"That’s why so many Level 5 Powerhouses who practice Top-grade Acupoint Opening Techniques would rather grind it out in the Canaan Tower than take on missions. They’re just too difficult and the death rate is too high. If it wasn’t for the triple Warband Reputation, I wouldn’t want to do them either."
Qin Feng didn’t offer much of an opinion as he listened to Mike.
He just said, "Yeah. Only those who get into Starry Sky Martial Arts University, with its vast resources for cultivation, have the luxury of choosing a Top-grade Acupoint Opening Technique. Ordinary Independent Martial Artists must have it much worse at level five. They probably have no choice but to take on those death missions."
"Exactly. That’s why 80% of Independent Martial Artists who practice a Top-grade Acupoint Opening Technique die at the fifth level."
Mike lamented, "After all, between two people with the same life force index, the one who has mastered a Mental Power technique—basically, a Fourth-level Killing Technique—can easily kill the other."
...
Mike didn’t dwell on it. He immediately walked toward the massive, complex core engine in the center of the hall, which was continuously pumping out a green liquid.
He retrieved the Spiritual Explosion Device from his storage unit, fixed it to the engine’s most vulnerable Energy Node with practiced ease, and set the countdown timer.
"All set! Let’s move!"
He turned and summoned a small assault craft, just big enough to hold their two suits of power armor.
The two quickly boarded the craft. Its engine unleashed a powerful thrust, propelling them out of the death factory at maximum speed as they soared high into the sky.
Just a few kilometers after they had flown from the factory...
BOOM—!!!!
A colossal white sphere of light, more dazzling than the sun, erupted behind them!
Immediately after, a spectacular mushroom cloud laced with yellow-green dust and smoke billowed toward the heavens!
A terrifying shockwave tore through everything for dozens of kilometers in every direction.
Light and heat devoured all the decay and filth on this stretch of land.
The small assault craft streaked through Subspace, leaving the battlefield—now utterly cleansed by light and heat—far behind.
Once the blinding white light and violent Energy Fluctuations had completely subsided, Qin Feng and Mike used the craft’s onboard teleportation function to return directly to the familiar, exclusive teleportation zone of the "Dauntless" Warband.
HUMMM—
With a slight distortion of space, the towering figures of the two men in their power armor reappeared inside the cold, metal hall.
The moment their feet touched solid ground, Hammer’s emotionless, mechanical voice chimed in Qin Feng’s mind.
[Mission "Behind Enemy Lines Raid" confirmed complete. Calculating rewards...]
[Team Mission. Rewards will be distributed according to team protocol.]
Qin Feng immediately opened his mission panel to check his final rewards for the mission.
Since it was a two-man mission and their contributions in battle were roughly equal, the rewards were, of course, split fifty-fifty.
The 10,000 Contribution Points were split evenly between them, while their individual Warband Reputation and Competition Points were calculated separately.
[Mission Rewards Finalized]
[Contribution Points: +5,000]
[Warband Reputation: +30,000]
[Competition Points: +10]
Looking at the once-again plentiful Contribution Points in his account, Qin Feng felt little joy.
The impact of the battle he had just fought was far more profound than these numbers.
CLICK, HSSS—
Beside him, Mike unsealed his power armor, revealing his shiny, bald head and a face etched with lingering fear and exhaustion.
He looked at Qin Feng, his gaze graver than ever before, and said, "Brother, I’m going to buy some specialized gear for Mental Power defense right away. This mission... it was a real wake-up call."
His tone was thick with the emotion of someone who had just survived a close call.
"Sixth-level Martial Artists are terrifyingly dangerous! Those insidious Mental Power attacks of theirs are nearly impossible to defend against. And this was just a Warrior Level mission. I can’t even imagine how dangerous the Hell-level and Nightmare-level missions will be, or how much top-tier gear we’d need just to survive."
At this, a wry smile touched his lips, but it was tinged more with a sense of perspective.
"Still, thank god for this Warband ranking tournament. The triple reputation reward gives us a shot at exchanging for resources we could only dream of before. No matter how you slice it, we’re making a killing."
He patted the heavy chest plate of his power armor, a flicker of hope for the future in his eyes.
"As long as we can get through this fifth-level stage safely, forge a Primordial Acupoint, and master the technique for controlling Mental Power... then we’ll be like fish returned to the ocean, or birds to the sky! We’ll never be so constrained again. The path to Planetary-level will be smooth sailing from there. For those of us practicing a Top-grade Acupoint Opening Technique, we’ll cross the Four Great Limits far, far faster than ordinary Martial Artists!"
His words seemed directed as much at himself as at Qin Feng, a way of bolstering his own courage.
"Alright, I won’t keep you."
Mike laughed brightly and held out his personal terminal to Qin Feng. "Hit me up if any other good missions come along. Honestly, it was a blast fighting alongside you!"
Qin Feng removed his helmet as well, revealing his own calm expression.
He nodded and took out his own terminal.
The two added each other as friends on the Subspace Network.
"See you around."