Wizard: Starting from Escape from the Thorn Garden

Chapter 169 Expeditionary Force Hall

Kate stood before the massive gate, engraved with countless protective runes, radiating a cold, hard metallic luster and traces of spatial fluctuations, and took one last look at her guide, Ella Lyon, beside her.

Ella Lyon bowed gracefully, a congratulatory smile on his face: "Your Excellency Kate, the Expeditionary Force Hall is just behind the door. May nature's blessings accompany you, and we look forward to hearing news of your triumphant achievements at the front."

"Thank you, Mr. Ella Lyon." Kate nodded in return, her gaze then turning to the portal before her that seemed to separate two worlds.

He could sense an atmosphere emanating from behind the door, completely different from the lower level—more chilling and urgent, mixed with a faint smell of blood, gunpowder, and the restlessness of various residual energies.

He took a deep breath, no longer hesitated, and stepped forward.

As the badge on his chest, bearing the image of a sword, staff, and roots, approached the gate, the runes on the gate glowed slightly, and a faint spatial fluctuation emanated from it.

The next moment, his figure disappeared into the faint light.

After a brief feeling of weightlessness from the teleportation, the scene before me suddenly opened up.

Rather than calling it a "hall," it's more accurate to describe it as a small, highly militarized indoor plaza.

The dome remains high and distant, but the lighting is no longer soft natural light. Instead, it is provided by stable and cold magic lamps embedded in metal frames, illuminating the entire space as bright as day.

The air was filled with a scent that was a mixture of sweat, metal, leather, a faint smell of blood, and various medicines and energy crystals.

The place was bustling with people, but it wasn't the noise of a marketplace; rather, it was a cacophony of efficiency and urgency.

Hundreds of wizards, warriors, scouts, and other support personnel moved about, gathered, and talked.

Most of them wore practical leather armor, light armor, or combat robes, which were covered in dust and grime, and some even had undried bloodstains or scorch marks from energy burns.

They had sharp eyes, quick steps, spoke rapidly, and made crisp, decisive gestures when they talked.

Dozens of enormous magical light screens are distributed around the hall, displaying various information in real time: mission lists, war zone dynamic news, resource exchange prices, enemy situation reports, and so on.

The screen is always surrounded by the most people, and people often reach out their fingers to click on the screen to accept or submit tasks.

In some areas, counters were set up, with serious-looking clerks sitting behind them, handling matters such as task handover, merit records, and material requisitions.

Further away, there were even makeshift medical points, where soft life magic light would occasionally flash, accompanied by the suppressed groans of the wounded.

Everything here stands in stark contrast to the tranquil and peaceful, academically-filled environment beneath the Eternal Song Tree.

This is where the war machine of the Ring of Life is located, the front line facing darkness and chaos.

Kate's arrival didn't attract much attention. New faces came every day, while old faces disappeared forever. Here, strength and merit were the only true currencies.

He composed himself and walked first toward the most conspicuous giant mission light screen in the center of the hall.

The information flow on the light screen refreshed like a waterfall, dazzling the eyes.

Task levels are indicated by different colors, from lowest to highest:

White (Patrol/Reconnaissance), Green (Clearance/Escort), Blue (Raid/Sabotage), Purple (High Risk/Infiltration), Orange (Strategic/Campaign), and the highest level, "Blood Moon," which glows with a dark red light and represents extreme danger and uncertainty.

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The mission area covers the vast border of the Emerald Forest under the rule of the Ring of Life, especially the conflict zones bordering the three major hostile forces: the Decaying Abyss, the Lava Core, and the Crimson Predators.

[Green Mission: Patrol the third patrol zone on the east side of "Shadowwood" and eliminate the active "Corrupted Gnolls" in the area.]

tribe.

Recommendation: A level 1 wizard should lead the team; a minimum of 5 players are required. Merit Points: 50 per person.

[Blue Mission: Escort a supply convoy to the Ironbeard Dwarf Outpost. The route passes through the Crackclaw Canyon and may be attacked by the Crimson Predator guerrilla squad.]

Recommendation: A level 2 wizard or equivalent combat power should lead the team, and they must be proficient in defensive spells. Merit Points: 200 per person.

[Purple Mission: Infiltrate the edge of the "Withered Swamp" to investigate signs of activity at the newly discovered "Rotten Altar" and obtain samples.]

Warning: Highly dangerous; you may encounter Tier 2 or higher decaying creatures or Abyss Priests. Recommendation: Tier 2 elites skilled in stealth and corrosion resistance.

