Cultivation Online

Chapter 2618: Ironwoman

”I know we all just watched it happen right before our very eyes, but I still cannot believe that he’d managed to defeat a Void Guardian all by himself...” one of the soldiers remarked as he harvested the Unknown Crystals.

”I know exactly how you feel. It was such a surreal experience, especially considering that it normally takes a whole squad several hours to defeat one.”

”It was pretty amazing, but it’s not unprecedented. The Ironwoman defeated a Void Guardian by herself last year, too.”

”Can you really compare the two of them? The Ironwoman has been in the military for many years now, while Corporal Yuan just joined!”

”Right? Don’t downplay Corporal Yuan’s achievement! Not even the Ironwoman was defeating Void Guardians by herself as a new soldier!”

”By the way, what do you think he’s doing? I’ve never seen anyone sit in such a strange position before,” one of the soldiers suddenly asked, referring to Yuan’s lotus position.

”Isn’t he just resting?”

”Is he? It feels like he’s doing something more than that.”

A few minutes later, Yuan opened his eyes and drew a deep breath.

’What a remarkable harvest. To think such an easy target would provide me with more than a billion years’ worth of Eternal Essence,’ he thought as he turned toward the others, who were collecting the last few Unknown Crystals.

Once every Unknown Crystal in the cavern had been collected, the squad gathered around Yuan.

”Let’s leave as soon as possible. The tunnel usually collapses about a week after its guardian is defeated,” Shi Fa said.

”Sure. Let me carry some of those Unknown Crystals as well,” Yuan offered.

However, Shi Fa shook his head. ”You’ve already done more than enough. Take it easy from here on and leave the chores to us.”

”Just let me carry them for a little—until we reach outside. If I stay idle for too long, my hands start to itch,” Yuan insisted.

”Fine...”

Shi Fa sighed as he handed Yuan about thirty Unknown Crystals.

As they climbed the tunnel and traveled back to the surface, Yuan absorbed some of the Eternal Essence from the Unknown Crystals.

Since he’d already absorbed plenty from the Void Guardian, Yuan decided not to absorb too much, only between twenty-five and sixty percent from each crystal, ensuring there was no obvious pattern.

Once they left the tunnel and returned to the surface, they immediately started making their way back to the city.

Upon returning to the city, Shi Fa collected all of the Unknown Crystals and said, ”Thanks for the hard work, everyone, especially you, Corporal Yuan.”

”This mission ended much faster than it normally would, and it’s thanks to Corporal Yuan.”

”Not only was it fast, but it was relatively relaxing.”

”If you ever want to do another mission, you can contact me.”

”Me too!”

”You want to lower the chances of encountering a shitbag, after all.”

”A shitbag?” Yuan repeated with a questioning expression.

”To keep things simple, they are soldiers you don’t want to go on missions with because they will make things more difficult for everyone.”

”I’ll keep that in mind, but if you want to do another mission with me, I don’t mind.”

”Oh? When?”

”Right now.”

”...”

”Hahaha! Yeah, right.” The soldiers laughed, assuming Yuan was merely joking.

”Good one, Corporal Yuan. But seriously, contact us the next time you want to take another mission.”

The soldiers departed shortly afterward.

”See you next time.” Shi Fa said, being the last to leave.

Unbeknownst to them, however, Yuan hadn’t been joking. The moment they all left, he headed straight to the mission hall to accept another assignment.

”>

”>

[Mission Details: Gather Unknown Crystals in the Red Zone. Meet at the Northern Gate at 0800 in 13 hours]

The following day, Yuan left the city with his new squad and began his mission.

”Hm? He’s already gone on another mission?” Mei Feng stared at the report before her with a dumbfounded expression. She had never encountered anyone so motivated—or so obsessed with taking missions.

”If he continues at this pace, he’ll likely be promoted to Sergeant within a year...” She paused briefly before adding, ”No, considering he has already completed a Red Zone mission, no one would question me even if I promoted him right now.”

Suddenly, another voice rang out. ”Keeping such close tabs on him... You really like this guy, don’t you?”

”Are you jealous? I did the same thing with you when you first joined,” Mei Feng replied calmly, turning toward the woman lounging lazily on the couch in her office.

”...”

”Since you’re here, tell me what you think about him,” Mei Feng said after a moment of silence. ”I know you’re also interested in him, ’Ironwoman’.”

”I don’t know what you want me to say, but I think he’s someone with a lot of secrets,” said the Ironwoman.

”Care to elaborate?”

”Remember his fight with Captain Gu during the recruitment?”

”Of course. You saved him.”

”Who? Corporal Yuan?” The Ironwoman chuckled. ”That man didn’t need any saving. If I saved anything that day, it would be Captain Gu’s reputation.”

”What...?” Mei Feng muttered, her expression filled with bewilderment.

”That man was more than capable of defeating Captain Gu, yet he deliberately chose to lose. It’s not something you’d expect from someone who appears so carefree and unrestrained.”

”Where’d you find someone like that, anyway?”

”I didn’t.” Mei Feng shook her head before revealing the truth. ”It was my daughter who found him.”

”Oh?”

”Then...”

”Don’t bother trying.” Mei Feng suddenly interrupted. ”I won’t reveal any more information about him, even if it’s you... No... especially because it’s you.”

”What are you worried about? That I might try and steal him from you?” The Ironwoman chuckled.

”No, not you. Your family.”

”...”

The Ironwoman fell silent for a moment before speaking again, ”Then you have even less of a reason to worry, as I haven’t spoken to them since coming to this city.”

”Anyway, enough about me. Although I don’t know Corporal Yuan well enough to say for certain, he doesn’t strike me as the type of person who would betray others.”

”I already know that,” Mei Feng said.

”Then why even ask me?”

”I wanted to see if you had any thoughts about adding him to your squad.”

”My squad?” The Ironwoman mumbled with her eyebrows raised.