Chapter 287: A Calculated Gamble

“Yenir, do you really think they’ll buy it?”

“And luring them in like that—isn’t the risk just too high?”

Noticing that no one was pursuing them any longer, Ming Luo let out a quiet breath, though he dared not reduce his pace.

The roaring wind brushed past his ears.

Before he knew it, he’d come to rely on Yenir as his rock; every decision, he’d instinctively consult with the much younger Yenir.

“Don’t worry—I’ve got this.”

“Unless we give them a thorough beating, they’ll never learn their lesson.”

With a light chuckle, Yenir replied casually, not intending to elaborate further.

He knew that in Ming Luo’s eyes, his actions bordered on recklessness, even improper. In the military mindset, they’d rather have other zones forgo entering the instance altogether, making the enemy believe the instance was flawed and worthless.

After all, no one was sure they could ever take down a squad forged by seven nations again! Even a fool could predict that the Japanese and Korean Battle Zones, no matter how incompetent, would prepare meticulously and never let its guard down!

But to Yenir, nothing was insurmountable.

In the Zombie Realm instance, he was 99% confident he could outsmart the enemy.

Two months of preparation.

Holding the instance’s highest privileges and ample time to strategize, he could trap any entrant even from behind the scenes!

He wasn’t worried about the Japanese and Korean Battle Zones’s next move, no matter how many forces they sent!

Unless they packed a whole troop of Third-Stage elites—even peak ones—he would eliminate them one by one until these useless brats trembled in fear!

Feeling Yenir’s unwavering confidence, Ming Luo paused in surprise before a sense of relief settled in.

Perhaps it was his proven methods that earned his trust; facing a maniac like Yenir, he had nothing to fear.

Ming Luo couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.

Even though both were Awakeners, Yenir was much younger.

Who knows what that kid had endured to forge such a brilliant mind…

“So, are we heading back next?”

“I heard the Military is planning a celebration. Yenir, want to join me?”

“We scored big this time! The Military won’t be stingy with the rewards—who knows, you might even shake up the Capital again!”

As the fighter jet swooped in to pick them up, Ming Luo’s face lit up with excitement as he eagerly asked Yenir.

There was even a trace of envy in his eyes as he looked at Yenir.

Finishing his very first mission so flawlessly was nothing short of extraordinary.

Especially when accomplished under such daunting conditions.

Just glance at the high-ups in the Action Team—Yenir was bound to be lauded by the Military once again.

This wasn’t a mere test or a simple display of talent.

It was genuine combat success—a true demonstration of a genius’s worth!

Be it annihilating enemy forces or gathering precious minerals, either achievement alone would make Yenir a household name. Once the news reached the Capital, the entire leadership would be waiting for his return with bated breath.

Already held in high esteem, Yenir’s status was about to skyrocket even further, cementing his role as a blazing new superstar!

After all, great heroes come young—and everyone basked in the reflected glory of Yenir’s triumph.

However, unexpectedly, Yenir, seated in the cockpit, showed no sign of joy. Instead, his brows were tightly knit as he stared intently at the map in his hand.

A moment later, Ming Luo saw Yenir raise his head and, with hesitation, address him:

“I’m not heading back to the Capital for now.”

“Ming Luo, I need you to do something for me—or rather, I need the entire team’s help.”

“Hmm?”

Ming Luo was taken aback, confusion flickering across his face.

“What is it? I can see a trace of irritation in your eyes—as if you’re dealing with some trouble.”

“No worries! Just say the word and we’re on it.”

Without a moment’s hesitation.

Faced with Yenir’s request, Ming Luo agreed instantly.

But he couldn’t fathom what task Yenir had in mind for them…

……….

Sixteen minutes later, the aircraft began to shudder.

Amid a flurry of astonished stares, the fighter jet that had retrieved the team from the Defense Base took off again, bound for the East Sea Safe Zone.

Inside the cabin, the eight Special Operations Group members exchanged wide-eyed glances, uncertain as they watched Yenir lost in thought.

They were expecting to return with Yenir to the Capital to meet with the higher-ups.

News from twenty minutes prior had already sent shockwaves through Huaguo’s top brass—everyone was in awe.

Rumors even claimed that several top Military officials, upon hearing the news, burst into laughter and immediately ordered the Third-Stage unit to ensure Yenir and his crew returned safely to the Capital.

Who would have thought Yenir would just run off with them…

Without time for further explanation, Yenir’s eyes remained glued to the map as a storm of irritation brewed within him.

And for good reason.

The personnel he had sent to the East Sea Safe Zone hadn’t located Researcher Sun.

Worse yet, through Zhao Long’s intelligence network, he received some completely unacceptable news!

The inspector dispatched to probe the East Sea Safe Zone before he entered the instance had found nothing amiss! Even though the final report wasn’t in, the outcome was already inevitable.

Under the scrutiny of an investigation team composed of three committee members and a Military representative, Fang Teng’s East Sea Safe Zone showed no issues! Earlier data fluctuations were blamed on aging equipment, and they ruled out any possibility of a sea beast attack!

Incredible—at worst, it was just sporadic monster raids, hardly a real threat.

That meant… his previous proposal for an evacuation had been completely dismissed!

And now, there were only four to six days left until what he remembered as the onset of the disaster!

“My memory can’t be wrong!”

“I remember the timeline of the sea beast outbreak from my previous life clearly! Later, even this A-level disaster was seen as the herald of a catastrophe!”

“The data I computed was flawless… even if there were a butterfly effect, the margin of error couldn’t be this vast…”

Clenching his fists tightly, a flash of cold determination lit up in Yenir’s eyes.

He believed he had done all he could to prevent this disaster—every possible measure had been taken.

But now, it seemed some preferred to fake results rather than accept his warnings!

“Are they scared of losing their prestigious positions? Or is it simply because they despise me?”

“Or is there some other hidden motive?”

A subtle murderous intent welled up within him.

Whatever the reason, Yenir knew he had to rush to the East Sea Safe Zone immediately to uncover the truth!

For the first time since his rebirth, he was determined to stop the disaster. He couldn’t allow anyone to sabotage his plan—or face failure!

Otherwise, what would all his efforts mean? To watch the catastrophe unfold again?

“Whatever the reason…”

“I must locate that researcher and forcefully initiate an evacuation!”