Merit Points: 500+ (additional based on intelligence value).

[Orange Mission: Participate in the defense of the "Scorching Throat" fortress and withstand the next wave of attacks from the "Lava Core".]

Requirements: A large number of combat personnel, at least at the second-tier strength. Merit Points: Base 1000, calculated based on battle results.

Kate's self-illumination quickly scanned the tasks, and she made a rapid assessment in her mind.

Green and blue missions are relatively safe, but the merit rewards are low, which is not efficient for him who urgently needs to accumulate resources and improve quickly.

Orange missions involve large-scale battles, which are highly rewarding, but they are also too unpredictable and can easily lead to uncontrollable chaos, making them unsuitable for a newcomer like him who needs to familiarize himself with the environment.

His gaze eventually settled on several purple-colored quests.

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These missions involve both risks and rewards, and have clear objectives, making them more suitable for him to operate alone or leading a small elite team.

In particular, the mission to investigate the "Rotten Altar" caught his attention.

The power attributes of "Rotten Abyss" are similar to his rules of death, but are even more bizarre and corrosive.

Confronting it can hone his core of death, perhaps reveal some secrets of corrupt rules, and even find a way to "purify" or "transform" it, which may be beneficial to perfecting the heart of reincarnation.

Moreover, reconnaissance missions are relatively flexible, allowing for both offensive and defensive maneuvers, which aligns with his cautious style.

Just as he was about to examine the mission details further, a slightly hoarse but powerful voice rang out beside him: "New guy? You've got your eye on that spies job at the Poison Pool?"

Kate turned his head and saw a dwarf, almost as tall as his shoulders, with a thick, fiery red beard, wearing heavy metal-studded leather armor, and carrying a double-bladed battle axe almost as tall as him, scrutinizing him with his sharp, eagle-like eyes.

The dwarf exuded a strong fire elemental aura and a faint sulfur smell. His strength was around the early second ring, but he gave people a feeling of being extremely solid and full of explosive power.

"Yes, I'm considering it," Kate replied calmly, while quickly sensing the other person's presence.

The dwarf warrior's aura was scorching and steady, clearly indicating that he was a seasoned veteran of long-term battles against the "Lava Core".

"Hey, my name is Ironrock Firehammer, from the 'Lava Crusher' team."

The dwarf patted his breastplate with a familiar air, making a dull sound. "Judging from your badge, you were just assigned here? Second ring? Life-type? That quest is no easy task. The Wither Swamp is a horrible place, filled with poisonous gas, extremely corrosive, and teeming with all sorts of disgusting undead creatures and mutated poisonous insects."

Having life magic alone isn't enough; you need real skill, or—you need reliable teammates.

Tieyan's words were straightforward, carrying the characteristic cheerfulness of dwarves and a hint of probing.

He was clearly assessing Kate's abilities, perhaps looking for an opportunity to collaborate.

Kate smiled slightly, not immediately displaying her strength, but instead asking, "Mr. Tieyan seems quite familiar with that place?"

"Of course!" Tie Yan glared. "Our team is mainly responsible for the eastern front, and we've dealt with those who play with fire and those who play with bones."

The Withered Swamp is one of the areas most deeply infiltrated by the Abyss of Decay. Their altars are sinister, constantly transforming the surrounding land and creatures, breeding corrupting power.

Last time our team took on a clearing mission, we almost got ambushed by a suddenly activated altar that spawned several Tier 2 Plague Walkers. If we hadn't run fast, my precious armor would have been destroyed there.

He touched the metal ring on his beard with lingering fear: "So, kid, if you don't have some skills, you'd better not go it alone."

Alternatively, you could consider joining our team on a blue mission on the Eastern Front to practice first.

We're exactly in need of strong magic support.

Kate could sense Iron Rock's goodwill and his attempt to recruit him, but he had his own plans.

He needs more independent space to test and hone his path.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Mr. Tieyan," Kate politely declined. "I'm used to operating alone or leading a small team. I think I can give this reconnaissance mission a try."

Tieyan raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by Kate's confidence, but didn't try to dissuade her further, simply shrugging: "Alright, you've got guts! But be careful, the water in the swamp may look clear, but it might be full of rotten mud underneath."

If you find something is wrong, remember to send a distress signal; there should be patrol teams nearby.

Oh, by the way, before accepting the mission, it's best to check out the war supplies depot over there and exchange some anti-corrosion potions and antidotes, just in case.

"Thank you for reminding me." Kate nodded in thanks. Although the dwarf was rugged, he wasn't a bad person.

