Although Yang Wu had joined the Phantom Squad, the squad was currently resting in the base city, so Yang Wu naturally couldn't go to the wilderness area alone.
Therefore, Yang Wu used this time to practice his power generation techniques, occasionally sparring with Wu Tong at the martial arts gym.
Wu Tong had always wanted to be close to Yang Wu; otherwise, he wouldn't have gone to great lengths to bring Yang Wu into the Phantom Squad. So, during their sparring, Wu Tong naturally gave it his all, which allowed Yang Wu to gain a lot.
However, the "World Destruction" manual truly lived up to its reputation as an ultimate technique. For ten consecutive days, although Yang Wu had mastered all 13 auxiliary spear techniques, his power generation techniques were still far from perfect.
In the blink of an eye, it was August 13th.
This was the day the Phantom Squad was to depart for the wilderness area.
Early in the morning, Yang Wu received a call from Wu Tong.
"Yang Wu, today is the day you're heading to the wilderness area. Don't be late!" Wu Tong anxiously reminded him.
"Uncle Wu, don't worry, I'm leaving soon!"
Yang Wu was already fully armed.
He wore an alloy helmet, a black combat vest, a silver-gray combat uniform, alloy combat boots, a martial artist's combat backpack on his back, and a combat watch on his wrist.
Holding his A6-level Breaking Army rifle, the fully armed Yang Wu walked out of his room.
As soon as he went downstairs, he saw his father, Yang Yuande, his mother, Liu Yuhua, and his younger brother, Yang Fan, already waiting in the living room.
The three looked at Yang Wu quietly; they knew today was the day Yang Wu was going to the wilderness area.
"Ah Wu, be careful!" Liu Yuhua said worriedly.
"Mom, don't worry!" Yang Wu quickly reassured her, "The martial artist team I joined is the top-tier Phantom Team in Jiangnan Base City; we rarely encounter danger in the wilderness area."
After speaking, Yang Wu looked at his father and younger brother.
"Second brother, once I become a martial artist, I'll go to the wilderness with you," his younger brother, Yang Fan, said confidently from the side.
Yang Fan's martial arts talent was quite good; he had just graduated from junior high school and was already an intermediate student at the martial arts school.
"Okay!" Yang Wu nodded with a smile. "Xiao Fan, you're an adult now. While I'm away, you have to take good care of Mom and Dad!"
"Don't worry, second brother!" Yang Fan quickly assured him.
"Dad, Mom, I'm leaving. Don't worry, I'll be back soon!"
With that, Yang Wu walked straight out the door.
Watching Yang Wu in his combat uniform quickly leave, Yang Yuande and the other two stood silently at the door for a long time, only returning home after hearing the nanny's call.
Yang Wu arrived at the entrance of the residential area, got into the Extreme Martial Arts School's car alone, and quickly set off for the Phantom Squad's rendezvous point.
...
Jiangnan Base City Main Urban Area, HR Alliance Mall.
This is the most bustling area in the entire Jiangnan Base City. Most martial artists heading to or returning from the wilderness area like to relax here.
The Phantom Squad's agreed meeting point is this HR Alliance Mall building.
After getting off the Extreme Martial Arts Academy's shuttle bus, Yang Wu went straight into the lobby on the first floor of the building.
"Yang Wu, over here!"
Just as he entered the lobby, Yang Wu heard someone calling his name. Turning his head, he saw Zhou Zheng and Zheng Tao sitting at the bar in a corner of the lobby.
Yang Wu quickly went over.
"Brother Zhou, Brother Zheng, you're here really early!"
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Yang Wu was genuinely surprised. He had arrived an hour and a half early to make a good impression on the other members of the Phantom Squad, but he hadn't expected to be the first to arrive.
"We're both in Jiangnan Base City, and we don't have much to do, so we came early,"
Zhou Zheng said with a smile. "But you, kid, you got up so early. Was it because it was your first time in the wilderness, and you were too nervous to sleep last night?"
Yang Wu shook his head with a smile.
Nervous? Not at all. Although this was Yang Wu's first time in the wilderness in reality, in the simulator, he had already been venturing there for several years.
Perhaps his experience couldn't compare to that of veterans like Zhou Zheng, but Yang Wu's experience was far beyond that of a novice martial artist.
Just as the three were chatting, Wang Zhi, dressed in combat gear and carrying a sword and shield, arrived.
"Brother Zhou, Brother Zheng, Yang Wu!" Wang Zhi greeted them expressionlessly.
"Brother Wang!" Yang Wu greeted him with a smile.
Zhou Zheng and Zheng Tao were both over forty years old. Besides Yang Wu, the youngest member of the Phantom Squad was 27-year-old Wang Zhi.
Although Wang Zhi usually seemed cold, Yang Wu found him quite approachable after spending some time with him.
The four ordered some tea and sat down to chat, waiting for their captain and Lu Qing to arrive.
"Brother Zhou, which city are we going to hunt monsters in this time?" Yang Wu asked with a smile.
Most of the monsters in the wilderness area near Jiangnan Base City gather in abandoned large cities, where the various high-rise buildings provide cover, making monster hunting easier.
Zhou Zheng took a sip of tea and said with a smile, "Our Phantom Squad has always operated in City 003, which was formerly known as the Demon City of China. However, this is your first time entering the wilderness area, Yang Wu, and the captain and I were worried that you wouldn't be able to adapt to City 003, so this time we decided to go to City 023, which was formerly known as Suzhou City."
"Brother Zhou, Brother Zheng, Brother Wang, thank you all for taking care of us!" Yang Wu quickly expressed his gratitude.
Although City 023 was safer than City 003, it also had far fewer high-level monsters. The powerful Phantom Squad chose to go to City 023, where there were fewer monsters, for their own sake, which moved Yang Wu deeply.
"What are you all talking about?" Chu Tian walked over from a short distance away with Lu Qing.
"Captain!"
"Captain!"
Yang Wu and the other three quickly turned around and saw Chu Tian and Lu Qing approaching, dressed in combat uniforms.
The two were no longer the silver-haired, black-robed, and dashing figures they once were. Chu Tian carried a longsword and a shield on his back, and held an alloy box in his hand, while Lu Qing carried a silver-gray bow and arrows, and also held a slightly smaller alloy box.
Fully armed, the two looked no different from other martial artists, which almost made Yang Wu, who had only seen them once before, not recognize them. It
was only after Zhou Zheng and the other two greeted them that Yang Wu realized who they were.
"Is everyone rested well?" Chu Tian asked.
"Yes, we are!" Zheng Tao and Zhou Zheng quickly replied.
Wang Zhi, expressionless, nodded as well.
"Yang Wu, what about you? Don't be too nervous, it's your first time going to the wilderness!" Chu Tian smiled.
"Captain, I'm fine, I can leave anytime!" Yang Wu replied.
"Alright, let's set off for the wilderness now!" Chu Tian ordered.
The group of six left the HR Alliance Mall, boarded an off-road vehicle that was already waiting at the door, headed to the train station, and then boarded a train leaving the base city, heading directly to the military base in the wilderness.