I, from the Celestial Empire, have parachuted into Teyvat.

This metal box is the access device of the Qianhai base, called "elevator". However, this "elevator" is not the same as that elevator. These access metal boxes of the Qianhai base are mainly made of the same suspension material as Qunyu Pavilion. Therefore, they can withstand a lot of weight and do not require mechanical connection, saving a lot of costs. They are safe, reliable and efficient.

The elevator that Qi Ji and the others were riding in was the smallest 20-meter elevator in the Qianhai base. The Qianhai base also has 50-meter and 100-meter elevators. Of course, since the Security Department only needed a few speedboats for this mission, there was no need to use a larger elevator.

Standing on the speedboat, Qi Ji looked down at the sea so close at hand, then frowned.

As General Hong had said, the sea surface as far as the eye could see was indeed a strange blackish-purple color.

Suppressing his curiosity to touch the seawater, Qi Ji opened his portable combat device and brought up the navigation map.

After discovering the fog-shrouded island, the Ice Wave ship did not continue its investigation due to the urgent need to return. However, before leaving, the Ice Wave ship launched a coordinate locator missile towards the island's coastline. With this locator missile, the security department's reconnaissance team led by Qi Ji was able to easily find the island's location in the vast ocean.

"Found it, located three nautical miles to the southwest. Let's go."

After determining the target location, several speedboats immediately started and sped towards the destination.

After an unknown amount of time, the outline of an island came into view.

"Captain, look."

Qi Ji looked in the direction his teammate pointed and gazed at the large island in the distance. Although it was still some distance away, he could already vaguely see the thick fog enveloping the island.

Qi Ji raised an eyebrow and said, "This is the island. Let's find a landing point to get on the island."

Twenty minutes later, the group found a landing point on a flat beach on the northeast side of the island. The group of twelve then hid the speedboat behind a nearby reef, made some simple camouflage, and went ashore.

"Wow, what a thick fog! I can't see anything even five meters away. This is troublesome."

One of the team members made a comment, and Qi Ji nodded in agreement.

Extremely low visibility can cause significant problems for reconnaissance operations.

"Everyone must remain vigilant at all times and pay attention to the formation to avoid getting separated from the group."

After giving everyone a few instructions, Qi Ji said to the team members beside him, "Take out the drone."

"Yes."

A few minutes later, a black reconnaissance drone with a high-tech feel pierced through the fog and arrived high in the sky directly above the island.

On the ground, Qi Ji frowned slightly as he looked at the white image captured by the camera on the underside of the drone.

"No, it's too low, it needs to be raised."

The drone ascended again, but the view was still shrouded in fog, just like before.

"No, it needs to go higher, to the maximum height."

The drone's wings reached their maximum rotation speed, and the fuselage rose again until it reached the maximum height it could currently ascend before stopping. This time, the basic outline of the island could finally be seen clearly.

"The island has a triangular shape, and we are currently located at the easternmost corner of the island."

Qi Ji shook his head and continued, "Unfortunately, the fog is too thick, and we can't see the island's geography at all... Let's put it back."

After the drone was retrieved, Qi Ji opened his portable individual soldier device, imported the aerial view footage that the drone had just captured, and then transmitted it to each team member's individual soldier device via the device connection.

"We'll explore in this direction in a bit, but stay alert."

"Yes."

A few minutes later, the reconnaissance team, having organized all its equipment, set off towards the island in the previously planned direction.

Passing through layers of mist, piles of rocks with unique patterns on their surfaces appeared before everyone.

These are typical patterns created by years of sea wind erosion, making it highly unlikely that this island suddenly rose to the surface due to tectonic plate movement.

"It's not an island that suddenly rose from the seabed..."

Qi Ji frowned slightly. Yesterday, the Qindao City garrison had conducted preliminary reconnaissance of most of the surrounding area. At that time, the Qianhai base was shocked to find that Qindao City had lost its connection with the mainland. The highways and railways that should have led to other cities had now become cliffs. All the mainland had disappeared, and Qindao City had become a giant island in the sea.

After a brief period of shock, the command immediately began analysis and investigation. So far, only two possibilities have been identified: one is that due to special reasons, all the land on Blue Star has disappeared, and the other is that Qin Island City has been teleported to some other place, and the place they are currently in is not Blue Star at all.

Now, all the discoveries and evidence point to the second possibility being more likely, such as the dark purple seawater, the countless raging monsters emerging from the seawater, and the ancient island in front of us that should not exist in the Bohai Bay area.

"If we're not on Earth, then where are we?"

Just as Qi Ji was lost in thought, a team member nearby suddenly shouted, "Captain, we've found something here!"

Qi Ji was stunned for a moment, then quickly ran over.

"what happened?"

"Captain, look!"

Qi Ji followed the teammate's finger and looked at a towering reef in front of him. Then, something surprising happened: a statue more than half a person's height stood directly on top of the reef!

It was a bird statue, resembling an eagle but not quite. The statue stood tall and proud, with piercing eyes, and its overall design was exquisitely detailed.

Qi Ji's expression changed slightly as he looked at the statue.

This is not some "masterpiece of nature," it is clearly a sculpture carved by human hands.

The presence of such a statue on this island indicates that there are people here or that people have been here in the past!