After saying goodbye to the helpful dwarf Ironrock, Kate did not immediately accept the mission, but instead headed to the area on one side of the hall marked "Combat Supplies Exchange".

This place is like a bustling market, with various potions, scrolls, magical equipment, and spellcasting materials piled up behind the counters.

Kate showed his badge, and after his permissions were confirmed, he pulled up his merit points. Since he was personally introduced by the Sage Elune and possessed the "Heart of Life" badge, he started with a considerable amount of merit points, enough to exchange for many good things.

He carefully browsed the list:

[Advanced Universal Antidote]: Neutralizes most known toxins, with a special effect against putrefactive toxins. Merit Points: 30 points/bottle.

[Powerful Anti-Corrosion Agent]: After application, it can significantly increase resistance to acids and corrosive energy for a certain period of time. Merit: 50 points/bottle.

[Purification Runestone]: A one-time use item. When activated, it creates a small-area purification field, dispelling low-level undead and corrosive effects. Merit Points: 100 points/stone.

【Cloak of Concealment (Intermediate)】: Comes with the enchantments "Subtle Presence" and "Ambient Mimicry". Merit Points: 300.

[Secondary Space Beacon]: Allows you to set a coordinate point for a one-time, short-range random teleportation in critical moments (distance and success rate depend on the environment). Merit Points: 500 points/set (2 beacons).

Based on the mission requirements, Kate exchanged for 2 bottles of antidote, 2 bottles of anti-corrosion potion, and 1 purification runestone.

He doesn't need the invisibility cloak for now; Ashe's spatial abilities are far superior to this standard equipment.

While spatial beacons are effective at saving lives, they are expensive, so he plans to assess the specifics of the mission first.

Next, he went to the "Intelligence Consultation" office, paid a small amount of merit, and accessed detailed information about the "Withered Swamp" area, especially the newly discovered altar mentioned in the mission, including its geography, environment, known hostile species, and recent activity records.

Knowing yourself and the enemy is the only way to survive a hundred battles.

After completing these preparations, Kate returned to the central screen, extended her finger, and gently tapped the purple quest: "[Reconnoiter the newly discovered 'Rotten Altar' on the edge of the 'Withering Swamp']".

"Accept the mission?" A prompt appeared on the screen.

"Yes," Kate confirmed.

A beam of light scanned his badge, instantly transmitting mission information into the badge's interior, while his identity information was also recorded in the mission acceptor list.

[Quest accepted successfully. Please proceed to the seventh teleportation platform within 24 hours and use your quest permissions to activate the teleportation to "Frontier Outpost - Zerus".]

Task time limit: 10 calendar days.

Failure/Timeout Penalty: 500 Merit Points deducted. Good luck!

After receiving the mission, Kate did not immediately head to the teleportation platform.

He has almost a day to prepare.

He first found a quiet rest area in the corner of the hall, sat down and closed his eyes to rest, while reviewing the mission intelligence, planning the action route, and deducing the possible dangers and countermeasures in his mind.

The Withered Swamp, located on the southwestern border of the Ring of Life, is a vast swampy area that has been eroded by the power of the "Rotten Abyss" for a long time.

The area is perpetually shrouded in toxic, grayish-green miasma, and the land is muddy and teeming with countless deadly, corrupting swamps and mutated creatures.

The forces of the Decaying Abyss established numerous outposts and altars there, continuously expanding their corruption outwards.

The objective of this mission is to investigate a newly discovered altar exhibiting unusual activity.

Intelligence indicates that the altar appears to have more intense energy fluctuations than ordinary altars, possibly indicating the conduct of some kind of ritual or the gestation of a more powerful corrupted entity.

"The swamp environment suppresses my life rules to some extent, but my death rules and spatial abilities should be able to work well."

The main threats to be guarded against are poisonous gas, corrosion, and the elusive undead creatures and the potential presence of abyssal priests.

Kate silently planned in her mind: "The primary objective is reconnaissance and intelligence gathering; we should avoid direct combat unless absolutely necessary."

Ashe's spatial awareness helps me avoid most terrain hazards and hidden enemies.

The power of life and death transformation within the Heart of Reincarnation might attempt to purify a small area of ​​corruption, or perhaps—simulate the aura of decaying creatures for disguise?

A bold idea arose in his mind.

Since the power of decay and the rules of death are similar, could he use the power of the core of death to simulate the fluctuations of decaying creatures, thereby reducing the probability of being discovered?

This requires extremely precise control, but if successful, it will undoubtedly greatly enhance the mission's stealth and security.

He decided to give it a try.