdu, the earth slowly rose, revealing a stone gate. A Blood-colored Wolf Smoke Pillar surged hundreds of meters into the sky, radiating an invisible pressure that blanketed the surrounding kilometer.
The unmistakable phenomenon immediately caught many people's attention. They recalled the strange sights that had accompanied the first appearance of the Wu Ming Ruins, and excitement lit up their faces. They hurried toward the ruins.
Others uploaded videos they had filmed, setting off a storm online. Countless users flocked to watch, and comments poured in one after another.
"Holy shit! The second Wu Ming Ruins have finally appeared! Brothers, let's go!!"
"I missed out last time. No matter what, I'm going in to explore this time! Time to try my luck! If I can pick even one or two Rare Medicines and Precious Grasses, I'll be rich!!"
"Count me in! The dangers you're most likely to encounter in the Wu Ming Ruins are those blood-and-qi puppets. Apart from them, there's only Great Yuan Imperial Advisor Basiba's remains, sealed in the deepest part of the ruins and appearing at the very end. Be careful and you'll hardly run into any danger."
"Haha... Brothers! I'm already here! Stay tuned for my livestream!!"
"..."
People nearby rushed over by car. The explorers who had entered the Wu Ming Ruins last time were especially eager to return. Whether it was the Rare Medicines and Precious Grasses inside or the hidden cultivation methods of the Human Immortal Martial Dao, these were opportunities that could directly increase their strength. They had already had a taste of the benefits.
The civilian Manifesting Strength explorers who had regretted staying out last time were determined to go in, try their luck, and grow stronger.
With the number of Manifesting Strength Boxers steadily rising, and quite a few having reached Hidden Strength through Peiyuan Pills, the second appearance of the Wu Ming Ruins drew several times as many people. The explorers were stronger overall, too; nearly every group leader had reached Hidden Strength.
Of course, the Central Continent officials reacted fastest. Last time, their slow response had allowed the civilian Manifesting Strength Boxers to seize the initiative. Civilian explorers had outnumbered the official ones by half again and picked most of the Rare Medicines and Precious Grasses in the ruins. In the end, the officials had needed to trade their newly developed Peiyuan Pills to get those precious plants back.
As soon as they learned that another set of Wu Ming Ruins had appeared, the Central Continent officials acted without hesitation. They deployed ten armed helicopters carrying handpicked Special Operations Forces. Every squad leader had reached Hidden Strength, and the troops were well equipped and formidable in combat.
They also had to consider Great Yuan Imperial Advisor Basiba's remains, sealed beneath the Wu Ming Ruins. The terrifying combat power his Demonized Remains had displayed last time was still fresh in their minds.
So the Central Continent officials sent regular ground forces as well. Armored Vehicles, Large Caliber Anti-Materiel Sniper Rifles, shoulder-fired rocket launchers, and all manner of heavy weapons arrived on the scene.
The forces swept into the area around the Wu Ming Ruins and established a cordon in orderly fashion. Their firepower could blanket the three hundred meters ahead, with strikes accurate to within a meter.
The civilian explorers had the strongest reaction. Their faces changed when they saw the officials' terrifying array of firepower. It was just a set of Wu Ming Ruins—did they really need this many weapons? Anyone who didn't know better would think a foreign enemy had invaded!!
With that much firepower, they could practically fight a small war. Even if Great Yuan Imperial Advisor Basiba's Demonized Remains grew three heads and six arms, they probably couldn't withstand the officials' firepower.
The officials had even brought in a hard-line Colonel to command on-site. His forceful stance worried the civilian explorers. What if the Central Continent officials sealed off the ruins and refused to let them in?!
As they waited for the Blood-colored Wolf Smoke Pillar to contract and the Wu Ming Ruins to open, the civilian explorers gathered together almost instinctively, hoping to share the pressure from the officials.
Besides the civilian and official factions, there were streamers who had come solely to ride the wave of attention. They held their streaming equipment ready to broadcast the scene live.
The conspicuous phenomenon also excited the spies secretly dispatched by America, Britain, and other Western European countries. At last, they had a chance to enter a new and mysterious ancient ruin in Central Continent. Most had blended in with the civilian faction, hoping to slip through in the confusion and obtain valuable materials from inside.
When the goofballs from the same Group Chat heard the news, they rushed toward the ruins without delay, eager to join the excitement.
Gu Chen, meanwhile, walked into the civilian explorers' ranks at an unhurried pace. He surveyed the official faction and the powerful weapons they had deployed.
He was a little surprised. He hadn't expected the Central Continent officials to act so decisively this time. They had brought in regular troops and positioned all kinds of heavy weapons. Their determination was clear.
He found himself looking forward to the clash between modern technology and the Supernatural Power brought into being through Refine Falsehood Into Truth. Which would come out on top?!
The Blood-colored Wolf Smoke Pillar billowed for nearly half a day before it slowly began to contract. The official faction's elite Special Operations Forces moved first, marching in orderly ranks toward the ruins' stone gate.
The civilian explorers followed close behind in a great crowd. The scene was bustling as a new round of exploration was about to begin.
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