Bleach: From the moment I was invited by Squad Zero.

The air was filled with a faint, dry, mineral scent characteristic of Hueco Mundo.

Occasionally, a grim reaper dressed in the same gray-white cloak would hurry by, and when he saw Liuchuan, he would subconsciously stop and cast a curious or scrutinizing glance at him.

Kasahara Heihachi led Yanagawa to a relatively isolated, elevated stone chamber deep within the camp.

There were no signs at the entrance to the stone chamber, but the interior space was adequate and had basic living facilities.

There was even a potted gray-green fern with an inconspicuous circle in the corner.

"The conditions are simple; I hope you will understand," Kasahara Heihachi said.

"This place is relatively quiet with a good view, and the specific details and related records of the attack are also kept here."

"That's enough, thank you." Liu Chuan glanced around the stone chamber and nodded; he hadn't cared much about the living conditions anyway.

Kasahara Heihachi then left.

Inside the stone chamber, Yanagawa quickly reviewed the detailed report of the attack, memorizing the key information.

After completing these tasks, he pushed open the stone door, intending to further understand the overall deployment around the camp, the recent activity patterns of the virtual groups, and the details of the daily routes of the attacked patrol team.

Not far from the stone chamber, they encountered Kasahara Heihachi, who was hurrying past with two team members, in a slightly narrow passage.

"Lord Yanagawa." Kasahara Heihachi stopped, gesturing for his team to continue their work, then turned to Yanagawa, still displaying his usual capable and composed demeanor.

Are you heading to the intelligence office? Or do you need any other assistance?

"I'd like to know the detailed defenses around the camp, recent patrol records, and more specific terrain and swarm distribution in the attacked area," Liu Chuan stated his purpose directly.

Kasahara Heihachi nodded, but his face showed just the right amount of apology and helplessness:

"These documents are all archived in the intelligence room, and you can access them at any time, however..."

He paused for a moment, then explained, "Regarding this matter and the subsequent action arrangements, I'm afraid we'll have to wait until Captain Tianbei and Vice Captain Guichuan return before we can discuss it in detail and finalize the plan."

"Aren't they at the camp?" Liu Chuan's eyes flickered slightly.

"Yes."

He continued to explain: "A few days ago, Captain Tenbei and Vice Captain Kibune personally led a team to conduct reconnaissance in a more northern area."

The area has recently seen unusually frequent activity from the Hollows, and there are reports of sightings of what appear to be high-level Adjuchas-class Hollows.

The captain believed it might be related to the previous attack or other unusual activity in Hueco Mundo, so he decided to go personally to investigate and obtain more direct intelligence.

"According to the pre-arranged plan and the last message, the captain and his men should return to camp around this evening."

"Please be patient, Your Excellency Liuchuan, and rest in the camp for a while to familiarize yourself with the environment."

Once the captain and vice-captain return, they will meet with you immediately to formulate the most prudent plan based on all the information we have gathered.

His arrangements were reasonable and reflected respect for Liuchuan's identity as well as the maintenance of the camp's command system.

After all, Liuchuan was there to carry out a special mission, not to take over command of the camp.

Communicating directly with the highest-ranking local commander is the most efficient and least likely to cause misunderstandings.

Liu Chuan was not an impatient person, and nodded upon hearing this: "That's how it should be. Then I will first look up the information and familiarize myself with the camp."

"Thank you for your help, Third Seat Kasahara. Please let me know when Captain Amagai and the others return."

"Yes, Your Excellency." Kasahara Heihachi bowed again.

After giving his instructions, Kasahara Heihachi hurriedly left to continue handling the camp's heavy defense and logistical matters.

There were no idle people in the expeditionary force camps of Hueco Mundo; everyone carried a heavy responsibility.

As instructed, Liu Chuan first went to the intelligence room, where several stone file racks were arranged, with reports and maps made of special paper placed on them in different categories.

On a huge stone table, a detailed sand table topographic map of the current area is spread out.

Different colored spirit sand was used to mark the camp locations, patrol routes, known Voidling settlements, danger zones, and... the locations of recent attacks.

He consulted the materials mentioned by Kasahara Heihachi, quickly browsing the deployment map within a 50-mile radius of the camp, the patrol logs for the past three months, and the virtual group's activity records.

At the same time, he also roughly sketched out the images of Amagai Shusuke and Kibune Risa from some daily reports and snippets of conversation among team members.

Captain Amagai Shusuke is known for his composure, decisiveness, and profound understanding of Hueco Mundo's ecology. He is a seasoned powerhouse in the expeditionary force.

Vice-captain Kibune is meticulous and skilled in intelligence analysis and tactical planning. She is the captain's right-hand woman, and the two have been partners for a long time with excellent teamwork.

After doing all this, Liu Chuan did not stay in the intelligence room. He walked out of the building and observed the stronghold in the pale desert.

He watched as his teammates silently cleaned and maintained their Zanpakuto and various equipment;

The logistics staff carefully maintained those precious spiritual water purification and air circulation devices;

The sentry stood motionless atop the high watchtower, like a stone statue, watching over the distant desert.

I also saw some team members conducting quiet sparring exercises in a small training area in a corner of the camp. Sweat dripped onto the white sand and quickly evaporated in the dry air.

