As Fang Senyan and his group reached the bottom of the gorge, preparing to board the raft, General Mongo and Fei Ji reconvened at the distant Little Eagle Forward Base.

Their expressions were grave, especially General Mongo’s, whose face was so heavy it seemed water could drip from it. Uncharacteristically, he clutched a mug. Despite the base maintaining a constant temperature of twenty-four degrees Celsius, General Mongo seemed to feel a bone-chilling cold, holding the cup tightly as if trying to draw a trace of warmth from the boiling water within.

“Are you certain?” General Mongo asked, though this was the fourth time he had posed the same question.

Fei Ji showed no sign of impatience, slowly nodding. “It is certain.”

“Those damned Krell, their detection capabilities are this acute? We contacted them once during a lull in the cosmic tide, and they actually intercepted the signal??” General Mongo slammed a fist onto the table, grinding his teeth.

General Fei Ji’s face was equally grim, bordering on ashen. If this mission suffered any mishap, he would be forcibly demoted to Lieutenant Colonel, a fate he was even less willing to see than Mongo. But the facts were the facts, no matter how cruel.

General Mongo looked up. A three-dimensional star map immediately materialized on the wall before him, a single red dot tracing a slow path across it. Mongo stated coldly, “We originally expected the Krell Hunters to arrive in a week, but because they detected the anomaly here, they’ve accelerated their flight time down to only three days?”

“Correct,” Fei Ji nodded. While appearing composed, his fingers were tightly interlocked and turning white. His narrowed eyes held a cold glint. “General Mongo, we are now grasshoppers on the same vine. If this mission fails, I will be demoted, but you will likely be cast into the cold palace.”

“Just say what you mean!” General Mongo waved a hand, clearly impatient.

A flicker of anger crossed General Fei Ji’s eyes, but he swallowed it down. “Now, we need to prepare for two eventualities. First, use every resource we can muster to intercept that vessel. Second, since the news that we sent people to Planet Epross has been leaked, there is no need to hide anymore!”

“Push the Little Eagle to maximum output, have the energy reactor run at an overloaded MAX setting. That way, we can monitor their movements in real-time via the androids’ communicators... If these people can find enough ore veins within this timeframe, and we leave behind documented evidence, then even if this mission isn’t a complete success, we won't face severe punishment... Success isn't the goal; avoiding failure is!”

Mongo pondered. “But high command explicitly forbade extensive contact, let alone engaging in combat, with the Krell to avoid exacerbating spacetime distortion.”

Fei Ji looked deeply at Mongo. “I didn’t suggest fighting, merely delaying. For instance, orchestrating a military exercise ahead of a wormhole. Based on precedent, the Krell wouldn't actively seek contact with us, forcing them to proceed to the next wormhole, even if it means detouring... Or, we could mobilize the Imperial Research Facility to generate an ionization storm around the Krell ship to disrupt their trajectory... As I recall, one of the three key directors at the Imperial Research Facility is your uncle.”

Mongo laughed up at the ceiling. “But running the Little Eagle’s energy reactor at continuous MAX output for over seventy-two hours is already a violation. Under normal circumstances, this setting can only be maintained for two hours. Following your plan, this vessel will be scrap metal upon its return voyage.”

Fei Ji replied coldly, “At this stage, we can’t afford to be so cautious.”

Mongo looked at Fei Ji and said flatly, “But issuing the order for full power requires a signed official document. Who signs it?”

Fei Ji met his gaze without hesitation. “Jointly, of course!! If we act together, we can delay the Krell by another day. That leaves them only four days remaining. Let’s hope these four days yield some surprise from those ignorant savages! Are you still trying to undermine things?”

The raft navigated the gorge's rapids, appearing quite perilous, yet every time it seemed ready to capsize, it would skillfully right itself. Under the pressure of the surging water, the vines binding the raft creaked ominously. However, these greenish vines contracted upon contact with the water, invisibly tightening their grip, making the raft remarkably sturdy.

Fang Senyan forcefully plunged his pole into the riverbed and exerted pressure. The pole, bent almost into an arc, rebounded, providing the raft sufficient propulsion to cleverly avoid a hidden reef.

