Chapter 96: Fire God Squad’s Unique Advantage

After receiving the insider information, Jiang Kai immediately ordered everyone to pack up the camp quickly and head south from King's Valley.

Time was tight, and the squad jogged down the fork leading to the Burning Plains.

As they approached the Burning Plains, the surrounding terrain gradually transformed.

The temperature rose steadily, the sky grew darker, and the once sparse, heat-resistant vegetation gave way to cracked earth. Through the fissures, faint red light glimmered as odorless black smoke seeped upward.

When the squad finally entered the Burning Plains, the flat terrain was riddled with cracks, and the dark sky seemed to merge with the rising black mist.

Perhaps the gloomy atmosphere of the plains itself was a result of this omnipresent black smoke.

Although the area lacked direct sunlight, the temperature was even higher than in the Ironclad Drake's territory, as if the entire Burning Plains were a massive furnace.

"It's so hot!" Ruan Yu complained, unzipping the side of his brown bear armor.

Around them, scattered strange trees jutted out of the cracked ground. These trees were charred black, with no leaves, only grotesquely twisted branches.

"These are Heavenfire Trees," Su Nuannuan explained, glancing at her wristband. "Their bark is charred due to their unique properties. Trees over 30 years old can transform into Heavenfire Tree Spirits, which, when defeated, may drop Heart of Fire Trees—a material used to enhance fire-related effects."

Jiang Kai took a closer look at the trees, suspecting that his Pyromaniac skill might have been made using the Heart of Fire Trees. However, there was no time to study the trees further.

In the first half-hour of their journey, Jiang Kai noticed several teams also heading deeper into the plains.

"Captain Kai," Hu Yan began explaining as they moved, "the Burning Plains are different from King's Valley. The monsters here are mostly from the Infernal category. Unlike other places where beasts have well-defined territories, in the Burning Plains, multiple creatures share the same area. This makes their distribution broader."

Multiple types of creatures sharing the same area meant a larger range for each region. Consequently, finding a specific creature was much harder.

Jiang Kai checked his map and noted that the Ghoul King's designated area, the Ashen Lands, was enormous—seven to eight times the size of a typical Great Black Ape territory.

Just crossing the Ashen Lands would take four to five days on foot under normal circumstances.

Searching for a hidden, injured Ghoul King within such an area was a daunting task.

"Captain Kai, that's a Supreme Guild squad." Yuan Zhu pointed towards a group about seventy or eighty meters away.

It was a five-person team with uniforms labeled "Supreme – Python Squad."

Their direction matched that of the Fire God Squad, and their cautious glances suggested mutual wariness.

There were even more teams heading towards the Ashen Lands. Roughly 200 meters away, a seven-person squad was also advancing, though they were too far away to identify.

In the distance, shadows of additional teams moved steadily forward.

"As expected, everyone who got the news is rushing over," Jiang Kai muttered. "And considering the teams already in the Ashen Lands, this contest will be far more competitive than I imagined."

The Supreme Guild's team seemed stronger than Fire God Squad, quickly overtaking them.

"They're all high-tier squads. We don't have the speed to compete," Ruan Yu remarked with a frown.

Jiang Kai was also frustrated. He wanted to outpace the Supreme Guild team, but the disparity in levels and stats was insurmountable.

He glanced back at Su Nuannuan, who had been quiet since reporting the Heavenfire Tree information. Her flushed cheeks and labored breathing made it clear—she was struggling to keep up.

Despite being exhausted, she pushed herself silently to avoid falling behind.

In previous battles, Yuan Zhu, as a core combatant, was prioritized for leveling. Ruan Yu, with his high starting level, was also brought to max level first. Hu Yan, already a second-tier level 10, didn't need urgent upgrades. Only Su Nuannuan, now level 12, lagged behind.

Despite this, she never complained about Jiang Kai's allocation decisions.

As a low-level healer, her tenacity was remarkable. She refused to slow the team down, no matter how hard it was.

This girl is just as resilient as ever, Jiang Kai thought. Not like your average healer at all.

Suddenly, Jiang Kai stopped. "Everyone, take a break."

The others, noticing Su Nuannuan's condition, immediately understood and paused.

"Here, have some water," Ruan Yu offered her a bottle.

"Sorry… for holding everyone back…" she stammered, accepting the bottle.

Jiang Kai smiled. "What's this about holding us back? We're a team. Besides, aimlessly searching isn't helping either... "

Hu Yan chimed in, "The Ashen Lands are vast. With so many teams searching for the Ghoul King, we can't compete in terms of speed or stamina."

"Blindly running around won't help. Even if we were the first team there, it'd still be difficult to win against higher-tier squads."

Ruan Yu nodded. "I was thinking the same."

"What do we do, then?" Yuan Zhu asked, frowning.

Jiang Kai pondered for a moment. "I was just thinking… Against all these high-tier teams, we're at a disadvantage. But does Fire God Squad really have no edge?"

His question left everyone deep in thought.

In a competition teeming with experts, what could Fire God Squad rely on to locate the Ghoul King first?

While the team was lost in thought, Su Nuannuan suddenly spoke up, "Doesn't it just come down to luck?"

Yes—luck. Beyond that intangible factor, Fire God Squad had no other advantages.

"How about asking Hu Yan to divine our chances of finding the Ghoul King?" Yuan Zhu suggested.

"I can't predict something that precise!" Hu Yan protested.

However, Su Nuannuan's comment sparked an idea in Jiang Kai's mind.

"Luck… no, it's not about luck!" Jiang Kai exclaimed, startling everyone.

Ignoring their confused stares, he turned to Hu Yan with an intense gaze. "Our team's edge is you!"

Hu Yan froze, overwhelmed by Jiang Kai's fiery determination. "W-What? You mean… divination?"

"No, not divination!" Jiang Kai said, shaking his head.

"Then… Praying for rain? But what does that have to do with finding the Ghoul King?"

"Hu Yan, don't you remember? Your starting class is Feng Shui Master."

"Most teams don't have a Feng Shui Master on their roster. But Fire God Squad does!" Jiang Kai explained excitedly. "Relying on luck is pointless. Hundreds of squads might converge here—why would we be the luckiest?"

"The Ghoul King is injured and in hiding. A hellish creature like that would naturally seek the place with the densest yin energy to rest, wouldn't it?"

After a brief pause, Hu Yan's eyes lit up. "Yes, the most yin-heavy spot!"

"Not necessarily the densest," Jiang Kai corrected. "It wouldn't dare encroach on a King-tier BOSS's territory. Eliminate King-tier and other Warlord zones, and you can use Feng Shui to pinpoint the next most yin-heavy location in the Ashen Lands. That's likely where it's hiding."

Realization dawned on Hu Yan. His eyes sparkled with newfound confidence.

"Feng Shui is my specialty. Give me a moment—I'll find where the Ghoul King is hiding!"

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