The entire space was divided into multiple levels by massive metal supports and rough concrete pillars.

The bottom level was the most chaotic.

The passageways were muddy, mixed with grease and unknown liquids, flanked by crude stalls.

The vendors mostly had rough or sinister faces, selling a variety of items, such as weapons and armor haphazardly made from Life Ghost materials, murky liquids in dirty bottles, pieces of meat charred beyond recognition, and rusty tool parts...

The sounds of hawking, arguing, iron forging, and the mumblings of drunken men were intertwined.

The upper levels were relatively quieter but the environment was equally harsh.

Narrow corridors lined with crude rooms resembling a honeycomb, mostly divided by metal sheets, wooden boards, or even canvas, with rusted locks hanging on the doors.

This was the residential area, where the air was even more polluted.

Wei Banmeng was evidently familiar with the environment here, maintaining a calm expression as she led a few people through the chaotic crowd and mud on the lower level, avoiding a few drunken burly men who stumbled towards them, and went straight to a relatively cleaner corner with a tin house bearing a management office sign.

"This is Anvil Fortress, one of dozens of small outposts in the Abyss," Wei Banmeng quickly introduced while walking, speaking in a low voice, "The bottom level is the trading post, workshops, and... entertainment venues. The upper level is the residential area, with a poor environment but cheap rent, paid by the day. Further inside the outpost, the Federation has established a Merit exchange and intelligence station, where you can exchange Life Ghost materials and Merit Points for supplies, intelligence, or even apply for the use of small shelters. The lowest level also has an emergency medical station and a Meditation Room, though they charge high fees."

She pushed open the rusty iron door of the management office.

Inside, an old one-eyed man with a pipe and a scarred face lazily lifted his head.

"Five people, need three adjacent rooms, staying for five days."

Wei Banmeng concisely stated, providing her identity and name, directly deducting Merit Points.

The one-eyed old man glanced up, exhaled a smoke ring, slowly counted out three rusty keys, and tossed them over: "Upper level, Zone C, numbers seventy-six to seventy-eight. You know the rules, right? Damage anything and you pay tenfold, cause trouble and you get out."

They took the keys.

The five of them struggled through the crowded, filthy, and foul-smelling passages and found three adjacent compartments at the upper level corner.

The so-called rooms were less than ten square meters.

Inside, there was nothing but a rusty iron-framed bed and an equally worn-out table.

The walls were thin enough to hear the coughing from the next room.

The air was suffocatingly polluted.

Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei shared one room, Wei Banmeng had one, and Chu Kuanglan and Lu Jiuyuan shared another.

As soon as they put down their simple luggage, the five of them immediately gathered in Fang Qingyu's slightly larger room.

They closed the door.

Blocking out some of the noise.

"Alright, let's discuss the plan."

Wei Banmeng laid out a waterproof map, spreading it on the small table.

"We are here now, in Anvil Fortress." Wei Banmeng pointed at the hammer symbol representing the outpost, "The area where Source Material tides appear is unpredictable, but based on past experience and the data given by my mentor, there are several relatively high-frequency 'Source Material rich zones' worth exploring."

"First, is the Eternal Silence Abyss. Deep in this area, there's a significant chance of Source Material tides containing the 'Dark' Origin, which is crucial for my Profound Qilin. But the environment there is extreme, perpetually dark, extremely cold, and teeming with powerful Life Ghosts that loathe light and favor the cold, making it very dangerous."

Then she pointed to another area marked with purple lightning symbols.

Thunderstorm Cloud Sea.

"This is your target area, Qingyu. The raging Thunder is where high purity Thunder Source Material is most likely to appear. But likewise, the environment itself and the potential Thunder Attribute Life Ghosts present a massive threat."

"My suggestion is that we first go to Thunderstorm Cloud Sea."

Wei Banmeng's voice was not loud, yet it carried an indisputable decisiveness.

Chu Kuanglan and Lu Jiuyuan were somewhat surprised; they had assumed their junior sister would prefer to head to her target area, Eternal Silence Abyss, first.

Wei Banmeng continued without pause, articulating her reasons clearly:

"The environment there acts as a filter; there's less competitive pressure."

She pointed at the lightning symbol of the Thunderstorm Cloud Sea, "The environment there, the raging Thunder itself, is a natural barrier and filter. Those who can penetrate deep inside and remain for long are either those like Qingyu, who need Thunder Source Material, or madmen powerful enough to withstand the Thunder. Regardless of which kind, their numbers will certainly be few. This means that during our initial exploration, the likelihood of encountering hostile competition or even ambushes from other teams will be much lower than in the relatively milder environment of the Eternal Silence Abyss, where it's easier to hide and set up ambushes."

"Moreover, Qingyu has a unique ability to handle the Thunder environment. There, he is on his home turf and can exert maximum combat power, making it safer with him as the vanguard and core support for the team."

Having finished speaking, Wei Banmeng looked calmly at Fang Qingyu: "Qingyu, what do you think?"

Fang Qingyu met her gaze, nodding slowly: "No objections from me."

Chu Kuanglan and Lu Jiuyuan, after hearing Wei Banmeng's clear analysis, also had no objections.

"Alright." Wei Banmeng folded up the map and decisively gave the order, "Take the time to recover. Early tomorrow morning, first go to the Merit exchange to procure supplies.

"Then, destination, Thunderstorm Cloud Sea!"

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