Versatile Mage c1-2021, page 58
---
Mo Fan walked down from the watchtower, and after arriving at the very bottom, he happened to see the female instructor, Pan Lijun.
In the past, Pan Lijun had a stiff face. Today, it looked like she held a grief that had been there for a long time. It seemed like the her who used to be very well-trained was somewhat weak at the moment.
“A scouting squad member took a risk to bring back news. Many caverns outside of the Safety Shelters have a distinct traces of being dug out,” Pan Lijun solemnly said to the headband-wearing man next to her.
“So that means the sudden appearance of all these Magical Beasts in Bo City is mostly because the many tunnels outside of Bo City lead to the water tunnels beneath it. The Magical Beasts used those tunnels to walk past our Safety Shelters to directly enter Bo City?” headband man solemnly asked.
“Yes, our top priority is to find a few Magical Beast caverns and have those tunnels directly filled and destroyed, or else Bo City will have unending amount of Magical Beasts appearing. It’s just, we currently are not sure on where those tunnels that leads to Bo City lie.” Pan Lijun was at her wit’s end at this moment.
The attack of the Magical Beasts was too sudden, and the entire City had gone into chaos. Finding a Magical Beast entry point in a large city like this was definitely not an easy matter.
As he heard these two discussing this, Mo Fan’s thoughts suddenly flashed.
Cave, water tunnel, sewers… This meant that there was a creature specialized in digging causing mischief!
Colossal-eyed Ape Rat!
In his year with the Hunter Squad, Mo Fan and the squad members had killed a large number of Colossal-eyed Ape Rats within Bo City.
At this moment, he finally understood why there were so many Colossal-eyed Ape Rats going rampant in Bo City for the past year!
Heavens, they were the signs of this disaster to Bo City!
* * *
Translator: Tofu
Editor: RED
Chapter 107 - Magical Beast Entrance
“Instructor Pan, I think I know where the clues are.” Mo Fan hastily interrupted after hearing the two people talking, realizing something important.
“Where?” The two looked at Mo Fan in confusion.
“The City Hunter Squad,” Mo Fan replied.
The discussion between the two could be said to have been an influence for the flash of an idea in Mo Fan’s head.
The invasion of the Magical Beasts this time seemed to be unexpected. The truth is, Mo Fan who was on the City Hunter Squad had vaguely understood some of the situation of Bo City, and the most distinct one was the rampage of the Colossal-eyed Ape Rats!
The Colossal-eyed Ape Rats were experts in digging, from this, it was easy to understand that the magical beast tunnel leading into the Bo City from the outside was the doing of the Colossal-eyed Ape Rats.
Every time the City Hunter Squad hunted a Magical Beast, they would record it. Surely they would be able to find the location of the Magical Beast Entrance from the recent activities of the Colossal-eyed Ape Rats in Bo City!
The two people looked at each other as they realized the same thing.
It was impossible for the Colossal-eyed Ape Rat to have dug a tunnel leading into Bo City without any kind of activity. The ones who understood the problems that existed within Bo City best were naturally the City Hunter Squad!
They’d be able to obtain some accurate clues from the City Hunter Squad!
“Good, I’ll go and contact the people from the City Hunter Squad immediately,” the man with the headband nodded repeatedly.
Pan Lijun turned her head around in astonishment as she looked at Mo Fan. She never imagined that this student’s few words could be so important.
“The truth is, I am a member of the City Hunter Squad. After returning from the Practicals, I realized that my own strength was far too weak, thus, I joined one of the City Hunter Squads. However, I currently do not know where they are,” Mo Fan explained with a forced smile as he saw Instructor Pan staring at him.
“You really are unfathomable,” Pan Lijun forced out a smile.
“Instructor Pan, how’s the situation at Snowy Peak Mountain Station? My father is there,” Mo Fan asked.
“Don’t worry, that place is even more secure than Bo City, your dad will also be all right,” Pan Lijun assured him.
