Chapter 343 – When Did You Develop This Series of Evil Energy Armor?

“So far, everything is indeed going smoothly.”

At the semicircular conference table, a big shot, mostly hidden in the shadows, spoke slowly.

His fingers gently brushed the star-shaped metallic cuff link on his sleeve. After a pause, he continued, “After the launch of the ‘Pursuit of Deity’ satellite, things will only get smoother.”

A sharply dressed man stepped out of the darkness. The battle footage on the large screen beside him switched, and he began his introduction, “Out of the twenty-three target points outlined in the plan, actions have been initiated at nineteen. Three exploration teams have completely lost contact with their targets.

So far, we have successfully completed explorations at seven points and acquired over twenty high-level wondrous items. The most valuable among them are three Phoenix Feathers.”

As the man reported, someone from one of the factions below spoke up, “I want to know if the Distant Star Federation has made any progress in the study of ‘immortality’? Over the years, we’ve obtained quite a few Phoenix Feathers through exploration or exchanges.

If there are no results, or if the results are not to be disclosed, I suggest we retain some samples of the items related to the Phoenix’s mysteries for our own research.”

“I second that.”

As soon as the person finished speaking, someone immediately echoed the sentiment.

After a brief moment, the reporting man and several others nodded calmly, “Agreed, you are allowed to take samples and retain them.”

Those who spoke earlier were slightly surprised that their casually made request was granted so smoothly.

The reporting man then continued, “…Of the remaining nine unexplored target points, it is estimated that we can obtain forty more high-level wondrous items, among which…”

He turned around, and behind him, the light screen displayed three distinct mysterious objects.

A glowing red beast bone, akin to a ruby.

An Oak tree bearing five greenish-golden acorns.

And a black stone slab engraved with a Phoenix pattern.

“These three items, we estimate, are far more valuable than ordinary Phoenix Feathers.”

There was a slight commotion in the conference room, with many people showing expressions of mild astonishment.

No wonder the proposal to retain samples of the Phoenix Feather was approved so swiftly. It turns out the Distant Star Federation had already discovered top-tier wondrous items that far surpass the value of the Phoenix Feather.

Their ambitions are greater, so they made a small concession first. This is indeed the consistent style of the Distant Star Federation.

Some were inwardly impressed, but more concerned with the information about these three top-tier wondrous items.

“What is the exploration progress on these three items?”

“One is currently underway, and the other two are in the preparation stages…”

The reporting man switched the images on the light screen again.

The scene showed an intense battle in a deep valley, covered in artillery fire. In the gorge, two giants, each tens of meters tall and seemingly made of boulders and magma, were roaring loudly.

Cyborgs and Mechas filled the sky, and the beams of energy wove into a net.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly. With the addition of a brown-haired man capable of releasing large amounts of silver threads, the battle quickly turned overwhelmingly one-sided.

One lava giant fell with a thunderous crash, followed by the second…

“That’s Haines from ‘Silver Fang,’ right? I remember that name…”

Someone at the conference table remarked, “To reach the sixth stage with pure new martial arts, coming from the famous blood-red stinger in the Sleepless organization, is truly impressive…”

The speaker, a representative from a mid-sized faction, spoke with a tone full of envy.

A sixth-stage powerhouse within their kind of faction would be top-tier. It’s rare for a nation to cultivate even a few, and each one serves as a crucial pillar, not to be easily dispatched.

Yet Javier could readily send such talent to participate in this joint operation, highlighting the disparity in national power.

His words did not garner much attention as most people were focused on a peculiar altar on the edge of the screen, where a lush Oak tree was displayed.

The Oak tree bore five acorns of varying shades, their green and golden luster interwoven. Even at a glance, they looked extraordinarily mysterious and desirable.

“…Among these five acorns, the one with the lowest value contains extraordinary factors that surpass a complete Phoenix Feather. We suspect this may be an Oak tree that was watered with Phoenix blood, and it holds significant research value for the study of immortality…”

As the introduction continued, the conference room buzzed with murmured conversations.

After a brief discussion, someone voiced a question, “These immortal acorns… how do these three items compare to the Phoenix Egg in the central Forbidden Land?”

The reporting man adjusted his glasses and calmly replied, “If what we detected in the central Forbidden Land is truly the Phoenix Egg mentioned in the legends-the one that emerged after a failed Phoenix rebirth-then, without a doubt, its value is greater…”

“Unfortunately, the location of that egg has already been explored by Xia State and other organizations; we can’t monopolize it…”

Someone lamented.

“With our current strength, we might not be able to handle it alone anyway. We need to leverage the power of others to clear the dangers. Once their strength is sufficiently depleted, that’s when our main forces can move in and maximize our chances of success…”

“It also increases the risk of others getting there first.”

“With the ‘Pursuit of Deity’ monitoring the entire area, we can deploy our strength anytime. Such a scenario is highly unlikely…”

The conference room was filled with intense discussions. The person in charge of the Distant Star Federation’s “secret” joint operation noticed someone who had remained silent throughout and asked casually, “Dean Cassel, do you have any thoughts to share?”

The intervention of the Distant Star Federation’s lead quieted the room, and everyone instinctively turned their attention to the named man.

He was intently watching the large screen and, upon hearing the question, slowly turned his head and pondered aloud, “I believe we can discuss our gains once the operation is fully concluded. What piques my curiosity right now is…”

He pointed to a specific section of the light screen, his eyes gleaming with intrigue, “Has the Distant Star Federation’s research into the series of evil energy-powered exoskeleton armor advanced to such a degree?

