The next day, Vaelorian used a communication crystal to regroup with Lan Liuyue. A total of 500 reincarnates and 4 elders had been appointed for the expedition. As per Li Han's instructions, the elders created a detailed register containing the names of all reincarnates accompanying them and decided that attendance would be taken every day.
Each elder was responsible for exactly 125 people, forming four organized groups. Eight large carts were prepared, stocked with all necessary items and provisions. However, the quantity of food was intentionally kept low, as the elders planned to teach the participants how to hunt and cook during the journey. The sky was overcast, and the chance of rain hung in the air, casting a subtle sense of unease over the group. The minimum duration of the expedition was set at three days, plus two additional days for travel. To prevent negligence like in the previous expedition, each participant was given one attack spell and one defense spell. Li Han himself was also participating, and King Maximus had strictly ordered the elders to take his advice seriously and not dismiss his input.
Upon arrival, Vaelorian saw the elders sorting people into their assigned groups, registers in hand. He knew he had to remain discreet—no one could discover that he was not from Earth."Don't worry, I'll help you cover your tracks," Lan Liuyue said, as though reading his thoughts."Which group are you in?" Vaelorian asked."Let's see." Lan Liuyue pulled out a crystal, revealing the symbol C. "Elder Osiris is in charge of us," he said, leading Vaelorian to the members of Group C. Their arrival drew no special attention; everyone was too busy finalizing their plans and strategies in case something extreme happened again, as it had last time.
"Alright, we're going to take a quick attendance roll. Raise your hand and call out 'Present' when your name is read," Elder Solon announced in a commanding voice before beginning the list.
Once the attendance was complete, another elder stepped forward and scanned the crowd before speaking. "I am Galadron. I will be responsible for Group D. Elder Solon here will lead Group B, Elder Osiris will take charge of Group C, and Elder Poe will oversee Group A. Before we begin our exploration, you must remain vigilant at all times. The place we're heading to was once the largest city on the entire continent of Celestara, serving as the main hub of its economy. King Ephraim of Celestara lived there with his family, in a palace twenty times larger than our own Celestal Haven. He was the wealthiest ruler in our history. I am certain many treasures remain hidden in the city—both inside the palace and scattered throughout its ruins. However, our primary objective is not wealth, but the recovery of ancient scrolls and any knowledge that might help us advance. I request that you hand over any such findings for inspection; they will be returned once studied.
"When we arrive, do not break formation, no matter what you see or hear. You will receive instructions from the elders about your specific tasks. Only after the city has been thoroughly explored will we proceed to search the ruined palace. That palace is riddled with traps that could still be active, so wait for orders before acting independently. This expedition is intended to last less than a week, but it may stretch to ten days, as I've already warned you."
Elder Galadron then outlined the travel formation. Groups A and D would advance together and enter the city from the north, while Groups B and C would approach from the west. The palace lay in the southeast, where all groups would eventually regroup to share their findings.
With final preparations complete, Elder Galadron took the stage once more. "Good luck to everyone," he declared. The groups then set out on their respective paths.
The journey ahead was long, so Elder Solon and Elder Osiris agreed to take three breaks in total. Groups A and D had already split off on their separate route. The Empyrean City was so vast that it could have been considered a nation by Earth's standards. This revelation astonished many reincarnates, and since then, the city had become the primary topic of conversation.
Vaelorian walked silently beside Lan Liuyue in the middle of the formation, overhearing fragments of conversations from those around him.
"What's the plan now?" one voice asked.
"I'm not sure, but I don't intend to share all the treasures with them."
"How can you be sure we'll even find any? I bet that Li Han is going to snatch something again. You know how these Asians are—they think the whole world should revolve around them."
"I doubt he'll stay in the spotlight for long. Someone else will replace him soon. I've heard some of the guys here have already killed several wolves, and their levels are in double digits!"
"What? Double digits?! I'm not even level five yet!"
"That's why we need to be careful. Think of this like an MMORPG—you level up, gather resources, earn rewards, and eventually rule."
"Yeah… By the way, is it true that the system might unlock new features at certain levels? I really want access to the system shop."
"Don't discuss that here. Let's move toward the back of the group—too many ears around."
Vaelorian straightened his posture, catching Lan Liuyue openly watching them with a strange glint in his eyes.
"What's wrong?" Vaelorian asked.
"Oh, nothing," Lan Liuyue replied with a stiff smile, then walked on silently. I'll make sure you regret that, he thought, memorizing the faces of the speakers.
He and Li Han are both Asian? Vaelorian studied Lan Liuyue's expression—his thoughts were hard to read, but his displeasure was obvious.
Breaking his gaze, Vaelorian looked around. The forest canopy thickened, and the trail narrowed. The large groups gradually dissolved into smaller clusters of twos and threes.
"Should we explore the city together?" Lan Liuyue asked suddenly.
"I thought that was the plan," Vaelorian replied.
"I have something to take care of when we get there. I'll contact you through the communication crystal."
"Alright," Vaelorian said casually, pretending it didn't bother him.
Did his system give him something? he wondered.