Clearly, the other team members also realized this, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

The team member who had just discovered the statue clicked his tongue.

"Captain, what if... if there are locals here, will they not welcome us?"

Chapter 374 Mist and Mystery

"Captain, what if... if there are locals here, will they not welcome us?"

Faced with questions from his teammates that were not only teasing but also provocative, Qi Ji shook his head.

"Before we determine whether the possible local inhabitants on this island would welcome us, we'd better first determine whether they are 'human' at all."

Yes, given that the group is most likely no longer on Earth, the creatures they encounter may not necessarily be human. For example, the monsters that attacked the southern district of Qin Island City could be a case in point. Therefore, it is possible that the island's native inhabitants are also monsters.

Just as everyone's alert level was at its highest, a rustling sound suddenly came from the nearby bushes.

The squad reacted instantly, raising their guns and aiming them at the bushes in front of them.

Qi Ji raised his rifle and gave a tactical hand signal to the team members beside him. The team members understood and slowly walked to the front of the bushes, then quickly parted the bushes.

The next second, a blue flower crab wriggled out of the grass and hurriedly fled to the beach, burrowing into the sand.

Seeing this, everyone breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Qi Ji shook his head helplessly and said, "Although I don't know if the natives here are like us, at least the crabs here should be the same as the crabs we know, with two pincers and eight legs."

Qi Ji's joke made all the team members burst into laughter, which also eased the increasingly tense atmosphere a little.

"Let's go, continue the reconnaissance, and remain vigilant."

After the minor incident, the twelve-member reconnaissance team continued along the previously determined direction.

Because the reconnaissance team landed at the eastern corner of the island's triangle, the only path they could take was the beach in front of them, with the sea on both sides.

However, as they moved closer to the center of the island, the surrounding terrain became increasingly open.

"Captain, look, another statue."

A few minutes later, the group discovered another statue that was exactly the same as the bird statue they had seen before. Next to this statue was a uniquely shaped stone archway, but it was dilapidated and covered with moss, indicating that it had been there for many years.

"This stone gate must have been built many years ago; judging from its appearance, there are no signs of recent repairs..."

The group stopped in front of the stone gate for a brief observation before passing through the stone archway and continuing towards the central area of ​​the island.

Beyond the stone archway was a narrow path that meandered through a variety of plants and led deep into the island. After walking along this path for a few minutes, Qi Ji suddenly stopped and looked around with a puzzled expression.

It seems the fog has thinned out a bit...

Is it just an illusion?

No, before the visibility was no more than five meters, but now I can vaguely make out the outlines of objects about ten meters away. It can't be my imagination...

To confirm this, Qi Ji asked the other team members around him, and they all gave the same answer: they felt the fog had thinned.

Although the reason for this is unknown, the thinner fog and improved visibility are good for the reconnaissance team, giving them more time to react if they encounter sudden danger.

The reconnaissance team cautiously continued along the path for a few more minutes. The open terrain gradually narrowed, and the surrounding rocks became more numerous. Everyone felt as if they had entered a canyon.

Qi Ji looked up at the surrounding terrain and made an analysis in his mind.

"It seems that most of this island is mountains and forests."

Previously, because the entire island was shrouded in fog, the drone was unable to determine the main terrain and landforms of the island, so it was only now that everyone had a preliminary assessment.

Qi Ji glanced around and suddenly noticed what appeared to be a cave on a cliff not far away.

"Stay close to me."

Qi Ji informed the others and took the lead in walking towards the cave.

Upon arriving at the cave entrance, Qi Ji realized that it was not a closed cave at all, but a hollow area in the middle of a mountain, like a hole cut into the side of a hollow volcano.

As Qi Ji walked into this hollow area, he looked up and saw towering rock walls on both sides. If it weren't for the thick fog, he could have seen the sky from here.

Just then, a teammate next to him suddenly said, "There's something going on up ahead!"

Qi Ji raised an eyebrow and made a concealed gesture, and everyone immediately scattered and hid.

Qi Ji hid behind a tree and turned his head slightly to look ahead.

About ten meters ahead, there was a strangely shaped, grayish-white tree. In front of the tree, three figures could be vaguely seen: two large and one small.

Qi Ji gestured to his team members, signaling them to stay put while he went forward to scout.

Then Qi Ji emerged from behind the hidden trees and, using the surrounding vegetation, quickly moved along the rock wall to the vicinity of the strange tree.

At this moment, Qi Ji could see the three figures clearly: a man, a woman, and a little boy wearing a straw hat. Their clothes reminded Qi Ji of the traditional clothing of a certain island nation on Earth, but they were not quite the same. They seemed to be the natives of this island.

Are we in waters near an island nation?

Qi Ji had a question pop into his mind, but he was mostly relieved.

After all, the indigenous people are at least human beings, just like us.

The three were talking in front of the strange tree, but they were too far away for Qi Ji to hear what they were saying.

After thinking for a moment, Qi Ji decided to show himself and have a conversation.

However, just as Qi Ji emerged from his hiding place and before he could even call out, a sudden gust of wind blew in, and the fog in front of Qi Ji instantly thickened again.

Qi Ji used his hands to shield himself from the sudden strong wind as he disappeared into the fog.