Of course, besides these six types of Demons, Cave No. 1 was also home to over a dozen other bizarre and otherworldly creatures.

For example, there were Slimes, which were weak in combat but extremely difficult to kill.

There were Burrower Monsters, which feared the light and were skilled in blind fighting.

There were Fierce Species, mutated from poultry and livestock such as chickens, ducks, dogs, pigs, cows, sheep, and horses.

There were even some regional specialties rarely seen in the outside world, like Stone-Skinned Lizards, poisonous worms, and Rotting Wood Puppets.

Fang Zhou had no intention of specifically hunting these creatures. However, if he encountered them on his path, he would naturally dispatch them without a second thought.

As for his hunting route, Fang Zhou didn't hesitate. He would simply follow the map straight toward the deepest part of Cave No. 1.

The deeper one went, the thicker the Negative Energy became, and the denser the concentration of Demons. Consequently, the efficiency of earning Hunting Points would naturally be higher.

Furthermore, the depths might even hide some elite Demons of the Apprentice Middle Rank.

Fang Zhou's gaze filled with anticipation. If he could witness a Demon leader of the Apprentice Upper Rank on this trip, it would be well worth the venture.

「」

The military vehicles drove through the darkness, descending a road that resembled a winding mountain pass.

Nearly two hours later, the convoy finally came to a halt.

The instructors commanded, "Everyone out! Check your luggage! Don't carry any useless junk that will only weigh you down."

Following the orders, Fang Zhou and the other trainees dismounted.

The moment they looked up, they were greeted by the sight of a military restricted area, fenced off with seemingly endless barbed wire and electric fencing.

Guards were posted every few steps, and all of them were soldiers dressed as Professionals.

Inside the perimeter, the trainees could see all sorts of heavy firepower on display with almost no attempt at concealment.

Lu Hu and the other instructors said nothing and led the group toward the main gate.

The defenses at the gate were extremely stringent.

Fang Zhou felt waves of threat and pressure; powerful Professionals were observing them from within.

Moreover, at the entrance itself, several imposing Professionals vigilantly scanned the crowd, their strength no less than Bronze Tier.

"Lu Hu, First-Year Instructor from Sea City Military Academy, leading this term's 180 seed candidate trainees, requests entry into Cave No. 1!"

"Identification and entry permit!"

The one handling the exchange with Lu Hu was a Silver Tier Professional.

To Fang Zhou and the others, the man's potent life force felt no weaker than Lu Hu's.

Meticulously, Lu Hu presented his identification and the entry permit signed by Su Tiankuo.

The man checked them one by one, then nodded, signaling for Lu Hu to enter.

After Lu Hu and the other instructors went inside, it was the trainees' turn. They still had to have their identification verified and even their bags inspected.

The soldiers conducting the inspection were thorough, strictly checking each person against their documents.

A trainee in the line muttered curiously, "Why is it still so strict even though we're already inside the military academy?"

Gu Zhiqiu, who overheard, replied faintly, "It's likely to prevent Demon Worshipers from infiltrating."

Once everyone had been checked, a resolute-faced officer and the other soldiers snapped to attention and saluted Fang Zhou's group.

"We wish you a triumphant return!"

The powerful roar stirred everyone's emotions once more, and they all raised their hands to return the salute.

It was only at this moment that these rookies finally had a tangible sense of what it all meant.

A military academy student was also a soldier of the Human Alliance Army!

And Cave Hunting was also a small-scale war!

The soldiers held their salutes until Fang Zhou and his group had disappeared into the depths of the base.

「」

"We haven't even entered the cave, but I suddenly feel this heavy responsibility. Everything feels different."

"Exactly! The military vehicle escort, the barbed-wire fences, the soldiers saluting... it gets my blood boiling..."

"We're about to see real Demons. I've never even killed anything before. I'm so nervous!"

Some trainees in the line whispered among themselves.

Fang Zhou remained silent, continuing to walk with the group.

The interior of the base was just as heavily guarded, with sentry posts everywhere.

Professionals were a common sight, and occasionally, they saw senior students from Sea City Military Academy retreating from the deeper areas.

These senior students were completely different from the likes of Lu Renjia and Lu Yiyi, whom Fang Zhou usually encountered.

They exuded a murderous aura.

Many were still spattered with blood, likely having just withdrawn from the battlefield inside the cave.

The base was large. After walking for another five or six minutes, the group finally reached their destination: an even more heavily guarded metal hall.

Here, numerous sentries were still on guard, but they were now joined by a large number of senior students.

The seniors looked on with curiosity at Fang Zhou and the other clear-eyed first-year newcomers, wondering what this flock of rookies was doing here.

Lu Hu went forward and conferred with the personnel there for a moment.

Soon, a seamlessly sealed alloy gate inside the metal hall slowly slid open.

"This is the gateway to Cave No. 1. Follow me," Lu Hu explained casually, taking the lead.

Fang Zhou and the other trainees quickly followed.

Soon, the group found themselves in a long underground passage.

"The entrance to Cave No. 1 is just ahead. Everyone, stay sharp!"

At Lu Hu's words, the group pressed on, soon entering a vast and empty fortress.

This fortress stood like a colossal iron beast in the subterranean world, exuding a stark industrial aesthetic.

Its ceiling was fitted with several huge Magic Crystal Towers that operated day and night, releasing powerful barrier energy. This formed an invisible shield that isolated the Negative Energy of the cave from the outside world.

The fortress was encircled by towering walls, upon which were dense arrays of kinetic-energy turrets and Magic Cannon Platforms, ever-ready to repel a Demon assault.

Heavy iron gates were set at intervals along the walls to allow personnel to pass through.

At that moment, other people were waiting in the main hall.

Seeing so many people flood in, one of them couldn't help but smile. "Instructor Lu, you've finally arrived."

Lu Hu stepped forward to exchange a few pleasantries, then turned to his trainees, whose faces were a mixture of excitement and nervousness. "Once you exit this fortress, you will officially be in the vicinity of Cave No. 1. In the wild, Demons can appear anywhere at any time, so be careful. I'll remind you one last time: if you encounter an emergency, do not hesitate! Tear open your Protective Scroll immediately and call for an instructor's help."

He glanced at the time and gave a decisive wave of his hand. "Alright, it's 8:00 AM. The hunt officially begins. In three days, at 8:00 AM, the Hunting Recorder will tally the points and determine your rankings. Move out!"

Under the guidance of the fortress guards, the 180 seed candidate trainees passed through the iron gate in succession, entering Cave No. 1.

Outside the fortress, Fang Zhou looked around.

The world before him was a stark contrast to the orderly interior of the fortress.

At the edge of the cave, the once-lush vegetation had vanished, replaced by twisted, bizarrely colored plants. They grew tenaciously, nourished by faint energy, their leaves flickering with a dim fluorescence, like will-o'-the-wisps drifting in the night.

The rock-strewn ground was riddled with fissures. Occasionally, a bottomless dark crevice could be seen, like a maw of Hell leading deep into the earth's core.

Scattered across the landscape were the ruins of buildings, the remains of withered trees, and the skeletons of unidentifiable creatures.

The only sources of light here were the patches of Magic Energy Moss.

They grew in the cracks of rocks, on dead trees, and even clung to the skeletons of large Demons.

This moss emitted a faint blue-green light that, while weak, was just enough to illuminate the immediate surroundings.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.