NOVEL NEXT Chapter 337: Chapter 337: Extremely Unstable Instance
Jeremy didn't think for long; he believed he couldn't afford to waste even a moment. So, he ultimately chose the most dangerous route.
As he passed through the unstable portal, he could distinctly feel changes occurring within his body. These changes seemed to be caused by the erratic spatial fluctuations surrounding him. However, Jeremy had no time to focus on these subtle alterations.
Upon entering The Lost Realm, he immediately noticed that the situation within the instance was drastically different from before. The entire instance had become highly unstable. Jeremy sensed that the surrounding space was continuously shifting. Moreover, these spatial changes were causing the strength of the monsters within the instance to fluctuate as well.
During his previous entry into the instance, he had been able to vaguely perceive the instance boss deep within, thanks to his talent, The King of Time and Space. But this time, he couldn't even use that ability to gauge the spatial dynamics around him.
Just as Jeremy furrowed his brow, pondering how he should proceed, Liam and General Howard approached him, their expressions grave.
"We've sent our subordinates to scout the surrounding area. The region we're in is a crossroads; we can head in four different directions. What do you think we should do? Should we split up and take separate actions?"
The reason they sought Jeremy's opinion was that they couldn't come to a consensus. Liam wanted everyone to stick together, believing that the challenges in The Lost Realm were extremely high. In his view, if they didn't stay united, they would likely be picked off one by one by the monsters lurking in the instance.
On the other hand, General Howard felt that staying together was simply a waste of time. He believed that if they split up, they could gather more information in the shortest possible time.
At that moment, Jeremy felt a headache coming on. However, it didn't prevent him from making a swift decision.
"I think we should split up!" he said directly. "While this does pose a certain risk to all of us, it will also save us valuable time. I believe that the three of us are strong enough, so let's divide everyone into three groups. Each group can choose a direction to advance from the crossroads. If any group encounters an insurmountable crisis during their mission, they can just return to this spot."
Jeremy not only provided an answer but also devised a very detailed action plan. Upon hearing his words, Liam and General Howard found themselves unable to refute his logic. However, Liam still reluctantly said to Jeremy, "If we split into three groups, doesn't that mean we can only choose three different directions to move forward? But there are four directions here."
"Then there's no other option!" Jeremy replied firmly. "While I want to save time, I also believe it's essential to ensure that everyone has a certain level of safety during this operation."
Jeremy's reasoning was impeccable. While everyone hoped to clear The Lost Realm as quickly as possible, none of them wanted to face death during the process.
In the end, Liam, General Howard, and Jeremy decided to split up. Naturally, Jeremy teamed up with Bonnie, Claire, and Emma. The direction Jeremy chose to advance was actually the same one that Ritchie had initially selected.
"I believe Ritchie must have gotten into some trouble by now! We need to find him as quickly as possible!" Bonnie said directly to Jeremy after they separated from the others.
Jeremy nodded gravely in agreement. "I share your thoughts! Plus, I've already found some clues left by Ritchie!" As he spoke, Jeremy directed his gaze toward the ground.
Bonnie, Claire, and Emma followed Jeremy's gaze and looked down at the ground. Indeed, they spotted some shadows on the floor. These shadows bore Ritchie's personal imprint, indicating that he had definitely passed through this area.
"I think Ritchie and the other members of the Special Team got separated for some reason. Earlier on, we could see not only Ritchie's footprints but also those of others. However, on this stretch of the path, we only see Ritchie's prints. I don't understand why this is happening, but it's likely because they encountered a powerful enemy," Jeremy speculated.
While Jeremy's reasoning had some merit, it wasn't necessarily accurate. After all, he didn't possess omniscient abilities. He could only make inferences based on the information available to him and his previous experiences. Little did he know that the instance boss in The Lost Realm could create special barriers out of thin air.
After about fifteen minutes of walking, Jeremy and the others arrived at a relatively spacious hall. In this open area, they finally spotted a member of the Special Team. The team member stood with their back to Jeremy and the others, positioned at the other end of the hall.
Upon seeing the member of the Special Team, a smile appeared on Bonnie's face. "Finally, we can get some information from a Special Team member!"
After saying this, Bonnie started walking toward the individual. However, before she could get too far, Jeremy pulled her back. "Don't move any closer! Don't you find it strange that this Special Team member looks odd?"
Jeremy's words made Bonnie instantly realize the situation. Claire and Emma tightened their grips on their weapons, both ready for a fight. Discover hidden tales at M-V-L
"You three stay here! If anything unusual happens, just launch an attack! I'll go ahead and take a look!" After giving his instructions, Jeremy took a few steps forward.
He moved cautiously, as he needed to carefully observe the condition of the Special Team member. When he was about ten meters away, the Special Team member suddenly turned their head. To Jeremy's shock, the member's head had been replaced with a mechanical one.
In that split second, Jeremy raised his weapon, the mortal combat. He had no intention of activating the skills of the mortal combat; he simply wanted to be prepared for a potential sudden attack.
At the same time Jeremy took action, Bonnie pulled out her staff. Bonnie's response was actually quicker than Jeremy's. She unleashed two completely different frost spell skills in rapid succession.
One was the Ice Spike Technique, and the other was a powerful blizzard. The Ice Spike Technique summoned a massive block of ice that hurtled toward the members of the Special Team, while the blizzard slowed their movements significantly.
Bonnie moved with incredible speed, so much so that Claire and Emma hadn't even had the chance to prepare for an attack before the battle was already over. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of Bonnie and Jeremy, the Special Team members were quickly brought under control.
"Can you still speak? If you can, then tell me something useful!" Jeremy demanded, his tone firm but with an underlying urgency. He had no intention of eliminating the Special Team member before him; he merely wanted to extract valuable information.
However, it was clear that the Special Team member was no longer capable of speech. They had been transformed into a half-living, half-mechanical monster, rendering communication impossible. Ultimately, Jeremy had no choice but to put the creature down.
"It seems that Ritchie is indeed facing a tremendous crisis," Jeremy said, his voice tinged with a hint of sorrow. "The members of the Special Team must have all been converted into these half-living, half-mechanical beings. Even if there are any survivors, they likely won't be able to hold out for much longer."
Upon hearing Jeremy's words, Bonnie, Emma, and Claire couldn't help but feel a sense of gloom wash over them. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on their hearts.
Bonnie stepped forward decisively and addressed Jeremy, "In that case, we need to quicken our pace! There's a chance we might still find some survivors out there! Even if we can't locate any, we should do everything within our power to rescue Ritchie."
Jeremy nodded in agreement and then led the three of them forward at a brisk pace.
Meanwhile, Liam and General Howard's squad encountered a member of the Special Team as well. Their situation mirrored that of Jeremy's group exactly. However, Liam and General Howard held different assessments than Jeremy regarding the circumstances they faced.
Both men independently concluded that the difficulty level of the Lost Realm instance had been grossly overestimated.
"I believe we shouldn't have placed such a heavy emphasis on this instance from the beginning," Liam remarked with a confident smile to his subordinates. "The difficulty isn't nearly as high as we initially thought. Even the Special Team members have merely been transformed into half-mechanical, half-living monsters.
This indicates that the instance boss of the Lost Realm hasn't been able to eliminate these Special Team members."
General Howard, while not as optimistic as Liam, agreed with the overall assessment. "It seems that we will be able to clear the Lost Realm instance quite soon! After that, we won't have to worry excessively about the safety of Moonlight City."