The raft then slipped gracefully and smoothly past a whirlpool. The turbulence ahead began to subside because the riverbed had widened, and several beams of sunlight now pierced down from above the canyon walls. This wasn't due to stronger sunlight, but because the gorge was becoming shallower.

Fang Senyan took a deep breath. The moist vapor mixed with oxygen filled his lungs with an indescribably refreshing sensation. Undeniably, he was piloting the raft; without his exceptional boating skills, it would have certainly been smashed to pieces on the rocks.

The most exhausted travelers on this journey were Fang Senyan and Bokang. Fang Senyan’s effort in controlling the crude raft was obvious. Bokang, as a Geomorphic Sculptor, had to use his abilities repeatedly to disintegrate dozens of submerged rocks and reefs when time was critical. Seeing the water open up, Fang Senyan slowly steered the giant raft toward the shore, signaling that he needed a rest.

Compared to the hardship endured by Fang Senyan and Bokang, the others had been sitting idly, their bones practically rusting. They eagerly leaped off the raft to stretch their limbs, simultaneously scouting the vicinity, hoping to strike it lucky and find a piece of Shard ore.

In this world, people rarely complain about poverty, but rather about inequality. If no one in the team had refined Shard element, it wouldn't matter. But now that three members possessed it, the others, even if silent, inevitably harbored their own thoughts and perhaps a touch of envy.

Fang Senyan’s low profile actually garnered him a degree of acceptance. Besides his cautious demeanor, a major reason was that most people knew he hadn't benefited much from the Ant Queen battle.

Everyone knew the story of his summons running amok and devouring the Ant Queen's viscera and several valuable organs. This explanation gained traction after everyone connected it to Mr. Ramtas’s noticeable wild boar features. Thus, people showed leniency and understanding for Fang Senyan’s misfortune—a subconscious comfort extended to the unlucky.

Fang Senyan sprawled inelegantly across the raft in a starfish position. He closed his eyes, feeling the regular rhythm of the waves lapping against the hull, a rocking motion as comfortable as a gently swaying hammock. An oxygen mask covered his face, delivering high-purity oxygen slowly through his respiratory tract into his lungs. His lungs, now receiving ample pure oxygen, instinctively began to reduce some respiratory function, working to expel impurities previously inhaled.

As mentioned before, while the air on Planet Epross contained sufficient oxygen, it was not suitable for ordinary human respiration. Fang Senyan could breathe it long-term without major issues, but drawing attention to these details could raise suspicions about his hidden physical reserves. Furthermore, supplementing with oxygen eased the strain on his lungs, keeping him at peak condition.

It was at this moment, however, that Fang Senyan sensed something unusual.

Specifically, there was a subtle deviation in the rhythm of the waves slapping the raft.

For someone like Fang Senyan, who had lived on boats for extended periods, the even, predictable cadence of the water's impact was etched into his instincts. Therefore, any anomaly in the waves—which seemed chaotic to outsiders—was glaringly clear to him, like a single scream interrupting a familiar song.

Yet, Fang Senyan remained outwardly unperturbed. Several scenarios flashed through his mind, leading him to pretend nothing was amiss, continuing to lie on his back and inhale oxygen.

Suddenly, water splashed violently, and a flesh-red phantom shot out like lightning. It pierced the thick wooden raft effortlessly and wrapped around Fang Senyan, immediately attempting to drag him into the water! Because Fang Senyan was still lying on the raft, the entire vessel was dragged along, pulled toward the river.

Fang Senyan struggled with all his might! But what struck him as bizarre was the lack of extreme resistance; the flesh-red “rope” tethering him stretched elastically, like a rubber band. But the moment Fang Senyan pulled back, it instantly snapped taut again.

Therefore, Fang Senyan didn't hesitate to shout: “HELP!”

Upon seeing his plight, the neutral William instantly looked over, simultaneously dropping into a half-crouch and raising his weapon. Less than a second later, he provided Fang Senyan with tangible support using his sniper rifle!