“That’s good, could you help me with another matter?”
“Tell me, little hero.”
“The Safety Shelters are like a huge camp, there’s simply too many people. I am unable to find my family members who have withdrawn to the Safety Shelters, could you help me ask about their current whereabouts?” Mo Fan asked.
“Alright, that won’t be a problem. It will most likely take Instructor Cheng some time to find the people from City Hunter Squad.”
With the Magical Beasts invading the city, the normal communication devices were basically not functioning.
------
Not much later, the headband-wearing Instructor Cheng had already returned. Besides him were a few people, and among them were Xiaoke and Xu Dahuang, who Mo Fan was familiar with.
Xiaoke was currently holding onto her mini-notebook as she quickly searched for the Magical Beast Record which she had put into the computer.
“Right now, I have located a few areas where the Colossal-eyed Ape Rat has appeared. The first one is Beiling Area’s park, a Colossal-eyed Ape Rat that injured a human appeared there. The very first discovery of the Magical Beasts invasion should be at Beiling Area,” Xiaoke said to Instructor Cheng.
“Beiling Area has currently been occupied by the Magical Beasts,” Instructor Cheng noted thoughtfully.
“Following that is Guangshang Heavenly Street, and then Lufeng town and…”
“Has there been a place with a distinct burrow?,” Instructor Cheng spoke up.
“Oh, yes there is… Beneath Mingwen Middle School’s cafeteria was a burrow. There was a girl who went missing back then, and there are many Magical Beasts in Mingwen Area. I reckon there is definitely a Magical Beast Entrance there,” Xiaoke said.
“That rings a bell, I remember that was when Fan Mo had just joined our squad. We just happened to find a Colossal-eyed Ape Rat inside Mingwen Girls Middle School. Following that, the police discovered a burrow. We all suspected the girl had been dragged into the burrow and eaten there…” Feishi hurriedly said.
They were talking as they were walking. Xiaoke and Xu Dahuang clearly did not see Mo Fan, who was standing nearby, and listening very attentively to them.
Currently, the Hunter Squad knew that Mo Fan was Fan Mo, and they would have been surprised to find that Mo Fan was not cultivating within the Underground Holy Spring. How had he come here?
“Mingwen Area has a Magical Beast Entrance? Did the people in Mingwen Area escape already?” Instructor Cheng asked the Maga to his side.
“There’s currently not any information on their evacuation.”
Everyone sunk into silence.
After a while, Xu Dahuang creased his brow and said, “It seems like Mingwen Area does indeed have a Magical Beast Entrance, and furthermore, the entrance is within the Mingwen Girls Middle School. No wonder why they felt that the school was vibrating like there was a construction work happening nearby. It turns out that it was actually the Colossal-eyed Ape Rats that were digging.”
“No one has evacuated? Did you read that wrong, are you sure no one has evacuated from there?” Mo Fan’s gaze was fixed on the Maga who was talking just now.
“Mo Fan, calm down.”
“Yeah, if we’re not wrong, then the Magical Beast Entrance should be near Mingwen Girls Middle. Thus, Mingwen Area should also be connected, which is why it’s not an easy matter to evacuate from there.”
Mo Fan’s soul sunk.
He clearly remembered that Ye Xinxia had told him that their school had frequent vibrations occurring. That would definitely mean the Colossal-eyed Ape Rats were digging underground.
If the Magical Beasts directly climbed up from there, then the entire school would be instantly destroyed.
Presently, all of Bo City has entered a crisis, just who would be able to care about whether a middle school had been able to evacuate or not?
“Commander Cheng, as this is a matter of the utmost importance, we will dispatch a squad of people over. We must immediately destroy the Magical Beast Entrance!” Pan Lijun said.
Since they had found the Magical Beast Entrance, then naturally they had to set off immediately. They didn’t have any time to waste.
