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Chapter 328 Acting Alone is Safe
Chapter 328 Acting Alone is Safe
General Howard's expression remained unchanged after hearing Jeremy's response. It was as if he had already anticipated that Jeremy would say exactly that. In Howard's impression, Jeremy had always been someone who preferred to act alone. And indeed, Jeremy possessed the ability to operate independently and achieve success.
"I feel that I can ensure my own safety better if I act alone. Whether it's my companions or any other helpers you intend to provide, they could potentially slow me down during the mission," Jeremy explained with a smile.
General Howard nodded. "In that case, proceed according to your own preferences and see how the next steps unfold. I have other matters to attend to, so my adjutant will brief you on the details of the high-difficulty instance we're about to deal with."
Having said that, General Howard's expression showed a hint of fatigue. Under the watchful eyes of Jeremy and Ritchie, he walked out, boarded a helicopter, and flew towards the temporary military base located in the city center.
General Howard's adjutant had actually been waiting outside Jeremy's house all along. After the general left, the adjutant knocked on Jeremy's door.
"The general asked me to give you these documents. Once you've reviewed them, feel free to ask me any questions you might have. I'll be responsible for answering all your inquiries. If there's something I can't answer, it means there simply isn't an answer."
The adjutant had worked with Jeremy before, so he appeared quite relaxed at the prospect of collaborating again. Jeremy carefully reviewed the files handed to him. The documents clearly indicated the exact location of the instance Jeremy was supposed to go to. Experience new tales on M V L
To Jeremy's surprise, the specific location of the instance was right on First Avenue in the Moonlight City business district. This area was practically at the very center of Moonlight City, and surrounding this avenue were some of the city's most critical buildings.
The Moonlight City Hall was located less than 500 meters from First Avenue in the Moonlight City business district. Moreover, several other public facilities surrounded the avenue, all of which were crucial for the residents of Moonlight City.
"When exactly did this instance appear? I don't recall hearing anything about it before I was assigned to the Tower of Exile mission. Did it just suddenly emerge in the past few days?" Jeremy asked, his tone laced with curiosity and a hint of doubt.
General Howard's adjutant nodded. "You're absolutely correct. This instance appeared only three days ago. Since then, some exceptionally powerful creatures have been emerging from the instance, which has significantly deteriorated the situation in downtown Moonlight City. Mayor Benjamin has been urgently pressing the general and Director Liam to take swift action and eliminate this instance."
Jeremy accepted the explanation with a nod, his brow furrowing slightly as he continued to read through the remaining sections of the documents.
According to the files, the instance located on First Avenue in the Moonlight City business district had been named "The Lost Realm." The name was fitting, as every soldier or Special Situations Bureau operative who ventured inside ended up disoriented. No matter what tools they employed, none could find a clear path forward within The Lost Realm.
The entire instance seemed to be a maze shrouded in a dense fog.
Within the instance, some creatures appeared faintly, but they didn't seem to exhibit any aggressive behavior towards those who entered. Although the majority of people who ventured into The Lost Realm never made it back, there were a few who managed to escape.
The intelligence these survivors brought back was quite perplexing. Those who successfully returned reported that the instance did not seem to harbor any particularly formidable monsters. They believed that the primary danger within The Lost Realm lay in the inability to navigate through it, as if the place itself resisted any effort to find one's way.
After finishing all the documents, Jeremy frowned in thought for a moment. "Is there a way I can meet with some of the people who previously entered the instance? The descriptions in these files seem rather peculiar. Hearing their accounts directly from them might provide insights that could better aid my mission."
Faced with Jeremy's request, General Howard's adjutant hesitated for a moment. "If you truly insist on doing this, I'll arrange a meeting with the people who successfully returned from the instance right away."
After saying this, the adjutant took out his phone. "Get those who made it back from the instance ready. Jeremy will be meeting with them shortly, and they need to provide a detailed account of everything they witnessed inside."
After issuing the instructions to his subordinates, the adjutant turned to Jeremy with a smile. "If you're prepared, follow me. I'll ensure you meet with them as soon as possible. Once you've spoken to them, you should proceed directly into the instance."
Jeremy did not oppose the plan; in fact, he agreed that the situation was indeed dire. It was imperative to deal with the dangerous instance in downtown Moonlight City as soon as possible.
"Alright, let's proceed according to your plan. But I need to have a quick word with my companion first. It won't take long," Jeremy said.
The adjutant nodded in understanding before stepping out of the room, leaving Jeremy and Ritchie alone.
Ritchie, appearing a bit hesitant, turned to Jeremy. "I can't shake the feeling that something isn't right. Are you sure you don't want to reconsider? The difficulty of The Lost Realm might even surpass that of the Tower of Exile. Going in alone could be extremely dangerous."
Ritchie had always been somewhat distrustful of General Howard and Liam, which made him urge Jeremy to proceed with caution.
Jeremy chuckled at Ritchie's concern. "You don't need to worry about me. Just remember the few things I've told you," he replied.
In Jeremy's mind, Ritchie's warnings were of little use. At this point, they had no other allies to collaborate with except General Howard and Liam. There wasn't any other viable option.
"My upcoming mission could very well take several days. During this time, there's no need for you to focus on further strengthening yourself. I want you to join up with Claire and Emma. The three of you staying together will ensure each other's safety. If you encounter any real danger, I need you to do everything in your power to protect Claire and Emma.
After all, you're the strongest among the three of you, and I believe you're more than capable of handling some less formidable threats."
After hearing Jeremy's words, Ritchie nodded solemnly. "Don't worry! I'll do everything I can to protect them. You can count on me—I won't give you any reason to be concerned!"
Jeremy was pleased with Ritchie's response, so without further delay, he turned and walked out of the room.
Ritchie watched as Jeremy left, following General Howard's adjutant. Once the helicopter flew out of sight, Ritchie swiftly gathered his equipment and set off. He immediately called Claire and Emma, giving them a brief overview of the current situation.
Claire and Emma were also deeply worried about Jeremy's mission. However, they understood that they couldn't afford to hold him back now. As his companions, they were determined to support Jeremy's efforts, which reassured him that they wouldn't face any major crisis while he was away.
Meanwhile, Jeremy sat quietly in the helicopter, gazing down at the scene below. Since it was nighttime, darkness enveloped the landscape, with only a few scattered lights piercing through the gloom. These faint glimmers came from the few remaining survivors, but because this was a rural area, they were few and far between.
As the helicopter approached the city, however, the scattered lights gradually grew into a continuous glow, marking the densely populated urban center.
After about thirty minutes, the helicopter finally landed on the helipad at the temporary military base in downtown Moonlight City.
"We've arrived. The people you want to see are waiting for you in that building just ahead. Let's head over there as quickly as possible," said General Howard's adjutant, swiftly leading Jeremy toward the group of individuals who had managed to escape from The Lost Realm instance.
The moment Jeremy laid eyes on them, he sensed something unusual. It was as if these people were caught in a state of temporal distortion. He couldn't perceive the flow of time around them, as if they were trapped within a fixed time frame, frozen in a specific moment.
Noticing the subtle change in Jeremy's expression, the adjutant, ever observant, lowered his voice and asked, "What's wrong? Have you noticed something unusual? Do you already have a lead?"
Jeremy shook his head slowly in response. "I haven't found any useful clues yet. Let me question them quickly."