Electro Anomaly

Lu Chen and Venti curiously observed the camp at the foot of the mountain for a while. Thanks to their concealment in a space-time rift, no one noticed the two uninvited guests.

They moved freely through the camp as if it were deserted. By eavesdropping on conversations, Lu Chen realized that this department had gathered far more intel than he had expected.

Since the "Otherworldly Creature Invasion" incident, aside from the initial chaos, they had now developed contingency plans for every type of elemental anomaly.

The research division had been capturing these "otherworldly creatures" for study, gradually uncovering the rules behind elemental counteractions. For example, the device Wang Qi held was a special weapon developed in the lab—currently still a preliminary prototype.

Most of the personnel in the camp were frontline fighters. Lu Chen wasn't sure how far their higher-ups had progressed in researching elemental power, but he found the whole thing quite promising.

He wondered if modern technology could lead to unexpected breakthroughs in analyzing elemental energy.

In Teyvat, due to the suppression by the higher gods, technological development had always been uneven. Many regions still operated with productivity levels akin to ancient times.

Khaenri'ah, empowered by advanced alchemy and Abyssal technology, had built mountain-sized mechanical constructs. Fontaine had sparked an industrial revolution powered by elemental energy.

There were also Sumeru's portable terminals, the Adepti's mechanical arts in Liyue, and the AI god created by a tech-savvy girl in Inazuma...

Clearly, if all of these could be combined, they could create a world of unimaginable prosperity. But the gods' grip on destiny had stifled its potential, leaving the world gasping for breath...

Just as Lu Chen sighed quietly, a sudden disturbance erupted in the valley.

The concentration of Electro in the air surged. The ground cracked, vegetation withered, and all non-insulated equipment began sparking.

Even the sky darkened. When Lu Chen looked up, the valley's depths were shrouded in darkness. Faint lightning storms brewed within the gloomy clouds.

"The Electro anomaly is intensifying!"

"There are monsters—lots of them! They're emerging from deep within the valley!"

"Teams A, B, and C—get into position, now!"

Captain Gu shouted through his radio, but the static was deafening. Not long after, the signal cut out completely.

Many logistics personnel felt their skin tingle and hair curl. Everything they touched carried static. The camp descended into panic.

"Stay calm!!" Captain Gu's voice boomed. With communications down, he resorted to shouting orders directly.

His roar echoed across the camp.

"Logistics personnel, fall back three kilometers! Combat personnel, follow me to the target zone. Wang Qi! Check the new weapons and gather the elite team!"

"Yes!"

Wearing a yellow hazmat suit, Wang Qi sprinted toward the equipment room.

Under Captain Gu's command, order quickly returned. The trained combat personnel geared up, and the logistics team prepared to evacuate.

Lu Chen and Venti quietly followed Wang Qi toward the abnormal zone.

Looking back, each squad had fifteen members, with five of them equipped with the new weapons.

That should be more than enough to handle the Electro Slimes from earlier—but once the secret realm emerged, all bets were off.

Lu Chen eyed the thickening Electro aura, which was already suffocating. It was only a matter of time before a secret realm appeared here.

As the team reached the target area, the surroundings grew increasingly dark—not just from the overcast sky, but because the land itself had turned a strange, deep violet.

The sight felt eerily familiar to Lu Chen.

This wasn't just a normal elemental anomaly. It was a form of pollution.

Soon, the main force encountered a swarm of elemental creatures. Dozens of Electro Slimes appeared in view. In addition to the Slimes, Specters hovered in the air.

Sure enough, they were from Inazuma...

Despite being outnumbered, the strike team maintained formation. Their riot shields formed a defensive wall, holding the Electro Slimes at bay. Then, a gap opened in the center, and the elite troops in yellow suits stepped forward. Concentrated Pyro fire from the new weapons struck down a large Slime instantly.

They took down over a dozen Electro Slimes this way, but the situation remained grim—more monsters kept coming.

Worse, the Specters were unexpected. Wang Qi and his team clearly had no experience dealing with them. Suspended in the air, the Spirits were immune to conventional firearms and never descended into melee range. Team C was completely stalled by just one.

Then, several Specters gathered and unleashed bolts of purple lightning from above. Wang Qi reacted swiftly, pushing a teammate aside and shouting for everyone to scatter.

They responded fast, but one soldier couldn't dodge in time. Lightning struck his calf, dissolving the hazmat suit instantly and charring the skin beneath.

The soldier cried out in agony and was quickly pulled to safety by a shield-bearing teammate.

"What the hell are those things?!"

Wang Qi scowled at the skyborne Spirit, then shouted, "Cover me!"

Lu Chen watched as Wang Qi stepped onto a teammate's shield, leapt high into the air, and slashed his weapon at the Specter.

"This kid's got moves."

Seeing Venti glance his way, Lu Chen nodded. It had only been a few days, but this young man's explosive power now far surpassed that of ordinary people.

He couldn't help but think of another would-be warrior, Zen Zhang.

Despite having a master like Lu Chen guiding him personally for so long, his skills were still far behind...

Maybe it wasn't just about talent. Zen Zhang probably lacked Wang Qi's fierce determination. A flower raised in a greenhouse would never grasp the resolve of a true adventurer.

With the strike team keeping the monsters occupied, Lu Chen and Venti pressed deeper into the valley.

Let the others handle the small fry—Lu Chen could afford to hold back and wait for the boss to show up.

At the storm-wracked heart of the valley, dark clouds swirled and lightning raged. Lu Chen saw space itself ripple, and a secret realm emerged.

[Bounty Mission: Enter the secret realm, eliminate the source of the Electro anomaly and powerful resentment—Thunder Manifestation.]

[Secret Realm Activated: The elemental anomaly is now contained within the overlapping world state. Once closed, this realm will become undetectable to others. Please enter immediately!]

[Upon completion, you will receive a Luxurious Chest and achievement rewards.]

As the system prompt sounded, Lu Chen stepped into the realm. The surrounding space rippled like water, and the distant battlefield faded into a blur.

He glanced around and saw the familiar landscape of Inazuma.

Then his eyes narrowed.

Amid the breathtaking sunset over Qinglai Island and the roaring thunder cloaked in violet lightning, other figures came into view.

Abyss Mages floated in the air, cloaked and sinister.

And beside them stood towering Abyss Heralds, their eyes cold and grim.