What kind of evil deity system does this power belong to?

The evil energy waves, are they fourth-stage? Or fifth-stage?”

“Uh…”

As soon as the man finished speaking, everyone in the conference room froze and immediately turned their gaze towards the light screen.

Indeed, they caught sight of a rather striking and magnificent figure on the screen.

This figure had six wings on its back and was clad in an all-encompassing exoskeleton armor that looked both ancient and opulent, reminiscent of the armor of ancient kings.

It emitted a thick, black, smoke-like evil energy that caused the image on the screen to blur and distort to a certain extent.

Wielding a greatsword made of black crystal, the figure’s silhouette was both graceful and mesmerizing.

“…The design is impressive, and it looks both agile and versatile, suitable for both close and long-range attacks… Is this its final form? Can we see it in action?”

Dean Cassel of the Sleepless, who had been named, rapidly fired off questions with eyes gleaming with interest as he stared intently at the magnificent figure on the screen. It was clear he was genuinely fascinated.

As soon as Cassel finished speaking, someone else chimed in, “Actually, I noticed it earlier too, but since none of you mentioned anything, I thought it wasn’t a secret anymore and that we were just behind the times…”

The speaker looked exasperated.

Many in the conference room soon turned their attention back to the lead of the Distant Star Federation.

However, the leader appeared bewildered and looked at Cassel in surprise, “You’re asking me? Judging by the design of the exoskeleton, I thought it was someone from Javier. I was just about to ask you about it later…”

The Javier Empire, with its ancient knightly tradition, had an inherent aesthetic obsession with designs resembling ancient kings. Therefore, their exoskeleton armors and Mechas often featured this style. The Distant Star Federation lead’s assumption wasn’t unfounded.

“???”

But now it was Cassel’s turn to be stunned.

If it wasn’t from the Distant Star Federation or Javier, it was unlikely that any other faction, given their limited capabilities, could produce such high-level evil energy exoskeleton armor.

Suddenly, everyone in the conference room looked at one another in disbelief.

After collectively processing their confusion, they quickly issued orders to thoroughly vet the participant list of the “Acorn Operation.”

A few minutes later, after much exchanging of glances, they came to a difficult but irrefutable conclusion-

Someone had infiltrated their operation-a daredevil “undercover agent”!

…

As Lu Yuan plummeted from the cliff into the deep valley, he resembled a black meteor streaking down from the sky.

The fierce wind surging from the bottom of the valley roared past his ears, carrying a sweltering heat.

It was only now that Lu Yuan could take in the full view of the valley.

In the center of the encircling jungle, a bare rock basin dipped downward, with rivers of lava flowing through it. This was where the Phoenix bloodline members resided.

“Like the elephant man tribe, I suspect the Phoenix bloodline members also originated from ordinary humans who underwent a transformation…”

Lu Yuan pondered as he gripped the greatsword, which was condensed from death energy, rapidly approaching the battlefield.

This time, utilizing the abilities of the [Death Messenger (Extraordinary)] panel, he had noticed a significant increase in his combat power.

The most direct manifestation was his ability to condense Six Wings, greatly enhancing his flight speed.

The strength of the [Underworld Garment] he wore had also increased considerably, and its appearance had become more striking.

“On one hand, it’s because all my attributes have surged dramatically.

Although the power source of the [Death Messenger (Extraordinary)] panel is death energy, it’s also closely related to the four basic attributes…”

“On the other hand, it’s because of…”

Lu Yuan instinctively touched the “Hundred-eyed Nether Crow Feather” pulsating within his chest like a heart.

This item truly lived up to its reputation as a legendary-level material.

Since it was “activated” back in Penglai, Lu Yuan had been able to tap into some of its inherent power.

The Hundred-eyed Nether Crow Feather had absorbed a substantial amount of death energy in the Wailing Ruins, which Lu Yuan could now freely harness, massively amplifying his [Death Messenger (Extraordinary)] panel abilities.

“It’s practically like a legendary artifact with the [Attribute Effect: All Skill Levels +?]…”

Thinking this, Lu Yuan transformed into a brilliant black lightning bolt and dove into the battlefield.

With a casual swing, he unleashed a massive crescent-shaped slash of death energy towards the ground. He had intended to move towards the altar at the center of the valley when suddenly… someone blocked his path.

“Wow-“

A voice echoed as the faceplate of a green exoskeleton armor hovering in front of Lu Yuan opened, revealing a face full of astonishment and disbelief.

“Buddy! Where did you get that exoskeleton armor? What model is it? It’s ridiculously cool!”

Lu Yuan had been ready to take action when he was stopped, but the man’s questions left him momentarily stunned. He almost forgot what he was doing.

Fortunately, Lu Yuan quickly regained his composure.

Gently, he removed his Red Spider Lily Crystal Mask, revealing his smooth, pale chin.

With an icy gaze, he swept his eyes over the man who had so casually approached him. Intense death energy, accompanied by powerful evil energy waves, emanated from him, distorting the surrounding air.

“Buddy? Who gave you permission to call me that?”

Lu Yuan coldly spat out the words, his Six Wings flapping slightly. With a single-handed grip on his greatsword, he flew directly over the man’s head.

“Call me officer!”

“Uh…”

The man stood there, dumbfounded, as if doused in cold water.

Half a second later, he shuddered, casting a reverent glance in the direction Lu Yuan had flown off, then quickly returned to the battle…