Chapter 221: 12 Hours

Chapter 221: Chapter 221: 12 Hours

Before anyone realized it, seawater began surging from the cracks in the ground of the chemical plant. In the blink of an eye, a boundless ocean appeared before everyone. However, instead of a pristine azure, the seawater was a dark, inky green, with fleeting silhouettes occasionally breaking the surface.

SPLASH!

A wave of water suddenly shot up from the ground, soaring into the sky before crashing down like a waterfall. But unlike a regular waterfall, lines of text appeared on the cascading curtain of water.

[To the brave and fearless latecomers:

1. Although the mermaids’ song is beautiful, you may only listen for half a minute. Exceed thirty seconds at your own peril!

2. Someone beneath your feet is greeting you, but you absolutely must not make eye contact with them!

3. When a mermaid extends an invitation, you can only accept!

4. Once the mermaid tide recedes, the braves may return to their own world and continue their lives!]

As everyone committed the words on the water curtain to memory, it suddenly split in two, revealing a gap just wide enough for one person to pass through. Seeing that the entrance to the instance had opened, Lu Jingyu immediately selected a few members from the team.

"Brother Lu, let me enter the instance with you!" Seeing that Lu Jingyu hadn’t picked him, Chen Yunfei grew a bit anxious.

Although he had woken up, the subsequent complete disappearance of the pollution source in Zone 9 meant he hadn’t had a chance to show off his skills. Now that another opportunity had finally presented itself, he didn’t want to miss it.

"Yun Fei, I know you want to stretch your legs, but as you can see, the mermaids will attack in twelve hours. I can’t say for sure if we can actually clear the instance within that time. Therefore, we must leave a leader here to guide the team against the incoming mermaids."

Chen Yunfei understood Lu Jingyu’s intentions, but he still wanted to fight for it. After all, in his eyes, with Lu Jingyu taking action, there essentially wouldn’t be any chance for a mermaid attack.

"Brother Lu, Meng Donghua is still out here. He can lead the team too."

Lu Jingyu patted Chen Yunfei’s shoulder. "Yun Fei, I know you want to prove yourself, but there’s no need to rush. You’ve already recovered; there will be plenty of opportunities in the future.

"Our Alliance just took in the 27th District’s Survival Team. This can be considered the first major crisis since we took charge, so we have to treat it seriously.

"Furthermore, Donghua is currently leading people to deal with those vines. From the looks of it, unless the root of the problem is solved, those vines will just keep growing back. If the mermaids were to attack on top of that, he wouldn’t be able to handle it all.

"I’m leaving things here in your hands. Next time, I’ll definitely let you lead the team!"

Lu Jingyu’s reasoning was sound, and Chen Yunfei couldn’t find any grounds to refute it, so he could only accept the arrangement. Lu Jingyu immediately ordered a headcount and equipment check, preparing to enter the instance.

Having gone through so many hardships together, Xu Qingsui and Lu Jingyu had finally formed a mutual understanding. With just a single exchange of glances, they had already silently agreed that she would be entering the instance as well.

While everyone was resting and regrouping, Shen Yan approached them.

But before Shen Yan could speak, Lu Jingyu preempted him, "I really don’t think your condition is suitable for entering the instance. After all, everyone will have their hands full inside. We simply won’t have the time to look after you.

"If you suddenly lose control, you’ll immediately become the sharpest dagger stabbing into our own team."

Seeing that Xu Qingsui merely exchanged a look with Lu Jingyu before beginning her preparations to enter the instance, Shen Yan felt a surge of bitterness over their tacit rapport. He was, after all, a latecomer; in comparison, he was still a step behind Lu Jingyu. But this couldn’t extinguish the stirring in his heart. On the contrary, it spurred him on, fueling his desire to win this rivalry.

Back when he made up his mind to follow them into the instance, he had already guessed that Lu Jingyu would use his condition as an excuse.

"I know, but since the incident started, there are a lot of things you guys aren’t clear about. To better resolve this issue, I have to go with you. With you around, I won’t easily take action, which means I won’t easily go berserk.

"During this time, I can provide you with some information that might be useful for clearing the instance."

Shen Yan stared intently at Lu Jingyu. His words were half-truths, but his objective was clear: he was going into that instance. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ

Lu Jingyu’s brows furrowed tightly, skeptical of Shen Yan’s claims.

"Actually, this place isn’t a chemical plant. I’ll explain the specifics to you slowly once we’re inside the instance." Shen Yan stopped looking at Lu Jingyu and turned directly to Xu Qingsui.

His words indeed piqued Xu Qingsui’s interest. She immediately spoke up, "Then let him come with us! I’ll keep a close eye on him. If he really shows signs of going berserk, I’ll intervene and soothe his state to prevent any infighting."

Since Xu Qingsui had spoken, Lu Jingyu naturally couldn’t refuse. He could only nod helplessly.

Seeing Lu Jingyu’s reluctant compromise, Shen Yan’s mischievous side flared up. He deliberately turned to Xu Qingsui and said, "Qing Sui, then I’ll be with you from now on. I’m putting myself entirely in your care."

Shen Yan’s tone sounded rather strange, causing Xu Qingsui to involuntarily shiver and break out in goosebumps. Lu Jingyu frowned, glaring at Shen Yan with silently clenched fists.

By this time, everyone had finished their break. After a brief notification, they prepared to enter the instance. Lu Jingyu had no choice but to withdraw his gaze. He gave Chen Yunfei a few more instructions before leading the team into the rift.

Right from the start, this instance burdened everyone with a layer of psychological pressure. As they finally headed to the front lines, everyone’s mood was exceptionally heavy. The entire team remained silent, so much so that their heavy heartbeats echoed in the quiet. Matched by their solemn footsteps, the group’s silhouettes completely vanished into the water curtain.

Once everyone had entered the instance, the water curtain that had been suspended in mid-air suddenly seemed to lose its support. With a loud SPLASH, it crashed down, drenching the people below like drowned rats.

Despite this, Chen Yunfei didn’t dare order anyone to go back and change clothes. He checked the time and immediately told the remaining team members, "The situation is critical, so I won’t waste words. Right now, we’ll go assist Meng Donghua and the others in clearing the vines. Over the next twelve hours, we will rest and resupply in shifts. After twelve hours, we must be in full combat readiness to welcome the mermaid attack."

Although Chen Yunfei felt that twelve hours was more than enough for Lu Jingyu to lead the team to clear the instance, Lu Jingyu had explicitly instructed him before leaving that they must make perfect preparations. He would never go against Lu Jingyu’s words, so he immediately made the arrangements. He then led the team to rendezvous with Meng Donghua, leaving only two people behind to guard the area and promptly report any news.

Meanwhile, Lu Jingyu and Xu Qingsui marched shoulder-to-shoulder, leading their team into the instance. Following a brief moment of blurred vision, an underwater world unfolded before everyone’s eyes.