This place was at the back of the valley.
Chen Ming looked up. The sea of flames and the strange moonlight in the night sky had gradually disappeared.
Only waves of terrifying aftershocks kept rolling in, rumbling through the air above.
The Giant Wolf and the Class Changer who seemed to be a "Mechanic" were fighting.
But Chen Ming knew that Pale Flame and Moonlight Essence hadn't disappeared.
He had already noticed as much when he used his mental power to observe them earlier.
In the night sky, the pale sea of flames and faint blue moonlight that the Giant Wolf had spewed out swirled together, weaving into a "river" descending from the heavens.
It landed somewhere in the area ahead.
Chen Ming guessed that was where the Giant Wolf had "hidden its treasures."
So, taking advantage of the chaos, he decided to take a risk and give it a try.
In front of a giant beast over level 40 and a Class Changer who was probably over level 40 as well...
He'd raid their lair!
By now, Chen Ming had pushed the Lurk enchantment of [Shadowless Armor] to its limit.
His figure looked blurred and indistinct.
Combined with the Swift Dash of his [Feather Boots],
he could move quickly through the valley, traveling at incredible speed without easily giving himself away.
He had to be careful. If he was discovered, all his efforts would be for nothing.
Those people were high-ranking officials from Cloud Sea City, and one of them was the principal of Cloud Sea No. 1 High School, where Chen Ming studied.
If he was exposed, he probably wouldn't be in any danger. They might even protect him.
But there was no way he'd get his hands on any of the resources.
So when Chen Ming saw the Giant Wolf, several principals, and the Mechanic, he didn't use his mental power to probe them.
High-level Class Changers and giant beasts were sure to have strong mental power.
Probing them recklessly would only expose him.
Before long, Chen Ming followed the direction in which Pale Flame and Moonlight Essence had descended and arrived at a peculiar place.
A stretch of land was enclosed by a swirling vortex of chaotic currents, impossible to see through.
An invisible energy covered the area ahead like a lid.
Chen Ming went closer to inspect it and found that the energy in the barrier was chaotic and jumbled.
He frowned, unsure how to proceed.
If it had been some perilous, aggressive place, Chen Ming could have simply forced his way in.
But the barrier's purpose was defensive.
That was what stumped him.
He wasn't afraid of the strongest spear, but he was afraid of the shield.
He himself was the strongest shield!
Just as Chen Ming was at a loss, his mental power stirred. He sensed something.
He turned to look behind him.
The next moment.
Whoosh—
A streak of light, invisible to the naked eye, shot down nearby.
It was a person.
Chen Ming instinctively thought he'd been exposed.
But when he looked more closely, he saw that it was a Class Changer he'd never seen before.
Another expert?
The other man had white hair and a rather aged face. A conspicuous pair of white wings extended from his back.
An Angel-class Class Changer!
As soon as the old man arrived, he looked toward Chen Ming.
The next second, Chen Ming felt a powerful mental force sweep over his entire body.
"Hmm? Level 6, and a Shield Guard?"
The old man saw through Chen Ming's level at once. A puzzled expression crossed his face, tinged with surprise.
How had a rookie ended up in a place like this?
He saw Chen Ming standing in front of the chaotic-flow barrier and immediately understood.
"Not bad, kid. You've got some nerve."
The Angel-class old man gave him a faint, mocking smile, then waved a hand at Chen Ming.
"Trying to snatch resources like these? Get out of here. This isn't a place for you."
After saying that, the Angel-class old man paid Chen Ming no further attention.
In his eyes, Chen Ming was just an inexperienced rookie Class Changer, still wet behind the ears.
Where was this? The Exotic Beast Forest, the temporary lair of the Pale Moon Wolf King!
A battle was still raging nearby.
What could a little level 6 kid possibly do here?
Just warning him once was already an act of kindness.
Then the old man turned toward the barrier and reached a hand out.
The chaotic whirlpools on the barrier suddenly stopped, then began to swirl in reverse.
As more and more whirlpools reversed, the barrier gradually dimmed without making a sound, until it vanished completely.
Not a single sound was made throughout the entire process.
Behind him, Chen Ming watched in silence.
He didn't leave. He just took a few steps back.
Seeing this, Chen Ming understood.
So I've run into someone in the same line of work...
Boom—
Just then, an enraged roar rang out.
It was so deafening that the entire space trembled.
Chen Ming looked over.
With the barrier gone, the true appearance of the area it had concealed was revealed.
It was a hollow.
There was a small pool at the bottom, its contents flowing in two distinct streams.
Above the hollow, strange sights filled the air.
Pure white flames rose from nowhere, while brilliant moonlight spilled all around them.
Only...
A "Giant Wolf" stood guard over the hollow.
It was a phantom, and its appearance closely resembled the Wolf King in the distant night sky.
Clearly, it was the "guard" of the Wolf King's lair.
It was there specifically to prevent anyone from raiding the place.
At that moment, the Wolf King Phantom unleashed an astonishing aura, its entire body radiating immense pressure.
The old man reacted quickly, striking as soon as the phantom appeared.
He sent out a blur of energy that formed a barrier around the area.
It prevented the commotion here from spreading outside.
Then the old man tried to enter the hollow.
But the moment he approached, the Wolf King Phantom pounced.
Its giant claws swung, sending several attacks at him like crescent-moon slashes, wrapped in pale blue flames.
The old man didn't take them head-on. He sidestepped and retreated.
"This won't be easy."
The old man frowned as he watched the Wolf King Phantom return to the hollow.
This was a skill phantom condensed by the Pale Moon Wolf King. Every attack was a lethal skill, and it held nothing back.
He could certainly deal with the phantom, but doing so would definitely draw the Pale Moon Wolf King's attention.
Then there was no telling whether he'd be able to get what he wanted.
Thinking of this, the old man looked toward the pool in the hollow.
Two streams of liquid flowed inside it. One was a pale, molten substance that gave off flames; the other was a crystal-clear fluid.
His gaze settled on the latter.
"You need that Moonlight Essence resource?"
Just as the old man was hesitating, a calm voice suddenly came from behind him.
He turned around. It was the rookie from earlier.
"You haven't left yet?"
The old man frowned.
This kid really wasn't afraid of dying.
Chen Ming looked up at the barrier enclosing the area.
"How about we work together?"
Before you continue