"Still... that's just your speculation," Safi protested, her voice laced with a hint of desperate wishful thinking. "Maybe the boss-level NPC doesn't have such a huge detection range?"
Her argument was understandable, tinged with a bit of an ostrich mentality. Given her own strength wasn't significantly higher than that of the military otaku, Hirano Takashi, the comparison only highlighted the terrifying gap between them and their potential enemy.
"We can't stake our safety on a fluke," Luo Jie (Night Owl / Yè Yǎn) countered firmly, pausing for emphasis. "This mission isn't just about securing Ms. Nan Lixiang's villa as a treasure point. It's also a probe into the strength of a boss-level NPC... We have a long road ahead of us. Gathering as much firsthand intelligence as possible means we won't be scrambling blindly if something unexpected happens."
Seeing Luo Jie's resolve was absolute, the others fell silent. In the harsh reality of the Illusionary Realm, a team was merely a tool for mutual support and survival. No one bore ultimate responsibility for another's life.
"So, what about Jūchuān Jìngxiāng and Miyamoto Rei?" the Dancer asked, shifting the focus to the two non-combatant NPCs.
Luo Jie already had a plan. "My drone has a maximum theoretical communication range of 40 kilometers in direct line-of-sight. Realistically, though, maintaining perfect alignment is impossible. The effective range is more likely 20 to 30 kilometers."
"I checked the map. The straight-line distance from here to Nan Lixiang's villa is no more than 20 kilometers. It's well within the drone's operational range. You all can stay here with Jūchuān and Miyamoto, waiting for my signal."
The group exchanged glances, nodding in agreement. Intelligence was always valuable, and the fact they hadn't been attacked by the boss overnight suggested this temporary base was indeed outside its detection radius. It was reasonably safe, for now.
"But... what if we run into an elite monster? Like a Tank?" Safi voiced a new concern.
"If that happens," Luo Jie replied calmly, "try to pin it down. Leave the main attack to Miyamoto Rei."
"Miyamoto Rei?" Disbelief was evident on everyone's faces.
"You might not like hearing this," Luo Jie stated matter-of-factly, "but without firearms, the four of you combined probably couldn't take her down."
"She awakened an ability?" The Boxer immediately grasped the implication.
"Mn," Luo Jie confirmed. "It's a speed-type power, acceleration-like. If you can create the right opening for her, her burst damage will absolutely shock you."
Remembering something crucial, Luo Jie set down his nearly empty plate and walked to the restaurant entrance, calling Miyamoto Rei over.
"Yè Yǎn? What... what is it?" Miyamoto Rei asked, a subtle fluster in her voice. Since their recent close encounters, she found herself inexplicably nervous around him, her eyes often darting away from his gaze.
Luo Jie reached into the air, his hand closing around the shaft of an ornate lance that materialized instantly. Its polished wood was etched with swirling cloud patterns.
[Cloud-Patterned Cross Spear]
Type: Lance
Quality: F (Blue)
Level: MAX
Power: 90
Skill 1: Cloth Armor Breaker – Reduces the defense rating of "Cloth" type armor by 20 points.
Intro: A lance forged by an unknown craftsman, named for the beautiful cloud patterns adorning its shaft.
This was the spear looted from the defeated members of the Japanese team. Remembering Miyamoto Rei lacked a proper weapon, he realized this trophy was perfect.
While its attributes might not match the lance wielded by her mother, Miyamoto Kuriko, later in the storyline, its max-level F (Blue) quality easily surpassed most cold weapons available in this Illusionary Realm.
"What...?" Miyamoto Rei gasped, her eyes wide not just at the weapon, but at Luo Jie's casual summoning from thin air.
Luo Jie offered an enigmatic smile, choosing not to explain. Miyamoto Rei wasn't as easily placated as Jūchuān Jìngxiāng. Fabricating a lie was more trouble than it was worth; silence was safer. Given their current rapport, she wouldn't question him harshly or develop suspicion or dislike over this.
"I might need to leave for a while," he said, handing her the spear. Her hands closed around the shaft instinctively, years of Kendo and Naginatajutsu practice instantly syncing with the weapon's balance. "While I'm gone, I need you to protect Ms. Jūchuān... and yourself."
"So... you and Ms. Jūchuān..." Miyamoto Rei blurted out, then immediately flushed, regretting the impulsive, intrusive question. "Are you really...?"
Luo Jie paused, recognizing the potential minefield. His mind raced through responses, settling on one that felt slightly theatrical but strategically sound. "I'm entrusting Ms. Jūchuān's safety to you because I believe you, Rei, are someone truly trustworthy and dependable."
The words, though a touch earnest, struck a deep chord. The apocalypse had shattered her world: boyfriend Igo Yū dead, parents missing, her bond with childhood friend Takahashi Satoshi strained to breaking. Miyamoto Rei was adrift, her former goals and dreams obliterated. Fear. Uncertainty. Doubt. Despair. Luo Jie's words were a flicker of light in that darkness. The reason seemed small, but it offered something she desperately craved: purpose and recognition. Not everyone learned independence easily; some needed to live by fulfilling others' expectations. Miyamoto Rei was one of those people.
"Mn," she nodded, the shadows momentarily lifting from her eyes, replaced by a genuine, warm smile directed solely at him. "I will."
After finalizing arrangements at the temporary base, Luo Jie launched the drone skyward. Alone, he climbed into the driver's seat of the [Avenger 100 Amphibious All-Terrain Vehicle] and set off once more.
To save time and avoid streets teeming with the Infected, he took the shortest route possible to the riverbank. Utilizing the ATV's amphibious capability, he plunged into the Muko River, navigating upstream against the current.
It wasn't a dedicated boat; the [Avenger 100]'s maximum water speed was a sluggish 5 km/h. Fortunately, the Muko River was in its spring dry season, the current gentle enough that the ATV maintained its plodding pace relatively unimpeded.