Danger and Opportunity

The Earth Rank barrier had been like a massive mountain pressing down on Yuan for 18 years, but he was on the verge of breaking through it!

Walking down the street, he took a rare moment to clear his mind, strolling aimlessly.

Most passersby were in a hurry, striving for their livelihoods and cultivation resources.

Just as he was preparing to head home, a shrill alarm suddenly blared through the sky.

The transparent energy shield system that usually enveloped the entire city, existing so unobtrusively, was suddenly triggered into full-power mode.

The faint humming of energy overload could be heard everywhere, and the entire sky was dyed a brilliant golden yellow by the energy shield.

Pedestrians and manned aircraft stopped, looking around in confusion, unaware of what had happened.

The well-informed and the elderly recalled the reason for the change and screamed in terror: "This is the 'War Mode' of the energy shield system! We are being invaded by an alien race!"

Sure enough, at this moment, a holographic image flashing with red lights and warning sounds popped up on everyone's Smart Wristwatch, including Yuan's, confirming this claim.

"Warning! Warning! Tuka Tribe has entered a state of wartime alert!"

"All residents, please follow the prompts on your personal smart devices, protect the Apprentice Rank children around you, and return to your residences immediately. No one is to go out without special authorization!"

"All residents living in buildings with metal strength below A9 grade, please proceed to the nearest shelter immediately. We will provide free food and lodging!"

Just as Yuan was about to take action, his Smart Wristwatch instructed him to stand by where he was.

Shortly after, he was grabbed by two Earth Rank Tier 9 young men, who pulled him along and began to run without a word of explanation.

One of them hurriedly explained: "We are following the instructions of our personal smart devices to ensure you get home!"

The full-speed running pace of Earth Rank (Planet Rank) Tier 9 cultivators was truly "lightning fast" for Yuan, who was only at Apprentice Rank Tier 9.

Yuan tried to ask questions several times, but the wind rushed into his mouth, making it impossible to speak. By the time they reached his doorstep, the two young men had vanished before he could even thank them.

Once home, Yuan immediately called his parents, but unfortunately, four or five calls went unanswered.

He stood by the window, feeling somewhat agitated, watching the entire city operate in an orderly and rapid fashion under the dark clouds of war, like a wound-up machine.

"The No. 3 Main Mine has powerful experts stationed there, so there shouldn't be any major problems. Is it the Light-Deriving Snake Race attacking, or have those Desolate Beasts invaded?"

The internet was filled with various speculations, with no unified explanation.

"If only I were Earth Rank or even higher, I wouldn't be so helpless as I am now!"

Sinking into the sofa in the living room, Yuan looked at the dozen missed calls on the virtual screen before him. For the first time in his life, he felt a particularly intense sense of powerlessness.

After a long while, the call from his mother, Doris, finally connected. She smiled and comforted Yuan, telling him everything was fine and to stay at home and take care of himself.

However, Yuan detected a hint of hidden worry on his mother's face after he repeatedly pressed her for news about his father, Autumn.

Mother Doris finally told the truth: "Two Universe Rank Light-Deriving Snake Race members have arrived at the No. 3 Main Mine. They are fighting in the air, and the shockwaves are causing massive destruction to the surface of the mine."

"Several mining teams working nearby have been buried underground, and your father's team is among them!"

"But don't worry, your father and the others have hidden inside the 'Safety Cabin' built from B9 Star Blue Gold. We just need to wait for those two Light-Deriving Snakes to retreat!"

"Damn those Light-Deriving Snakes! Doesn't the mine have powerful experts stationed there? Why don't they just drive them away?"

"I asked the General Manager, and he said it involves some secrets we aren't allowed to know..."

After all, when the Northern Rock Race was wiped out previously, four or five Immortals from the Light-Deriving Snake Race had all appeared.

With the human side's Immortal God Lord missing, the Isis Race humans could only endure some of the less excessive provocations from the Light-Deriving Snake Race.

This was not something for a commoner like Yuan to know; even the mine's General Manager, who was also a Universe Rank expert, only understood a fraction of the truth.

Yuan slumped on the sofa. After a brief moment of sadness, a strong urge to go to the mine suddenly sprouted in his mind.

Although he knew his Apprentice Rank Tier 9 strength wouldn't be of any help, that was his father, after all!

"Even if I can't help, I won't be a burden. At the very least, I can be the first to know about my father's situation!"

Having decided to sneak out of the city to check on the No. 3 Main Mine, Yuan inexplicably fell into a state of hesitation. It felt as if a voice inside him was constantly urging him to give up.

"You're only Apprentice Rank Tier 9. You can't help with anything, and you'll only be a burden! Just stay home and wait for news!"

Just as he was about to give up, Yuan suddenly realized something was wrong! He immediately sat cross-legged and entered his Consciousness Sea to check the purple crystal within.

This rhombic purple crystal was rotating and absorbing the Universe Energy entering his Consciousness Sea just as it always did, as if everything were normal...

Yuan knew very well how important his family was to him. Even if he couldn't get out of the city, he would at least try, rather than giving up so easily as he had just done!

It wasn't as if a real war had broken out. While the mine's security forces couldn't "actively" provoke these two Light-Deriving Snakes, they were more than capable of protecting the many miners and their families who remained at the site.

