As the captain of the fifteenth squad of the First Scout Group of the Fifth Fearless Empire, Boto maintained an impeccable record of mission success.
The fifteen squad members, including the captain, were all elite scouts.
They might not be the best warriors in combat, but they were masters of stealth and disguise.
Scouts are the intelligence source of the army.
Thus, the members of the scout group were not professional soldiers but rather recruited craftsmen, physicians, farmers, thieves, mercenaries, and even some destitute scholars and clergy.
Once they shed their military uniforms, they became ordinary civilians.
Boto had great confidence in his squad; each member was carefully selected by him for their reliable skills and flawless execution of missions.
Receiving this important mission, Boto was more excited than anything.
God Bo waged war against the evil god Wuji king, and the Empire declared war on Wuji kingdom.
The fifteenth squad's orders were to infiltrate the kingdom controlled by the evil god, blend in with the locals, and gather intelligence.
Once they received further instructions from the rear, they would proceed to sabotage local roads, water sources, and supply lines, and if possible, secretly build altars to vie for the flame of faith for God Bo.
Boto led his squad, lightly equipped, following the map provided by the group, advancing through detours. However, the further they went, the more he felt something was amiss. There should have been hills ahead, so why had it turned into a desert?
The sky darkened without reason, and the sand turned a grayish-brown, as if some mysterious force had drained it of color.
Boto decided to take cover on the spot, ordering everyone to hide in the sand and observe the situation.
Scouts often lurked in dangerous areas and had to remain vigilant and flexible.
Soon after, Boto heard distant screams.
The Imperial troops were engaged in battle with the enemy.
Boto ordered to continue advancing; the front-line troops had attracted the enemy's main force, providing an opportunity to infiltrate the rear.
But as the squad moved deeper into the desert, the map from the group became utterly useless, not matching up at all.
The scout squad was tired and hungry, nerves on edge, knowing an encounter with the enemy forces could mean total annihilation.
Boto could only rely on his wilderness experience to lead everyone to find a way to survive.
Misfortune never comes singly, and they happened to encounter the people of Wuji.
He led his squad in continuous evasion, eventually entering a vast black area at a dead end.
Boto originally thought to wait for the enemy to leave before emerging. Instead, upon entering, they arrived in another world.
This world was incredibly bright.
The sun hung high, the ground beneath their feet was firm and solid, and there were no signs of gunsmoke, flames, or explosions, no collapsing ground traps, no crows or vultures feasting on corpses.
The air was filled with a faint scent of grass and the slightly salty sea breeze.
Boto led his team to catch fish and birds on the island, filling their stomachs, then he ordered them to take turns on watch, allowing everyone to get some sleep in turn.
Then he began to consider their next move.
The previous hole seemed like a massive portal that had transported the squad into this unfamiliar area. This place was very likely the great rear of Wuji Wang's kingdom.
Opportunity had arrived!
Boto rallied the scouts: "Brothers, the time to make our mark is now!"
"From today on, we will disperse and hide within the Empire, to understand the current state of this nation, waiting for the Empire's call. When that time comes, all our efforts will be rewarded by His Majesty the Emperor! We will be granted wives and offspring, and own land!"
"Remember, from today on, you are no longer Imperial scouts, but craftsmen, scholars, farmers, fishermen, and merchants. Collect intelligence from all walks of life, waiting for the Empire's call to arms."
"Every year on this day, we will convene on this island to compile intelligence. For safety, only I will know your cities and identities, and private contact is forbidden."
"For the Empire!"
"Fifteenth squad, disband!"
***
A year later, Boto arrived at the island where he had set sail, aboard a paddle sailboat.
He had mastered the local language and script, speaking fluent Yao Clan dialect, and even learned some dialects from the southern islands to facilitate communication with the islanders.
Now, he wore a thick cotton coat, carrying a knapsack, and had started a fire in a clearing.
The flames rose, casting a red glow on Boto's furrowed face.
He felt both joy and concern.
The joy came from discovering that this was not Wuji Wang's kingdom but a whole new world.
This world was rich in resources, well-ordered, free from war and chaos, and possessed many wondrous goods and tools. Transcendent creatures were numerous and closely interacted with humans… its value far exceeded that of Wuji Wang's kingdom.
The concern also stemmed from this.
In this world, there were at least four Apostles, each incredibly powerful. They had felled the sun, tamed the Dragon King, and slain many old gods… their top-tier combat power was terrifying.
The Empire also had Apostles of the gods, but never such fearsome feats, not even able to quell natural disasters.
