Chapter 1385: Nine Lords' Meeting

The three of them walked through the misty rain and finally arrived near the tents of the research camp.

In the distance, the outline of a massive meteorite crater was faintly visible. The crater was surrounded by floodlights, but they were not on at the moment. Only a yellow caution tape sealed off its edge, and numerous soil sampling devices were neatly stored together, as if someone had recently been collecting soil samples for experiments.

On the other side of the meteorite crater, bright lights illuminated the bumpy ground in front of the tents, where two figures had been waiting for a long time.

"Yang Xiao, Dr. Su," Lu Xun called out, having spotted the two from a distance, and waved to them.

"You actually made it back..." Yang Xiao's eyes filled with surprise as he saw Lu Xun approach with Wu Tongyuan. "I thought you'd be stranded at sea all this time."

Lu Xun glanced at Wu Tongyuan and chuckled:

"Just got lucky."

"Dr. Wu, long time no see," Su Zhiwei said, extending her hand to Wu Tongyuan. "You've gotten thinner since we last met, haven't you?"

"I'm not used to American bread and beef; our domestic *xiaolongbao* are much more delicious," Wu Tongyuan said with an embarrassed smile.

After Yang Xiao and Lu Xun finished speaking, their gaze turned to Lou Yu, who stood nearby wearing glasses.

Yang Xiao hesitated for a moment but still extended his hand:

"Dr. Lou, long time no see."

Lou Yu looked at him with confusion. After a moment of hesitation, he still didn't extend his hand. "Who are you two...?"

Lou Yu had not participated in the Red Star exploration, so naturally he didn't know Yang Xiao or Su Zhiwei. As he had said, if Lu Xun hadn't given him this opportunity, he might have quietly spent his entire life working in that small research institute.

Eventually, Lu Xun stepped in to introduce them:

"This is Dr. Yang Xiao, who researches magnetic fields, and this is Dr. Su Zhiwei, who researches string theory..."

"It's raining outside; let's go inside to talk," Yang Xiao said. Once Lu Xun finished the introductions, Yang Xiao pushed aside the tent flap, and bright light streamed out from within.

As the group entered, the three people playing cards temporarily stopped their game and stood up.

"Dr. Lu, long time no see."

"Dr. Qi, playing cards? Did you win?"

"Haha, I've never beaten Dr. Wen; he's too good at this."

"Lu Xun, why are you only just arriving now?"

Ji Xuan, Dr. Qi, and Dr. Wen all seemed to have a good relationship with Lu Xun. They started chatting naturally as soon as they met. Unlike the exhausted Wu Tongyuan and the tense Lou Yu, these three exuded a sense of ease.

After everyone had exchanged greetings, Yang Xiao glanced at the time on the wall:

"Right, everyone's here. We can probably start now..."

"Everyone? Hasn't Dr. Chu arrived yet?" Dr. Qi asked, puzzled.

"Dr. Chu's situation... is a bit complicated..."

The group sat around a low picnic table. Ji Xuan put away the playing cards, and Lu Xun briefly recounted what had happened in Wushan. Everyone's expressions turned grim.

"Are you saying... Dr. Chu was taken by those monsters...?"

"Calamities," Yang Xiao corrected him.

"Dr. Chu was abducted by those Calamities?" Dr. Qi frowned deeply. "Then we need to find a way to rescue him quickly!"

"The Gray World hasn't officially merged with Earth yet," Yang Xiao replied, "so even if we wanted to save him, we can't get there."

"What is the Gray World?"

Ji Xuan couldn't help but ask.

Aside from Yang Xiao, Lu Xun, and Su Zhiwei, the other Nine Monarchs hadn't even seen a Calamity yet, let alone the Gray World. They only knew that the world was undergoing nuclear war and that they were experiencing some strange changes within themselves... that was all.

Introducing them to the changes happening in the world was Yang Xiao's purpose for gathering them.

"I will explain everything in detail shortly," Yang Xiao said, pausing for a moment. "But before that, I need to introduce someone to all of you."

"...Who?"

Yang Xiao didn't answer, merely turning his gaze towards the tent entrance.

The others were momentarily stunned and were about to turn their heads to look, but the next moment, all the lights and candles inside the tent extinguished simultaneously. Ink-like darkness instantly enveloped everyone!

A chilly mountain wind, mixed with fine rain, swept into the tent through the gently swaying flap. Before anyone could recover from the sudden darkness, the extinguished lights flickered back on!

A faint light dispelled the darkness. Among the group sitting together, a dark figure wearing a large red opera robe had appeared out of nowhere!

"Ah!!!"

Ji Xuan, who was sitting directly opposite him, screamed in fright upon seeing the suddenly appearing dark face, stumbling backward, overturning his small stool, and falling headfirst to the ground!

Dr. Qi, Dr. Wen, Wu Tongyuan, and Lou Yu were also startled, especially the first two, who instinctively reached their hands into thin air, as if they were almost ready to take action.

Although it was Lu Xun's first time seeing Chen Ling's face, he had known Chen Ling would appear, so his reaction wasn't as extreme. Upon seeing the familiar large red opera robe, he recognized the newcomer.

However, he was still somewhat puzzled. Why would Director Chen suddenly wear such a face? Was it specifically to scare them?

"Dr. Yang, who is this person??" Dr. Qi asked in a terrified voice.

"Don't be nervous... This person is also an old friend of yours," Yang Xiao said with a smile. "He was with us throughout the last Red Star exploration mission."

Everyone was startled, but Dr. Wen quickly realized something.

"Is he... Director Chen?"

"It's me," Chen Ling said, nodding slightly. "I've had some physical issues recently, and I might look a bit frightening. Please excuse my appearance."

Chen Ling had met Dr. Qi and Dr. Wen during his first visit to Shennongjia, but they hadn't left a deep impression on him. Perhaps it was because Chen Ling's attention at the time was focused on Yang Xiao and Su Zhiwei, making it impossible for him to pay attention to everyone.

"So, Director Chen is like us too?" Wu Tongyuan asked blankly.

"...You could say that."

As soon as this was said, the shock and fear everyone had felt from Chen Ling moments ago significantly lessened. After all, in their eyes, Chen Ling had also become one of them; it was just that his transformation seemed a bit frightening.

As Chen Ling finished speaking, his gaze instinctively turned to Dr. Wen in the corner. Perhaps because of his appearance, Dr. Wen seemed to have been staring at him since he appeared.

"Dr. Wen, is there a problem?" Chen Ling asked proactively.

After a moment of hesitation, Dr. Wen still shook his head:

"No... it's nothing."

"The purpose of gathering you all here today," Yang Xiao stated, "is to have everyone share their recent experiences and the abilities that have manifested in each of you. Many changes will occur in this world in the future, and only by combining our efforts will we be able to overcome these difficulties."

Yang Xiao's gaze swept over everyone. "So then... shall I start?"