48: Chapter 48 I'm only worth twenty points.

The five members of the other group walked in front, forming a loose defensive formation.

Gu Changming and Qin Lie trailed at the back of the group.

As he walked, Gu Changming curiously examined this secret realm.

Secret realms aren't always open, so even though he lived until the end, there were still many secret realms he had never visited.

Therefore, he had never been to this secret realm world either.

Soon, Gu Changming's gaze was drawn to a dark shadow slowly drifting across the sky. It appeared to be a dilapidated mechanical drone with a mottled shell, its rotor-spinning sound accompanied by irregular static.

Noticing his gaze, Qin Lie took the initiative to introduce: "The creatures here... are not quite the same as what we know; most of them are silicon-based or semi-mechanical structures."

He pointed to the sky, "Like that wreckage drone, it's quite common. It has no aggression; most are damaged and just drift in the air, relying on a bit of residual energy and simple programming."

After speaking, he pointed toward the gaps in a pile of rusted metal pipes not far away.

A few "mouse"-sized things were scurrying past quickly. Their shells were pieced together from metal scraps and tiny parts, and their movements were exceptionally agile.

"Those are Scavenger Rats, also one of the most common creatures here. They are only interested in shiny little things and are very timid."

Gu Changming listened, slightly raising an eyebrow.

These creatures were more interesting than he had expected, more like a twisted "mechanical ecology."

"What drives them? Or rather, what is their core?" Gu Changming asked.

"The core is a small piece of energy, a bit like a shadow crystal core, but spherical," Qin Lie explained, "You can get them after killing them, and they can be sold for quite a few points outside."

Gu Changming nodded thoughtfully.

The resource production model was quite clear.

Gu Changming continued to ask: "What about the threatening ones? There should be more than just these little things here, right?"

If it were only these little things, there would be no need to pay to hire this squad as bodyguards.

As soon as he finished speaking, before Qin Lie could answer, Gu Changming caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye that Zhang Zhenhai's squad, walking at the very front, had stopped almost simultaneously.

The moment he noticed, Gu Changming's center of gravity quietly sank, and his right arm hung naturally, close to the Tang sword at his waist.

Qin Lie clearly also noticed the squad's sudden stop ahead, and his expression immediately tightened.

A teeth-grating "click-clack" sound came from around the corner of the metal scrap heap ahead.

Immediately after, three menacing-looking mechanical beasts walked out.

Their skeletons were thick, constructed from rusted metal plates and exposed hydraulic rods. They resembled wolves, but at the joints, dim energy conduits were visible. They had no eyes in their heads, only an infrared sensor constantly scanning.

"It's Rusted Hounds!" Qin Lie lowered his voice, speaking quickly, "They move in packs; if one person runs into them, death is certain."

Gu Changming's eyes flickered, but his gaze remained primarily on the five members of Zhang Zhenhai's group; he did not rush forward rashly.

He was the one who paid; does the boss ever do the work?

The five of them had already quickly changed formation. Two members holding broadswords were in front, Zhang Zhenhai and another member flanked them with warhammers, and one more person leveled a modified crossbow at the approaching mechanical wolves.

To Gu Changming's surprise, Zhang Zhenhai did not immediately order an attack. Instead, without turning his head, he shouted toward their side:

"Those in the back! Help guard the flanks, keep an eye on the sides, don't let them take the opportunity to ambush us!"

Gu Changming was stunned upon hearing this.

There really are people who make the boss help too.

"Okay!" Qin Lie immediately shouted, then quickly pulled a finely forged short blade from the side pocket of his backpack. The blade gleamed with a cold light as he stepped forward a few paces and began circling on the periphery.

Seeing that Qin Lie had already moved, Gu Changming felt a bit helpless, but he had to follow. He stood a few paces behind and to the side of Qin Lie, his hand still resting on his sword hilt.

"Attack!" Zhang Zhenhai roared lowly.

The battle erupted instantly.

The two swordsmen shouted as they met the two Rusted Hounds lunging from the front, their broadswords hacking fiercely into the opponents' metal skeletons, while the other three coordinated, seizing the opportunity to launch attacks.

Meanwhile, Gu Changming watched quietly. The squad's coordination was fairly tacit; although the three Rusted Hounds were ferocious, under the joint suppression of the five, they really couldn't gain any advantage, and the scars on their metal bodies were increasing rapidly.

Not long after, with the final crisp sound of metal snapping, the third Rusted Hound stopped moving, collapsed to the ground, and the red light in its eyes extinguished.

The five members of Zhang Zhenhai's group did not relax. They checked cautiously one more time, and only after confirming they were completely devoid of threat did they relax slightly, each finding a place to sit or lean to adjust their breathing.

Qin Lie, not far away, was also exhausted and was planning to sit down for a rest.

At this moment, Zhang Zhenhai walked over carrying a few items. They were the broadswords that his team members had notched during the fight, along with several pieces of metal armor with obvious dents and cracks.

"Please, take the time while we're resting to help repair these. Otherwise, if we go any deeper, the equipment won't hold up." Zhang Zhenhai's voice was polite enough, but it carried an undeniable tone.

Gu Changming watched quietly from the side without interjecting.

Qin Lie looked at the damaged equipment, then at Zhang Zhenhai, and finally nodded, "Fine."

Although there was no furnace nearby, relying on his Blacksmith skills, he could still perform some simple repairs.

"Much obliged." After Zhang Zhenhai finished speaking, his gaze lingered on Gu Changming for a moment, but he said nothing and turned to leave.

After Zhang Zhenhai walked away and returned to his team members, Gu Changming moved two steps closer to Qin Lie, who was buried in his repair work.

"So you paid to hire them." He paused, "Looking at that scene just now, I thought you were the logistics support hired by their squad."

Qin Lie was not stupid; he naturally understood the meaning behind Gu Changming's words, and a hint of embarrassment appeared on his face.

Gu Changming half-squatted down, his gaze sweeping over Zhang Zhenhai's squad, who were drinking water and laughing not far away, and continued to ask, "How many points did you spend to hire them?"

"One hundred and thirty. It was originally one hundred and fifty, but I said that you were quite strong too, so I saved twenty."

I'm only worth twenty points. Gu Changming complained inwardly.

"How much deposit did you pay?" Gu Changming continued to ask.

Qin Lie's hands paused for a moment, looking a bit embarrassed: "Full payment... I gave it before entering the secret realm."

Gu Changming raised an eyebrow, his gaze turning back to Qin Lie's face.

"Full payment in advance, and they still treat you like this? Aren't you being taken for a fool?"

...

Not far away, the gazes of the few members of Zhang Zhenhai's squad also drifted toward Gu Changming and Qin Lie's side from time to time.

Seeing the two talking in low voices, one of the members nudged the person next to him with his elbow, lowering his voice with a hint of mockery: "Look, what are those two whispering about? Could they have discovered something?"

The other person sneered: "So what if they discovered it? We've already taken the money."

Zhang Zhenhai took a sip of water, his gaze also retracting from that side, his face expressionless.

The second-in-command next to him leaned in closer, his voice extremely low: "Captain, for what's next... are we still going according to our original plan?"

"Of course," Zhang Zhenhai nodded, "That guy with the Tang sword seems to have some real skills; he can be used to help us share the risks."