Chapter Eighty-Four: A Narrow Path for Foes

When Sairey saw an entire arsenal filled with mechanical armor, she fainted on the spot. When she finally came to, she threw herself completely into the array of mechanical suits, oblivious to anything Tang Tian said. She muttered incessantly, lost in a trance, as if possessed.

"Who would have thought, this woman, despite her usual lack of decorum, is truly obsessed with mechanics," Tang Tian remarked, suddenly glancing at Bing. "I couldn't tell, old man, you're pretty sly."

"Ah, I learned it from others," Bing recalled the scene when he first joined the corps, a warm feeling flickering in his heart. He had been tricked into joining just like this.

"Seems like you didn't have the best company back then," Tang Tian sneered.

"You're absolutely right," Bing said through gritted teeth. "A scoundrel who only cared about food, drink, and pleasure, never about serious business; a cunning villain always looking for a chance to sell you out; and an idiot who set the barracks on fire grilling meat in the middle of the night!"

Tang Tian listened, dumbfounded, then looked at Bing with sympathy. "Old man, surviving in such a hostile environment, that's no small feat."

"Hmph!" Bing snorted coldly. "Leave her some rations, let's go."

"Is it safe to leave her alone here?" Tang Tian hesitated.

"Don't worry. The base is very secure." Bing glanced at Sairey, who was nearly immersed in the mechanical suits, and after a moment's silence said, "These crazy people, when they find something they love, nothing else exists for them."

Tang Tian responded, a spark of excitement in his voice. "Old man, do you think her improvements will work?"

"I don't know," Bing replied bluntly, shaking his head. "Who can guarantee success in such things? But she does have talent, and she's persistent. We need a mechanic, so it's worth a try."

"Then let's come back in a few days," Tang Tian said. "Let's go test the Soul Refining Device."

Tang Tian was naturally satisfied. Besides the Soul Refining Device, he had brought back five mechanical armors.

You have formidable Soul Generals, but I have mechanical armor!

You have powerful treasures, but I have mechanical armor!

Tang Tian felt an urge to catch someone and have a good fight.

Bing did not interfere. In his eyes, Tang Tian was displaying the classic mindset of a rookie. He was well experienced in dealing with such newcomers; suppressing or rebuking them at this stage would only breed resistance. The best method was to let real combat teach Tang Tian some hard lessons.

Boy, reality is always cruel...

Bing was already planning in his mind to find Tang Tian a worthy opponent. It was a pity the corps now only had himself; otherwise, he could parade out a dozen of its freaks to give Tang Tian a proper education.

But this world was even more unfamiliar to him.

Still, Bing remained calm and composed.

The newly activated base shocked Tang Tian with its powerful functions. Under his control, the base completely sank underground, the entrance vanished. To avoid detection, the base shifted more than five hundred meters sideways beneath the earth. Overnight, the ruins disappeared, startling many, but soon forgotten. Though the ruins had yielded some finds, there were no treasures, and Three Souls City was quite remote in the Soul District, with few masters. It quickly faded from people's minds.

Returning to Three Souls City, the two prepared to head back to the rookie training camp. Though Three Souls City belonged to the Soul District, time flowed no differently than in other districts. Time in the rookie camp was especially precious, and Tang Tian, who felt it was never enough, refused to waste a single moment.

Suddenly, Tang Tian caught sight of a figure out of the corner of his eye and stopped involuntarily.

Noticing the change in Tang Tian's expression, Bing looked over as well and smiled.

Kong Youlin!

It was actually Kong Youlin!

Tang Tian smiled coldly; what irony, searching high and low only to run into him here. Tang Tian had once had a good impression of Kong Youlin, but never expected him to send him to the Outpost of Daling. Tang Tian didn't care about Kong Youlin's opportunism or pragmatism—what did his character matter to Tang Tian? What mattered was silently tossing him into such a place!

Well, grievances were best settled with fists.

"Let's follow him," Tang Tian whispered, crouching and trailing Kong Youlin from afar.

Bing followed without a word, thinking to himself that Kong Youlin would make an excellent opponent. His strength was considerable, just enough to give Tang Tian a reality check. Better to let Tang Tian stumble now before he strayed too far down the wrong path.

With this in mind, Bing not only refrained from stopping Tang Tian, but also offered guidance.

"Don't fix your gaze on the target. That's the quickest way to get noticed. The key to tailing someone is to use your peripheral vision; your focus shouldn't be on them, but it also shouldn't wander."

