If this was Yimi's objective, Bai Ye could understand it.
After all, the Forbidden Zone Mission Three already yielded a red-quality item.
However, Bai Ye felt something was off.
Because if Yimi's sole purpose was Forbidden Zone Mission Three, then covering Allen's arrival at Laboratory Number Three would be understandable; it was likely that Allen's group entering Laboratory Number Three was a condition for activating the Forbidden Zone.
But why kill Li Chengjie?
Bai Ye couldn't quite figure it out, but there wasn't much time to ponder.
Because the problem wasn't important; what mattered was the answer.
Whatever Yimi wanted, Bai Ye would take!
See, a perfect answer!
In an instant, Yimi reached the Crystallized Energy Extraction Instrument, but...
Bai Ye was faster!
Or perhaps...
While Yimi was fast, she couldn't run faster than lightning!
*Zzzt!*
Accompanied by the sound of surging current, large arcs of electricity suddenly appeared on the Crystallized Energy Extraction Instrument, followed by crackling sounds around the device. Then...
With a bang, the Crystallized Energy Extraction Instrument exploded, and wisps of black smoke slowly rose.
"You have completed Forbidden Zone Mission Three: Destroy the Crystallized Energy Extraction Instrument. Reward: Random Red Quality Tech Weapon x1."
"All Forbidden Zone Missions are now complete. Survivors will be transported back to the Ruined City (Mirror World) area in three minutes. Please prepare accordingly."
Bai Ye curved his lips. Forbidden Zone Mission Three was secured.
But...
Bai Ye soon noticed something was amiss.
He had secured Forbidden Zone Mission Three, yet Yimi's gaze remained unwavering, and she didn't stop moving forward. Instead, she continued ahead.
Her target wasn't the Crystallized Energy Extraction Instrument?
This thought flashed through Bai Ye's mind. And at that very moment...
*Clang!*
Yimi punched through the glass cover of the Crystallized Energy Extraction Instrument and grabbed the crystal within.
Bai Ye's pupils contracted. Her target was that crystal?
*Zzzzz.* Without a moment's delay, Bai Ye's body instantly elementalized and transformed into a bolt of electricity charging towards Yimi, reaching her in an instant.
"Frozen Blood Technique!" Yimi, seemingly prepared for Bai Ye's persistence, formed her fingers into claws and waved them forward, crying out, "Lancer!"
Five streaks of crimson blood appeared, shot up from the ground, and rapidly froze into spear-like forms, shattering the incoming electricity.
The scattered electricity converged again, reforming into Bai Ye's appearance.
After reappearing, Bai Ye spread his hands. The Steel Slime writhed, and Thunderclap Purple Lightning, along with Blazing Phoenix Fire, appeared in Bai Ye's grasp.
However, Bai Ye couldn't attack Yimi.
The female mage had intervened.
"Flame that burns all beneath the heavens, turn sin to ashes, purify the defiled!" The female mage raised a red wooden staff and declared, "Fire Sprite!"
Above Bai Ye's head, a circle of crimson magic runes immediately spread, and the Fire Sprite they had seen before emerged, unleashing a punch towards Bai Ye's face.
Bai Ye's figure flickered, transforming into electricity once more and moving two meters sideways before reforming.
However, the female mage seemed to possess predictive abilities. Whether through items or equipment, she immediately pinpointed Bai Ye's movement and raised her staff.
"Frost Crystal Bomb!"
She pointed the staff forward, and with a surge of cold air, several ice cones materialized and shot towards Bai Ye.
Bai Ye narrowed his eyes and swept Thunderclap Purple Lightning forward. A wave of electric arcs passed, shattering all the incoming Frost Crystal Bombs.
At this point, Yimi returned to the female mage's side, saying, "Don't linger. Wait for the teleportation and leave."
"You think you can just leave if you want?" Bai Ye scoffed, leaning forward sharply and drawing his sword, "Thunderbolt Flash!"
*Bang!*
Bai Ye stomped the ground forcefully, shattering it the moment he did.
A bolt of yellow lightning appeared, and Bai Ye, wreathed in electricity, charged forward, reaching the two in the blink of an eye.
Yimi reacted quickly, pulling the female mage. Because of this pull, the female mage narrowly escaped with her life, but...
*Pffft!*
The moment Bai Ye appeared, his sword was unseen, but the female mage's arm flew off.
With a single strike, her arm was severed at the shoulder.
The female mage cried out in pain, collapsing into Yimi's embrace, a large amount of blood splashing onto the ground, staining it red.
However, at that very moment, including Bai Ye, the bodies of the three began to fade, becoming gradually transparent.
The three-minute wait for teleportation was over.
The next instant, Bai Ye found himself back at the entrance of Laboratory Number Three, facing the main entrance and the hall.
As for Yimi and the female mage, they were clearly not teleported to the same location. They must have entered the Forbidden Zone from a different point.
Bai Ye raised an eyebrow, now understanding why they had suddenly left after seeing the Crystal Giant Turtle, once they had covered Allen's group's arrival at Laboratory Number Three.
At the time, Bai Ye had assumed they wanted to wear him down. Now, it seemed that wasn't the case; they had intended to get as far away from Laboratory Number Three as possible before Bai Ye entered it.
This way, when the Forbidden Zone ended and the three were teleported out, Bai Ye, having entered Laboratory Number Three directly, would naturally be sent back to the main entrance.
However, Yimi and the female mage, having been teleported inside, would be returned to their original locations upon exiting the Forbidden Zone, placing them further away from Bai Ye.
They were securing a retreat route in advance. Clearly, after being "taught a lesson" at the abandoned factory, Yimi had no intention of engaging Bai Ye, aiming only to take the crystal and escape.
"But..." Bai Ye licked his lips, "Do you think it's that easy to escape?"
Bai Ye half-knelt on the ground and pressed his hands onto the surface.
*Zzzzt!*
Current surged through Bai Ye's body, and large arcs of electricity burst outwards in all directions.
Electric Field Construction!
Bai Ye had used this move in the Ghoul Zone. As long as the electric field was spread wide enough, Bai Ye could perform large-scale instantaneous teleportation.
And although Yimi and the female mage had prepared in advance, the Crystal Giant Turtle hadn't delayed Bai Ye for too long, so the distance they could have created wouldn't be too great.
As long as the electric field could be deployed quickly enough, Bai Ye would be able to find them.
Accompanied by the crackling of electricity, everything around Bai Ye was enveloped by the current.
Approximately five minutes later, Bai Ye suddenly looked up.
"Found you!"
The next instant, as the words left his mouth, Bai Ye's body vanished.
...