Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared
Chapter 1204: Outpost

Chapter 1204: Chapter 1204: Outpost

In a small border town of a certain country, the presence of some historical landmarks attracted a substantial number of tourists, which in turn boosted the local economy.

Under the guidance of Irina and others from the Hunter’s Guild, Gu Fan, Lin Xi, and Su Hui, after disguising themselves, posed as tourists to blend in with the small town.

The group made their way through the crowd, turned into an alley, and came to the back door of an inn, which served as one of the Guild’s outposts.

The inn’s staff could identify their own people by the sound and rhythm of the knocking on the door.

Similarly, Irina, from outside the door, listened to the footsteps and rhythm of the person coming to open the door, which could also indicate whether the outpost was safe or had been occupied by enemies.

The door opened, and after a quick glance confirmed that they were among allies, everyone quickly entered the backyard of the inn. Gu Fan immediately took off his beard and hat and removed his disguise.

"My goodness, you’ve finally arrived. We’ve been waiting for days. We started to wonder if you would never make it," said Lu Yi and Zhuo Hang, who had arrived earlier because they were not key targets of Organization X, and thus had made their way to the town in advance.

Gu Fan smiled, "Sorry to keep you all waiting. How is everything? Are you getting used to it?"

Lu Yi shrugged in resignation, "Different regions, different food cultures; it’s a bit hard to get used to, but it’s manageable. The most important thing now is, what’s our plan?"

"That depends on how the Hunter’s Guild is going to help us infiltrate Dark City," Su Hui said, looking earnestly at Irina, hoping for a reliable plan.

To this, Irina responded nonchalantly, "Let me make it clear that we will help you to the best of our ability, but we cannot promise that we can get you in for sure, because after giving it some thought, I’ve realized that it is extremely difficult."

Zhuo Hang became somewhat discontent, "What do you mean? You didn’t mention this before we set off. Now that we’re here, you’re telling us about the difficulty?"

Irina explained, "Because I initially thought of you as one of us. After reflecting on it, I realized that you, Gu Fan, are a prime target of Organization X. Helping you get into Dark City unnoticed is no small feat."

Gu Fan nodded in agreement, "Right, you make a good point. But now that we’re here, backing down is out of the question. Tell us everything you know, and we’ll figure it out together."

"Alright, follow me," Irina led everyone into a parlor where there was a sand table that depicted the terrain surrounding Dark City.

Pointing at the sand table, Irina said, "Dark City is surrounded by mountains on all sides, encircled by rivers and primeval forests. There’s only one road that leads in and out, aptly named the Road of Death. Do you know why?"

Hearing this name, Lu Yi showed an uneasy expression, "There’s no return on this road, is there? Don’t scare us like that."

"It’s not exactly a one-way ticket, but it is incredibly dangerous," said Helen, pointing to the primeval forest surrounding Dark City and speaking with heightened gravity. "As you can see, this primeval forest is full of dangers, inhabited by fierce beasts and unidentified creatures. Dark City is surrounded by this forest, and the Road of Death cuts through the Dark Primeval Forest to get there. In other words, from the moment you set foot on the Road of Death, you enter the Dark Primeval Forest, and you must constantly be on guard for any dangers that might suddenly leap out from the forest."

"Dark City, Dark Night Forest, the Road of Death; it’s downright terrifying," Gu Fan admitted, his expression betraying a touch of anxiety. Then he looked at Lin Xi and Su Hui, who appeared unfazed, confident in their ability to fend off whatever horrors lay ahead.

Gu Fan looked carefully at the sand table and noticed that Dark City was located at the border region of several countries, with almost every nation having one or two roads in this area, connecting their borders. These paths, consisting of waterways and wharves as well as rough mountainous tracks, were intricately intertwined, eventually converging toward one direction: the Road of Death.

Frowning, Gu Fan pointed at the sand table and questioned, "Who created these roads? They seem to connect the borders of several countries, but they all lead to the Road of Death."

Irina nodded. "Yes, most of these roads were built by Organization X, mainly to transport goods. Trucks come and go from Dark City at regular intervals."

"Trucks, huh?" Gu Fan began to ponder, but Irina quickly dissuaded him, "Don’t even think about it. If we could just enter Dark City by truck, we would have done so already. In fact, we still don’t understand what exactly those trucks are transporting."

Su Hui interjected, "You said before that the Hunter’s Guild had sent several groups into Dark City. How did you manage to infiltrate it and why do you say that it’s difficult to help us do the same?"

Irina replied, "Ordinarily, you can enter Dark City just by making it through the Road of Death. The only issue is that the guards take a photo of every individual who comes in. You understand what I mean."

Gu Fan caught on, "As soon as we step into Dark City, our photos will be taken and sent to Organization X. Then they’ll know I’ve arrived."

"Exactly, and that’s the biggest problem; you can’t use the main gate to enter Dark City, and we don’t have any other means to get in from a different direction. We need to come up with a whole new plan, but this plan will be unlike anything we’ve attempted before," Irina expressed the difficulties, which made everyone realize that the challenge ahead could exceed their expectations.

Lin Xi examined the sand table closely and suggested, "With our abilities, let’s temporarily disregard the Road of Death and Dark Primeval Forest, and focus all our thoughts on how to enter Dark City. Instead of using the main gate, why don’t we circle around in the Dark Night Forest and then climb over the high walls on the side?"

"That might be possible, but there is surveillance there, and people patrol from the watchtowers," Irina had hardly finished speaking when she saw Lin Xi’s nonchalant expression, "No problem, we just need a downpour or a foggy day to blend in."

"You guys..." Irina was at a loss for words, thinking to herself that these people really had the capability and it seemed nothing would stop them from entering Dark City.

Gu Fan agreed with Lin Xi’s approach. "Good, then let’s get ready and make our way to Dark City."