Chapter 74 Tianbei Embroidery Assistant

Shortly afterward, Kasahara Heihachi sent word that Captain Amagai and Vice-Captain Kibune had returned to camp.

Then, in the command room, three people sat around the conference table.

The expeditionary force commander, Amagai Shusuke, and his vice-commander, Kibune Risa, had just finished a long reconnaissance mission and still carried the rough smell of the Hueco Mundo sandstorm.

Tenbei Shusuke picked up the "energizing drink" made by the camp in the stone cup in front of him, tilted his head back and took a big gulp, his Adam's apple bobbing as he let out a satisfied sigh.

He casually wiped his mouth with his dusty sleeve and looked at Liu Chuan sitting opposite him.

"Lord Yanagawa, Kasahara should have given you a general overview of the situation."

Tenbei Shusuke's voice was hoarse from the long journey, but his enunciation was clear and strong.

"The group of people in the north is very restless, as if they have been driven away or disturbed by something."

We cleared out several waves, explored a few suspicious rifts, and killed a few foolish Kyrians..."

He paused, his brow furrowed, "But we haven't found any clues related to the Quincy."

That guy, after taking down Fujita and Mitsui last time, vanished like a drop of water into this sea of ​​sand.

Vice-Captain Kibune adjusted his glasses, took over the conversation, and added details in a calm and objective tone:

“We expanded our detection range, used highly sensitive spiritual particle capture devices, and even tried to trace the ‘flow’ of residual spiritual energy at the scene of the attack… but all of these efforts failed.”

Except for the portion left over from the attack, the rest of that Quincy's spiritual power was deliberately erased.

The opponent is not only powerful, but also possesses extremely strong counter-surveillance awareness, and their utilization of the Hueco Mundo environment is alarming.

Liu Chuan listened quietly without interrupting, simply relaying the information brought back by the two expeditionary commanders.

Quickly integrate and deduce information from what you have previously obtained in your mind.

Tenbei Shusuke took another sip of his "drink," put down the cup, leaned forward slightly, and looked directly at Yanagawa:

"Lord Yanagawa, what do you think? What exactly do these Quincy want to do?"

What good would it do him to snipe two of our patrol members in this godforsaken place like Hueco Mundo? Just to provoke us?

Yanagawa stopped tapping his fingers, raised his head, and calmly met Amagai Shusuke's scrutinizing gaze. He spoke slowly:

“Captain Tenbei, Vice Captain Kibune, in my opinion, we may not need to rush to find him immediately.”

"Hmm?" Tenbei Shusuke raised an eyebrow, and Kibune Riya glanced sideways, clearly surprised by the answer.

"That Quincy, who was lurking in Hueco Mundo, chose to launch an attack in such a high-profile and distinctive way, so he must have had other purposes."

Liu Chuan's voice was calm and measured, carrying a rational and penetrating quality.

"The attack itself was likely just one part of his plan, or even a 'bait'."

Since he made a scene and left the Quincy mark, he wouldn't have done it just to kill two people and then disappear forever.

Although I don't know their true intentions, I suspect that the enemy will launch another operation soon.

He paused, then continued:

"Now that he is hiding in the shadows, if we rush to search for him in the vast Hueco Mundo, the environment of Hueco Mundo is too complicated."

Given the vast area and the enemy's expertise in concealment, launching an offensive would not only be inefficient but also extremely costly.

They might also fall into a trap set by the other party, leaving them exhausted and constantly on the run.

"So, I have a suggestion."

Yanagawa raised his head, his gaze calmly sweeping over Amagai Shusuke and Kibune Risa.

"The next round of reconnaissance will be handled by either Captain Tianbei or myself."

The remaining members of the camp, including the vice-captain of the ship, maintained the existing defenses and routine patrols, but reduced their area of ​​operation and strengthened the defense of their outposts.

Avoid unnecessary entry into dangerous areas or prolonged exposure to open terrain.

Tenbei Shusuke did not immediately refute, but waited for Yanagawa to continue.

Riya Kibune pushed up his glasses, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Yanagawa points to the marker on the map indicating the location of the attack:

"According to the report, this Quincy has the ability to snipe accurately at long range and is extremely good at stealth."

His first attack targeted a two-person patrol group in a relatively open area.

This means that the opponent has an extremely strong one-way hunting ability when facing Death Gods of a squad size or smaller.

Ordinary team members, even high-ranking officers, have extremely limited reaction time and defensive capabilities when faced with such an attack, resulting in a very low chance of survival.

He paused, then looked at Tenbei Xiuzhu:

"But if I or Captain Tianbei were to conduct the reconnaissance, the situation would be different."

Team Tenbei is a seasoned veteran with formidable strength, keen intuition, and a thorough understanding of the Hueco Mundo environment.

If the other side wants to attack us, whether successful or not, they will inevitably take greater risks and expose more information.

Tenbei Shusuke was thinking carefully, clearly weighing the pros and cons quickly.

Liu Chuan's analysis hit the nail on the head. Facing an enemy skilled in stealth and long-range sniping, sending out a large number of team members to scout is tantamount to sending sheep into the tiger's den, only increasing casualties.

Having top-tier combatants conduct reconnaissance or lure the enemy into making a move is indeed a more responsible approach.

"That makes sense." Tenbei Shusuke finally nodded slowly, acknowledging Yanagawa's assessment.