“This number of people on this squad can’t be too many. Although these Magical Beasts don’t have a high intelligence, once they discover that there are a large group of people advancing toward their entrance, we will definitely attract a large number of Magical Beasts and expose our objective,” the female Maga told all of them.
Commander Cheng swept his gaze past the present people as he said in a serious voice, “Let’s immediately deploy people.”
“Commander, we will go with you. As the Captain of the City Hunter Squad, I am definitely more familiar than you with battling against Magical Beasts within the city,” Xu Dahuang said.
Xiaoke glanced at Xu Dahuang, she didn’t know whether she should make a decision or not.
“Alright, with an Elite Hunter Squad, the chances of success will definitely increase by a lot. The mission this time is fairly dangerous, everyone still needs to be cautious,” Commander Cheng said.
As everyone had just finished discussing this, and as they were just about to prepare to leave, a person happened to stand in front of them.
“Fan Mo?! Oh no wait, it’s Mo Fan!” Xiaoke and Xu Dahuang exclaimed, astonished.
_(Ed. Note: yep, they’re a little blind not noticing him talking to the Maga…)_
Mo Fan looked at the two people, and then at Commander Cheng, who was responsible for the mission this time.
Pan Lijun was also shocked as she said, “Mo Fan, don’t tell me you also want to join?! You have already successfully helped the people of Tian Lan Magic High to evacuate, and destroyed the plans of the Black Vatican. It’s better if you just stay within the Safety Shelters and rest. We will take care of this!”
“Yeah, you are already the hero of our Bo City, let alone this mission… Even nine deaths and one survivor could’ve been described as doing really well,” Commander Cheng nodded.
Hero of the City?
Mo Fan didn’t think that way.
If she died, then he would be a waste through and through.
* * *
Translator: Tofu
Editor: RED
Chapter 108 - Leaving the Shelter
“Isn’t that Mo Fan?… Are you kidding me, what’s he going to do outside now that he has already arrived at the Safety Shelter??” Xue Musheng was resting in the camp to the side as he happened to see Mo Fan leaving the Safety Shelter.
“Shit, I will never think about leaving this place in my lifetime.”
“Yeah, Mo Fan is far too courageous.”
For the students, the other side of the Safety Shelters was a nightmare which they would never forget. They had finally reached this place after great difficulties, no matter what people ssaid, they would not tread a single step outside.
They were unable to understand just what exactly was giving Mo Fan the courage to once again tread outside of the Safety Shelter?
---
The truth was, Mo Fan also thought that he wouldn’t take another step outside after he arrived at the Safety Shelter. After all, anything could be put to the back of his head compared to his own life, so how could he have the intention to bitterly save people?
Regretfully, he didn’t think he was qualified. He was unable to achieve the stage Xu Dahuang was at.
However, in his mind floated the girl who couldn’t walk, lingering in the area with the highest number of Magical Beasts. Her pure eyes were filled with fear and helplessness, and just like Zhang Yinglu, leaving this world with a yearning and not knowing what had happened.
A lot of people think they have an insignificant role within society, and they are unable to do anything about matters with high principles. They would even sigh in admiration over the fact that there are people that would do things without a care for their own lives… In reality, there are many things in their hearts that had already surpassed others. What they don’t realize is that being able to make a quick decision during the time of crisis is a kind of instinct, and whether that action affects their life is something they had no second thoughts about.
The current Mo Fan was like that.
He never thought about whether he should go out of the Safety Shelter or not, his mind was already occupied by the scary thought. All of the molecules in his body were telling him to not let such a tragedy to befall Xinxia!
Thus, when the squad was telling Mo Fan with certainty that the girl he was looking for had most likely died, and him going out was also a futile action, Mo Fan still decided to go with the squad to Mingwen Area with a fixed resolution. Even if the probability of finding her in this disaster was very low, even if the hope of her still being alive was uncertain...
---
Xu Dahuang has an adequate understanding of the entirety of Bo City, and having him as their guide would avoid many unnecessary inconveniences.