Tang Tian learned quickly, trailing from a distance. Kong Youlin never suspected he was being followed in Three Souls City.

In no time, Kong Youlin entered a manor.

The Lin Estate.

Tang Tian circled the walls. Apparently, the Lin Estate never expected anyone to challenge them, for there wasn't a single guard in sight. The tall trees surrounding the walls remained untouched.

No sentries on the roofs, no patrols, no hidden guards, no traps... not a hint of defense.

Bing's eye twitched; if this fellow served under him, he'd throw him in the black dungeon and let him starve.

Alright, stay calm... haven't been a hard-nosed instructor for years... don't let the old habits flare up...

"Which spot is best to sneak in?" Tang Tian turned and whispered to Bing.

Which spot... does it even matter...

Bing forced himself to calm down. "Let's go in right here."

Without a word, Tang Tian sprang up like a cat, leaping into the thick foliage of a tree, his figure hidden from sight. Even Tang Tian felt the Lin Estate's defenses were abysmal. Who leaves trees outside their walls? Isn't that inviting trouble?

Inside the walls, rows of red-tiled eaves and soaring buildings sprawled across hundreds of acres. Tang Tian was astonished. He never expected so many structures within the walls—more like a small town.

What was the Lin Family's background?

Just as Tang Tian prepared to jump from the tree, Bing urgently stopped him. "Careful, that's a trap."

"A trap?" Tang Tian shivered.

Bing spoke in a low voice. "Hmph, such design is foolish. I hate such sneaky tricks. Defense should be straightforward, making it truly hard for enemies to break through. Start counting from your feet, to the left, the nineteenth brick—enter there."

Tang Tian didn't hesitate. He jumped down, found the indicated blue brick, and slipped over.

"Hey, old man, how did you spot that?" Tang Tian asked, curious.

"There was a soul fluctuation there. Very faint, but if you pay close attention, you can sense it," Bing explained. "I'm not really skilled with traps; generally, mechanics experts are better. But all traps follow the same principles. There are only a few types. Soul cores and Soul General cards are the main methods."

Tang Tian felt sheepish. "I didn't notice anything."

"You're a rookie," Bing said bluntly.

Tang Tian didn't argue; he was fully aware of his own inexperience.

After crossing the wall, Tang Tian landed silently. He darted forward, hiding in a patch of shadow, then pressed himself against the base of the wall, moving swiftly.

He felt an inexplicable thrill.

For someone with such simple experiences, this kind of action was unimaginable.

Bing always guided him at just the right moment, and his skill was truly formidable. Under Bing's direction, Tang Tian also noticed the hidden sentries and guards lurking in the shadows.

Tang Tian felt no anxiety; instead, the surrounding dangers made him intensely focused.

His movements grew sharper, his performance ever more precise.

Bing's experience was vast, his eyes keen. Soon, Tang Tian spotted Kong Youlin again. His spirits soared, just as he was about to approach, Bing suddenly said, "Aren't you going to use the Saber-Tooth Tiger?"

"Isn't it too big? Wouldn't it be easily noticed?" Tang Tian was puzzled.

Bing scoffed. "Don't judge just by sight. Right now, you're more likely to be discovered—your agility is poor, and you make noise when landing. The Saber-Tooth Tiger may be large, but it enhances your agility, making you less conspicuous. Plus, it's professionally camouflaged; its specialty is ambush, and a key factor in ambush is the ability to appear quietly around your enemy."

Tang Tian was overjoyed and quickly ran to a blind spot to take out the Saber-Tooth Tiger.

The armor was simple to wear, and with experience, Tang Tian donned it quickly, ready for action.

Bing's expression twitched; he still had more to say. The Saber-Tooth Tiger was indeed used for ambushes, but rarely operated alone. Only true masters could control it solo, executing surprise attacks.

Tang Tian, prepare to fall hard; you'll soon realize how wrong your chosen path is.

Oblivious to Bing's thoughts, Tang Tian donned the Saber-Tooth Tiger. The cold bronze touch awakened something deep inside him, as if a blazing stream of magma flowed through his heart.

This feeling... was simply incredible!

Tang Tian was excited; the sensation of controlling such a formidable machine in battle was exhilarating.

Clack, clack, clack!

The Saber-Tooth Tiger, exuding a murderous aura, flexed its limbs and neck, then suddenly halted, its majestic head full of restrained killing intent.

Just like in ancient times, it silently slipped into the darkness, entering the hunting grounds.