Ye Yao followed Shen Yan’s gaze and saw the bodyguard standing by the door.
Usually, the bodyguards from Ye Yao’s family rarely took the initiative to find her directly at school.
Unless there was something urgent.
“My family must have some urgent business with me. I’ll be… leaving first.”
Ye Yao gave Shen Yan a strange look before offering a smile to Su Aoxue and leaving the classroom.
Shortly after, Su Aoxue and Shen Yan also left the classroom under the bewildered gazes of their classmates.
Once the two main figures had departed, the group that had not yet dispersed began to whisper among themselves.
……
After parting ways with Shen Yan, Su Aoxue immediately called Ling Feng.
Without wasting any breath, Su Aoxue asked directly, “A City-Destroying Gray Mist Tide is about to strike our Base City. Are you aware of this?”
However, Ling Feng sounded completely confused on the other end. “Huh?”
“You’ve asked the wrong person about this. I’m not originally from this Base City, so how would I know that?”
“Besides, a City-Destroying Level disaster? Do you even know what you’re saying!”
Just as Su Aoxue was about to lose hope, Ling Feng spoke up again. “Well, I can go ask around.”
“There are peripheral members of our organization in this Base City. They should have some information. Wait for me a moment.”
Ling Feng was still quite shocked by Su Aoxue’s sudden mention of a City-Destroying Gray Mist Tide.
After all, this was a remote area. Usually, the appearance of even an Elite-level Gray Mist Creature was considered a significant event.
The highest combat power in this Base City was only an A-rank Warrior.
Soon after the call was disconnected, Ling Feng called back.
Her tone sounded a bit strange. “The frequency of Gray Mist Creature sightings has indeed increased significantly lately.”
“The probability of a Local Disaster Level Gray Mist Tide breaking out is around 84%.”
“As for whether it’s a City-Destroying Level tide, the evaluation probability based on the battlefield data from the last twenty years is approximately 12%.”
“The probability isn’t very high. It shouldn’t reach the level of an actual City-Destroying Level disaster.”
Su Aoxue fell into thought after hearing this.
‘Was Shen Yan making a mountain out of a molehill, or is an unprecedented crisis truly about to break out?’
At that moment, Ling Feng continued, her voice full of confidence.
“The Core Base City has established defense lines. They won’t allow a single creature with strength at the Commander-rank or above to reach the rear.”
“Therefore, unless the creatures naturally evolve to reach the Commander-rank, the probability of a City-Destroying Level disaster is almost zero.”
“I might as well tell you since you’re already one of us. The Defense Line Alarm System was co-developed by our organization and the government. The monitoring success rate is… 99%!”
Ling Feng had originally wanted to say 100%, but as a rigorous Witch, she chose a slightly more modest figure.
“Is that so?” After a brief silence, Su Aoxue asked tentatively, “What if you refer to the data from before twenty years ago?”
Ling Feng was stunned. “From before twenty years ago?”
“Before twenty years ago, the evaluation standards for a City-Destroying Level disaster were different from what they are now.”
“Back then, a City-Destroying Level disaster was only declared if a General-rank creature appeared. Two Commander-ranks were merely considered a Local Disaster Level.”
However, as she spoke, Ling Feng’s expression grew increasingly grave as her thoughts deepened.
“If we truly refer to the data from before twenty years ago, the minimum level for this upcoming Gray Mist Tide would be Local Disaster Level. When translated into modern disaster ratings, it has already reached… City-Destroying Level.”
Ling Feng’s voice grew heavy as she reached this conclusion.
“Wait for me a moment.”
With that, Ling Feng hung up the phone.
“Is a City-Destroying Level disaster… really going to happen?”
Su Aoxue could tell something was wrong from Ling Feng’s tone. Hanging up was likely so she could go verify the facts.
Looking at the dark screen of his phone, he fell silent for a moment before quickly calling his mother.
However, after two calls, there was no answer.
“Could she still be at work? Tsk, no.”
Su Aoxue slapped his forehead and ran directly toward the station. He had to go see his mother in person.
……
Elsewhere, after hanging up, Ling Feng stepped out of her temporary laboratory.
Outside, a group of people in white coats were busy conducting some form of research.
Ling Feng wove through the crowd and quickly arrived at a place called the Archives Department.
The clerk in charge of the Archives Department looked up in confusion. “Milady, why are you back again?”
“Retrieve the data for every Gray Mist Tide that has occurred over the years for me.”
“Understood.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, the clerk used the computer to pull up every Gray Mist Tide event that had occurred in this Base City over the last twenty years.
The level of detail surpassed even the official database of the Base City.
Ling Feng quickly began comparing the details of every Gray Mist Tide from the last twenty years.
She was shocked to find that the highest threat level recorded in this Base City over the last twenty years was a Local Disaster Level, and it had only occurred two times!
“Two Local Disaster Level incidents, six Level 3 disasters, 1,200 Level 2 disasters, and 600 Level 1 disasters.”
“Something is wrong.”
“These things actually suppressed their own nature. In the subsequent ten years, not a single attack reaching the Local Disaster Level occurred!”
Ling Feng’s heart skipped a beat.
Combined with the strange behavior of the recent large-scale appearance of Elite-level Gray Mist Creatures, Ling Feng suddenly stood up.
“We can’t leave this to chance. The danger level of this Gray Mist Tide must be re-evaluated!”
“I’m afraid this Gray Mist Tide really might reach the City-Destroying Level…”
The clerk in the Archives Department was startled by Ling Feng’s sudden tension and serious aura.
Because he had been listening in while standing beside her, he immediately realized the gravity of the situation. “Should I go inform the Minister?”
“Go.”
Ling Feng sat back down in her chair and massaged her brow.
‘A City-Destroying level, meaning there’s at least one, maybe even two Commander-rank Mist Wraiths. I’m only from the Research Department, not the Combat Department. I’m not suited to handle a crisis of this magnitude at all…’
‘I have to take Su Aoxue and leave this place immediately!’
The core members of the Truth Society were composed of “scholars” who researched the truth—at least, that was how it started.
However, to ensure their research proceeded smoothly, the Truth Society had established a Combat Department specifically to display their military might to the outside world.
As a member of the Research Department, Ling Feng was not particularly skilled in combat.
Her own strength was only S-rank.
She could handle one Commander-rank Gray Mist Creature, but if there were two, she would likely fall here.
However, her Talent was the Wind Superpower, which fell under the Supernatural Type.
Her mobility was exceptional, so she had no problem keeping herself safe. This was likely why she had been sent out on this mission.
“It’s all because those people in the Combat Department are lunatics. They aren’t fit to recruit new members at all. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have to do this job!”
Ling Feng muttered irritably.
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