[Main Task 1: The Scouts of the Expeditionary Army]

[Task Objective: Explore the regions of Skona, Karsk, and Kalmar in the Blood Ring Empire, and create a map of the Blood Ring Army's troop distribution.]

[Task Duration: 72 hours.]

[Task Difficulty: Unknown]

[Task Reward: Brandon Camp Merit Points 100~300 (depending on completion)]

[Failure Penalty: None]

After receiving this task, Bai Pu also received a prompt from the Spirit Realm Will:

[Based on your historical performance in the Divine Luo Expeditionary Army camp (formerly the Brandon Resistance Army camp), you have gained the trust of First Legion Commander Cwieg. You may have limited authority to dispatch the scouts of the Expeditionary Army to assist you in completing this task.]

Blood Spider also received this task, but unlike Bai Pu, she did not receive a similar prompt, indicating that she does not have the authority to mobilize the Expeditionary Army scouts.

While gathering the scout team, Bai Pu casually opened the blue treasure chest he obtained from the Blood Ring Heavy Hammer Warriors.

Originally, Bai Pu didn't expect much, but unexpectedly, the blue treasure chest contained a +4 Power blue bracelet.

Although Bai Pu couldn't use it, getting blue armor was still a good thing, as it could be used as "support equipment" when enhancing golden equipment.

Bai Pu put away the bracelet, walked out, and looked at the gathered scouts.

As the vanguard of the Expeditionary Army, there were over twenty scouts.

Among them, some were of the Elite Template, but more were of the Ordinary Template, mostly specializing in Agility, possessing at least one skill related to stealth or increased movement speed.

Originally, Bai Pu thought he would need to assert his authority, considering he was a newcomer in the Expeditionary Army.

However, during the gathering of the scout team, a scout soldier who "knew" Bai Pu quietly introduced him to others as Lord Qin's lover, who boldly opposed Blood Hand Columbus and captured the "Pioneer"!

This series of legendary achievements made the scouts' attitudes appear much more respectful.

Of course, judging by their expressions, it seemed that the identity of "Lord Qin's lover" was the most enviable aspect, as these lower-tier scout soldiers likely dreamed of "conquering" a noble and intellectual beauty like Qin.

Bai Pu checked and found that his reputation in the Divine Luo Expeditionary Army was actually at the Respect Level (1042/3000)!

It seems his previously accumulated reputation in the Brandon Resistance Army was inherited through word of mouth in the Divine Luo Expeditionary Army camp.

This made things easier.

Bai Pu said in a deep voice, "The Duke's main force will arrive in three days. During this time, we must fully clear the areas around Malmö to ensure no oblivious Blood Ring creatures cause any impact on the main legion! You will be grouped to explore the three areas of Skona, Karsk, and Kalmar, bringing detailed topographical maps and intelligence on the enemy back to me!"

Dozens of scouts responded scatteredly.

Executing reconnaissance missions in foreign territories—especially in those infested with mutant monsters, like the Blood Ring Empire—involves a high level of danger and one could easily lose their life.

No wonder these scouts seemed lazy; most of them probably intended to just go through the motions.

Jingling, the pleasant sound of precious metals clashing caught the attention of all the scouts.

In Bai Pu's hand, a few beautifully cast silver ingots had appeared without anyone noticing. He gently tossed the silver ingots, letting these snowy white ingots collide in his palm, and said indifferently:

"There are several powerful mutant monsters which are the focus of this intelligence mission. Their names are... Duke of Bergen, Blood Mist Butcher, and Crimson Wings.

"If you can discover the tracks of these mutant monsters, or similarly powerful mutant monsters, you can come to me. I will give you substantial rewards."

As he spoke, Bai Pu put away the refined silver ingots.

The group of scouts finally became energized. Bai Pu divided them into three teams, gave them brief instructions, and then waved them off.

Blood Spider looked at him with admiring eyes, and at the same time, wrote down "using public office for private gain" in her notebook.

"These scouts were temporarily allocated to me to complete Main Task 1, so I must make use of them," Bai Pu explained, "I can't let them directly engage in combat or face off against mutant monsters, as I can only dispatch them to a limited extent. But gathering intelligence on several mutant monsters should certainly be feasible. Eliminating strong mutant monsters is also removing destabilizing factors, so it can't exactly be called using public office for private gain."

Blood Spider looked at Bai Pu with eyes that seemed to regard him as a weirdo: "How do you know what I wrote, do you have a spying skill?"

Bai Pu said, "I'm not that boring, but next time when you badmouth me, don't let me see the pen trembling."

Bai Pu's keen observation was so detailed that he could tell what Blood Spider had written from the way her pen trembled.

Blood Spider widened her eyes and looked at Bai Pu with the eyes that regarded him as an even scarier weirdo.

Of course, the meanings of these two kinds of weirdness were different.

Doo—doo—doo—

A vibration came, and Bai Pu's expression moved slightly. He retrieved a brand-new walkie-talkie from his storage space.

[Walkie-talkie (one of a pair): B-level item, for spirit realm communication. Each use will consume the walkie-talkie's battery life. The greater the distance and the longer the call, the more it consumes. Current remaining usage: 10 minutes.]

This was a tool given to Bai Pu by Crazy Zen, two paired walkie-talkies acquired from the world of [Silicon Fire Seed], a unique tool capable of remote communication in the spirit realm plane, with significant strategic value.

Obviously, the other walkie-talkie was in Crazy Zen's possession.

After Bai Pu connected, following a static electric sound, Crazy Zen's voice came through:

"I've arrived. There are two groups queuing behind me."

"Two groups?" Bai Pu was somewhat surprised, "One of the groups should be Hidden Snake's team, what about the other group?"

Crazy Zen, being a Level 4 Heroic Profession, and accompanied by two teammates, likely all Level 6 Elites, made the team's strength assessment quite high in the spirit realm.

The fact that there's another team queued behind Crazy Zen's, without any word of entering yet, suggested that its strength assessment by the Spirit Realm Will must surpass that of Crazy Zen's, which is quite rare.

"It seems to be our acquaintance," Crazy Zen's voice hinted at some helplessness. "I'm not quite sure, but it looks like Zhou Family's that Overlord."

"...Alright. It could be a coincidence."

Bai Pu sighed softly. The Overlord, who possesses [Fangtian Halberd (Fake)], has openly higher strength than Crazy Zen! His team getting involved in the [Flesh and Blood Plague: Mutant] world would undoubtedly complicate matters further.

Bai Pu noticed earlier but did not spot the Overlord team, so they clearly camouflaged themselves. Crazy Zen, being more familiar with the Overlord, recognized them when fewer people were left.

Crazy Zen said, "Let's not mention him for now. Which camp did you choose?"

"Divine Luo Expeditionary Army," Bai Pu answered without evasion, "What about you, which one are you considering?"

Crazy Zen said, "I'll pick Blood Ring Fortress. It's my first time entering the [Flesh and Blood Plague] series world, so it doesn't make a difference which camp I choose. It's easier to get intelligence about your job change mission from an opposing faction."

"Good." Bai Pu thought the same.

The two agreed on when to communicate next, and Bai Pu then turned off the walkie-talkie's button.

At this time, Blood Spider was writing down "betraying one's own for the enemy" in her notebook.

"Actually, 'internal coordination with external forces' would be more fitting," Bai Pu noted, rubbing his forehead, "Your grade school Chinese comprehension probably didn't pass."

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