Request for Reinforcements

Under the shade of the coconut trees, Reilo took out his dissection tool kit, ignoring his ragged breaths.

"Guaoao..."

The shelled creature squawked, and Reilo unceremoniously gave it a large dose of anesthetic, silencing it completely.

"Heh heh!"

He couldn't help but rub his hands together, Reilo licked his lips, looking at the now quiet behemoth. He pondered what dissection order to use. This shelled creature was simply too massive. Even the spatial box Shatuo had gifted Reilo couldn't hold it.

Therefore, Reilo decided to dissect it on the spot, preserving only the key structures of the specimen – the physiological structure of the compressed water bomb.

"Someone over there!"

Suddenly, Lulu called out.

"Hm?"

Under the shade of the coconut trees, Reilo, who was about to begin dissecting the mutated creature on the spot, looked up. The figures appearing in the distance interrupted Reilo's research plans, making Reilo, who was eager to dissect the specimen quickly, slightly anxious.

Standing up, Reilo gazed into the distance.

"Running towards us?"

Initially thinking he was the target of those people, after observing carefully for a while, Reilo was astonished to find that three people were chasing one person, who was fleeing towards him.

Seeing their academic robes, Reilo was unwilling to give up this precious mutated creature specimen. He signaled Luo Ji Uncle and Lulu to be on guard and protect the specimen.

"I am Bai Xing from Class Eleven, First Year, Grand Natural Academy. Those behind me are from Xilan Duchy. Please lend us your assistance!"

Before the person arrived, the plea for help was heard first. Luo Ji's expression tightened.

People from Xilan Duchy?

The centuries-long war between the two nations had long ago made their animosity require no reason. Luo Ji Uncle instinctively glanced at Reilo.

"Bai Xing?"

Frowning, Reilo muttered and explained to Luo Ji and Lulu, "She's my classmate."

Unwilling to cause conflict, Reilo drew his iron sword and struck a pose, whispering, "Let's play it by ear. Try not to get into any trouble with them."

Hoo, hoo.

Bai Xing, wearing a sky-blue academic robe with some bloodstains on her shoulders and messy hair, arrived beside the three, panting. She naturally looked at Reilo, who was also wearing an academic robe, and then showed a look of surprise.

"It's you?"

Clearly, Bai Xing had forgotten Reilo's name.

Ignoring the awkwardness, she glanced back at the three Xilan Duchy scholars chasing her and said anxiously, "I discovered a rare specimen, and those three Xilan Duchy students ran into me and tried to snatch it!"

"What specimen?"

Reilo asked instinctively, his curiosity piqued.

Gritting her teeth, Bai Xing saw the three people approaching from a distance. She took out a palm-sized green turtle from her spatial box. Strangely, on the top of this turtle's shell, there was an unopened red flower bud!

"Uh... what is this?"

Reilo was astonished. Another rare creature without a Star Core prompt.

It made sense. Many ancient creatures had gone extinct with geological changes. New species were as vast as stars. As time passed, the survival rate of creatures recorded on the Star Core was getting lower and lower. It was unrealistic to rely on the Star Core to recognize all biological specimens.

"I don't know either, but those people from Xilan Duchy seem to recognize it. They call it the Sacrificial Spirit Turtle."

Bai Xing put the specimen away and gritted her teeth. "Although those three are a bit strong, they are only first-year students from the Xilan Academy of Natural Sciences. If the four of us join forces, we might not be weaker than them! If you help me this time, I'm willing to pay one gold coin as a reward and give you this ancient conch fossil!"

As she spoke, Bai Xing produced a shiny gold coin and a dark, ancient conch fossil.

The fossil seemed to have crystallized due to its age and the volcanic geological activity nearby.

Seeing the gold coin, Luo Ji Uncle and Lulu's eyes lit up. Compared to Lulu, Luo Ji, who had been working as a mercenary for a long time, actually knew something about mages. Although powerful mages could summon wind and rain and were difficult to contend with, some apprentices still in academies were just little fellows who could only perform magic tricks, like the young mage beside him.

However, Reilo was stunned when he saw the ancient conch fossil.

[Notification: Discovered 0.5 grams of Ice Wasteland.]

Ice Wasteland?

What was this?

Attracted by the unknown material, Ice Wasteland, which could be prompted by the Star Core, was at least a valuable magical material recognized by the ancient Warlocks. Seeing that Luo Ji and Lulu also seemed interested, Reilo surprisingly changed his previous hesitation, put on a serious expression, and said righteously, "We are all classmates from Class Eleven. How could I stand by and do nothing!"

Though he said this, Reilo didn't hesitate. He accepted the gold coin and took out silver coins for two people, dividing them equally between Luo Ji and Lulu.

As for the ancient conch fossil, the two naturally didn't need it. Reilo kept it all to himself.

"Hehe, I earned another thirty-three silver coins. Combined with the commission and my own silver coins, I'm one step closer to my goal of ten gold coins!"

Lulu exclaimed happily, showing no concern about the potential battle.

Beside them, Qiu Hei wagged its tail. Although Luo Ji Uncle didn't speak, he silently put away the silver coins.

"This is my classmate. We are all from Grand Duchy. We have a duty to deal with these foreign enemies who dare to invade Duchy territory and seize property. We'll leave it to you two!"

Looking at Reilo's righteous demeanor, it was Luo Ji Uncle who spoke this time, "I will do my best!"

As if harboring a deep-seated hatred for people from Xilan Duchy, Luo Ji was unexpectedly proactive, his tone filled with anger.

Seeing this, Bai Xing finally breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to herself, This guy who's always with that sleazy fatty is actually so reliable?

Instantly, Bai Xing began to see Reilo in a new light, gaining a fresh perspective.

At the same time, Reilo was inwardly lamenting his predicament.

Since those three Xilan Duchy students dared to try and snatch Bai Xing's specimen, who could guarantee that his own recently acquired specimen wouldn't catch their eye and be stolen as well?

However, he couldn't simply flee with his specimen like Bai Xing could!

As for abandoning the specimen?

After understanding this specimen's biological structure and abilities, Reilo was a hundred times reluctant to do so.

Thus, it was no wonder Reilo appeared so righteous. Even without the conch fossil specimen from the Ice Wasteland, for the sake of his own specimen, Reilo had to step forward and stand with Bai Xing against their common enemy.

He had long heard that the Xilan Duchy, due to its cruel slave system, had a violent and unruly temperament, even requiring multiple arena battles during their enlightenment period, leading to a constant emergence of geniuses. He hadn't expected to encounter them so soon.

Although the Grand Academy of Natural Sciences and the Xilan Academy of Natural Sciences stood side-by-side among human nations, there was no doubt that in the eyes of the vast majority, proven through countless trials of blood and iron, the Xilan Academy of Natural Sciences was undeniably the number one academy of natural sciences among human nations!