Not to mention, the god that reigned over this world—God Yao—was unfathomable.
Boto sighed.
He thought he was entering a flock of sheep, but it turned out to be a den of tigers.
Now, Boto served in the city guard of Salt City.
As far as he knew, just the military force of Salt City alone included hundreds of Corruptors led by Commander Salger and dozens of Corrupt Guard, all elite forces.
In this world, they mostly relied on elite power, not on numerical superiority.
The Empire would need to dispatch at least eight fully staffed groups to match the Transcendent power of this one city.
On the other hand, the secular city guard was not to be underestimated either.
They were equipped with armor and bows and arrows, the arrowheads smeared with magical concoctions like Anesthetic Juice and Sleeping Draft. Relying on these potions, they could subdue or even annihilate Extraordinary Beings.
Moreover, there were ten martial monks in the city guard. They were fierce characters who had broken through human limits and entered the Transcendent realm by focusing on combat as their primary form of training.
The more Boto thought about it, the more he sighed.
If the Empire's army launched a full-scale attack on this place, it would likely be a disaster.
Just then, a merchant wearing a felt hat approached, speaking in the Imperial language.
"For the Empire."
"For the Empire."
Boto responded: "Sit. Tell me about your situation."
The merchant, named Bo Nine Thousand, sat beside the captain, pulling his coat closer: "Captain, I've been running ships with a few merchants. Our main route is from the northern New Continent to the southern Sanilo, trading goods like Splitting Earthworms and Blackwater Minks."
"The Dragon's Nest has become akin to a large city, with many people settling around it, all relying on the livestock and trade of the Dragon's Nest for their livelihood."
He licked his lips: "I've seen a dragon once."
"It flew in the sky, spewing black dragon flames, its wings covering the sun, and only by seeing it with your own eyes can you understand the power of a dragon, a walking natural disaster…"
"The surrounding ice and snow giants are like mountains, their ice shells impervious to swords and spears. Perhaps only the Empire's strongest siege crossbows could harm them."
Boto frowned: "Is this all you've investigated?"
"There's more."
Bo Nine Thousand gathered his thoughts: "I infiltrated among the merchants, and from them, I got an important piece of news."
He paused: "The fallen Dark Sun is likely in the Dragon's Nest, collected by the Dragon King."
"…"
Boto was somewhat agitated.
The power of the Dragon's Nest seemed even stronger than imagined.
After a while.
Members of the scout squad arrived one after another.
They each presented the intelligence they had gathered.
Boto compiled everyone's findings and came to a conclusion.
This was a world where agriculture, handicrafts, commerce, culture, smelting, casting, and medicine were all highly advanced, with the secular and Transcendent actively integrating, and a plethora of inventions and creations emerging…
The good news was that the population of the Yao Clan was not very large.
The bad news was that the number of Transcendent creatures was growing rapidly, with some integrating into the Yao Clan.
Boto spoke up: "Let's all share our thoughts on what we can do for the Empire?"
As they discussed their professions and experiences, they enjoyed a lively conversation, but when it came to the mission, their brows furrowed in worry.
Only the crackling of the campfire could be heard.
Boto said fiercely: "Snap out of it! Have you forgotten our mission?"
"As soldiers of the Empire, we have only one duty."
"Loyalty, loyalty, and more fucking loyalty!"
"For the Empire!"
The others echoed: "For the Empire."
Suddenly, a dirty young man passed by, lean and carrying a bundle, curiously asking, "What are you doing?"
Everyone tensed up.
Fortunately, the locals could not understand the Imperial language.
A team member whispered, "Boss, should we silence him?"
Boto's gaze stopped him, then he smiled and approached: "We are old friends from an island, gathering here."
"Oh, then be careful. Recently, there have been Cannibal Crab pirates around here, they've robbed a few ships. I'm here to deal with them, just caught one."
The young man dragged a dead Cannibal Crab from behind a tree and suggested, "How about we all eat together?"
***
Enjoying the delicious grilled crab meat, Boto was relieved that he had played it cool.
The other was a martial monk; if a fight had broken out, his squad might have been wiped out right there.
He began to worry about the future.
He didn't know if the Empire would come.
On one hand, Boto hoped the Empire's troops would come soon to retrieve them, to return to the long-missed homeland.
On the other hand, he didn't want the Empire's main force to come here, as it would likely be a one-way trip.
The conflicting emotions made him gnaw on the meat fiercely, turning his worries into appetite, silently chanting in his heart.
Loyalty, loyalty!
Proofreader & Editor: Lotas