In the end, the Water Magician of the Hunter Squad didn’t choose to follow them out. Every individual had their own choices, neither Officer Cheng nor Xu Dahuang were forcing them.
Going along with this mission were the two Instructors that Mo Fan was familiar with, Luo Yunbo and Pan Lijun. The one who was responsible for the squad was precisely that Officer Cheng who is an Intermediate Magician.
Officer Cheng was an official protector of Bo City, and this incredibly difficult mission had to be handled by him personally.
There were a total of eight people in the squad, not a large number. On one hand it was because having a large amount of people might easily allow the Magical Beasts to sense their actions. On the other hand, there were no other people they could dispatch with them. Being able to dispatch an Intermediate Magician could already be considered a really good thing. After all, there were many Warrior-class Magical Beasts roaming around Bo City, and only Intermediate Magicians were able to handle those Magical Beasts.
Meixin Highway was the best shortcut from the Safety Shelters directly to the Mingwen Area in the city.
The highway bridge has already been turned into a mess by abandoned cars, completely impassable. One could vaguely see a few Magical Beasts’ figures scuttling on top of the cars on the highway bridge; looking for the citizens who thought hiding in their cars would be safe.
At this moment, on the chaotic highway bridge, eight black motorcycles were silently and flexibly following along the pedestrian sidewalk at the side of the bridge, which was basically unobstructed. The cycle’s steel was very flat, they looked like eight African panthers running around from afar. The dim lights from the after rain would barely reflect from its l.u.s.ter.
“Although this kind of motorcycle that was made with black stone will not be discovered by Magical Beasts, it is still clear that riding a summoned beast gives you a certain advantage in this kind of situation!” Officer Cheng said.
“Unfortunately, the Summoners also have their own missions to attend to,” Pan Lijun replied.
Officer Cheng nodded, no longer saying anything.
In this moment, Mo Fan was also operating a black motorcycle, he had grasped the technique of riding one back in middle school.
The teachers in the magic schools had told them that all kinds of Magical equipment could easily attract Magical Beasts. After all, phones, computers, cars, and motorcycles were all created using different elemental magic blueprints. They all needed the energy of magic stones to operate.
The energy from the Magic Stones could easily be sensed by Magical Beasts.
The Magical Stones made into scientific equipment might not have a huge attraction to the Magical Beasts, but Magical Stones that had a fast movement… those were different. Just like how many animals have no awareness of immobile things, but once something starts moving, they would also start to chase. This was the same reasoning with the Magical Beasts and vehicles.
Thus, other than the equipment that had been custom modified by the military, using scientific equipment would definitely attract the Magical Beasts in the surroundings. The radius of influence depended on the Magical Beast’s senses.
After a discussion between a few soldiers, Mo Fan came to understand a very important piece of information, and that was a Magician’s personal tool of transportation was usually a summoned beast. The summoned beast’s aura was similar to a Magical Beast, those who rode a summoned beast outside of the city wouldn’t be easily found by a Magical Beast.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of first Elemental Awakenings would only be of a basic Element. The Dimensional Element of Summoning Magic could only be awakened when you reached the Intermediate or Advanced level. Thus, Summoned Beasts weren’t actually that common.
---
After passing along the Meixin Highway, their progress could be considered very fast.
However, as they were about to arrive in Mingwen Area, the bridge had collapsed ahead of them, probably because a Warrior-class Magical Beast had passed through this place.
Thus, they had no choice but to abandon their cycles and walk instead. The technological means of transportation was inconvenient from this point onward, as it relied too much on the road.
After abandoning their vehicles, the eight people continued to advance. Instructor Luo Yunbo was a Wind Magician, he was scouting a path for them forwards.
Luo Yunbo’s experience was far more abundant than Li Wenjie. He knew how to use his own Wind Trail Magic to lure the Magical Beasts away, allowing them to directly pass through and not take detours.
This kind of Wind Magician was very important to a squad, as they would be able to save a lot of time and everyone’s energy.