Digging out his father's backup identification card from home, Yuan attempted to sneak out.

A hidden, secret signal was quietly transmitted near the Stone residence...

"Report from Unit 10. The target has left the house. Changing the patrol routes of the mechanical police and alert mechs according to the plan..."

Walking furtively down the street, he managed to dodge the mechanical police and the alert mechs in the sky one by one, narrowly avoiding detection.

Yuan soon approached the North City Gate of the Tuka Tribe, which was the closest gate to the No. 3 Main Mine. He hid behind a flower bed filled with unknown plants nearby.

He watched as a giant gap, tens of meters wide and long, was partitioned off by a semi-elliptical metal door beneath the golden-yellow energy shield, which was filled with a dangerous aura, allowing various people, machines, and transport vehicles to enter and exit...

The dozens of giant, activated cannon muzzles standing ready on the metal door showed that this was not a place one could enter or exit at will.

"Damn it! Who provided the intelligence? The target is only Apprentice Rank Tier 9; how could he possibly get out of the city at a time like this?"

"There was a problem with the intelligence work. The original report stated the target was about to break through at any moment, but the intelligence personnel got lazy while setting up the surveillance and changed it to 'already broken through,' so they relaxed their monitoring. They didn't have the clearance to know the specific details or timing of the plan..."

"Bastards! Execute everyone involved once this is over!"

"Yes! This kid really treasures his life; he had a high chance of breaking through after mastering the Seven-Layer Divine Consciousness Tower, yet he insisted on dragging it out until now! Could it be the influence of that thing?"

"Shut your mouth! It is strictly forbidden to discuss any related information! Send people to intercept the target quickly, and be careful not to arouse his suspicion!"

Yuan pulled his hood down, letting his face sink completely into the darkness. Just as he prepared to stand up, someone behind him quietly pulled him back.

Before Yuan could react, the person whispered an explanation: "You must be trying to leave the city gate, right? It's under martial law right now; you won't be able to get out as an Apprentice Rank level nine!"

"That's none of your business, I have my own ways," Yuan said confidently, moving to stand up again.

The man grew a bit anxious and pulled Yuan back again. With the strength of an Earth Rank level nine, a light tug was all it took to keep Yuan immobile: "You're planning to use a mining employee card to go through the employee passage, aren't you?"

"Who are you, and how do you know I have a mining employee card?" Yuan asked, wary.

The man pointed to the Smart Wristwatch on Yuan's wrist and smiled: "I guessed. Usually, no one cares, but it's a state of war now; the employee passage requires verification from a portable smart device as well."

To lower Yuan's guard, the man deliberately said: "My name is Tuowei. If you pay me Credit Points, I have a way to get you out!"

"I live right around here, don't worry. I assume you have enough confidence to call for help before I could subdue you, right?"

Hearing the other party put it that way, Yuan relaxed his guard slightly and prepared to follow him to see what he had in mind.

After all, in just this short while, Yuan had already seen an Apprentice Rank who tried to sneak out of the city gate get intercepted and sent back.

Tuowei said: "That was probably the family of a trapped miner. It's a good thing it's not a 'real' state of war, otherwise that Apprentice Rank would have suffered..."

It seemed this Tuowei knew some inside information. Following him through several twists and turns, they walked into the back room of a seemingly ordinary small shop.

Tuowei stated his prepared excuse: "We have a 'Scavenger Team' here. Just as I said before, as long as you pay enough 'Credit Points', we have a way to get you out."

A Scavenger Team, as the name suggests, is a group that searches for useful resources outside the city. Powerful individuals hunt down formidable Desolate Beasts over and over, and they always leave behind some resources or treasures they deem unworthy.

Furthermore, since the Northern Rock Race was wiped out, their nearby city ruins often yield decent finds, which has given rise to a prosperous scavenging business.

Although there are many dangers, it is indeed much more profitable than being an honest miner...

Yuan suddenly understood and tried to haggle with Tuowei. After all, as an underage Apprentice Rank level nine, even if his family background was decent, he didn't have much money on him.

Tuowei was happy to stall for time, waiting for new instructions from above.

"I had other Scavenger Teams try to take an Apprentice Rank out of the gate, but they were intercepted. This method isn't working! What do we do?"

"Damn it, I really want to grind those intelligence personnel into dust right now! There's no other way, use the 'Mandala Liquid'!"

"No, such a precious resource was supposed to be saved for the Master! The 'Mandala Liquid' is produced in the heart of the Yisi Kingdom's territory and is useful even for Demigod Rank (World Rank) beings; it can increase law affinity. Even if you offered a sky-high price outside, you couldn't buy it."

"Our organization has operated within the Yisi Kingdom for many years just to exhaust our Credit Points to buy this single drop. It's too much of a waste to use it on a mere Apprentice Rank's breakthrough!"

"Have you forgotten the Master's initial instructions? At all costs! Make the target walk out of the city himself! Decide quickly! If this drags on and a Demigod Rank powerhouse is provoked into attacking those two Light-Deriving Snakes, the mission will fail! Can you bear that responsibility?!"

"It has to be this way, then. What a pity for all our efforts over these years, sigh!"