A few kilometers away from where Azrael and the others were hiding, a large group of people was carefully advancing toward the area shrouded in the raging sandstorm.
There were around fifty individuals in total, all clad in armor bearing the insignia of the security forces of the Flato Solar System.
Most of them were class-rank warriors, but among their ranks were also ten epic-level warriors.
Glen, the level 31 epic-level warrior who had previously welcomed Azrael and his group when they first arrived on Planet Fras was also among them.
Leading the party was a somewhat elderly man with light gray hair and the unmistakable aura of a peak epic-level warrior around him.
"Colonel Morrison, what should we do with this man?" One of the epic-level warriors asked the old man, his eyes settling on the bloodied figure of a man being dragged along by a class-level warrior at the rear.
The bloodied man was a member of the Transcendent Organization whom they had captured just a few minutes ago.
"Keep him alive for now," Morrison replied in a calm voice before turning his gaze toward Glen.
"Do you have any idea how strong those three are?" He asked.
Glen flinched slightly at the question and shook his head.
"I am not certain," He replied. "I never witnessed any of them fight with my own eyes. However, among the three, from what I could feel, two of them seemed to be high-level class-rank warriors..." He paused, then added.
"As for the third one, judging from how easily they destroyed the Transcendent Organization’s hideout, and considering that we even found the corpse of the organization’s level 37 leader there, I believe that third person is at least a level 35 epic-level warrior."
Morrison narrowed his eyes at Glen’s words, and a sneer formed on his old, wrinkled face.
"Their mission was only to locate the hideout of the Transcendent Organization," He said coldly. "Yet, those three not only slaughtered every member of the organization, but also dared to enter the ancient ruins, completely ignoring the Federation’s laws."
Glen and the others remained silent at Morrison’s rebuke.
Those who had known him for a long time were well aware that Morrison had been stuck at the peak of epic level for years, unable to break through to legend level.
Now that there were ancient ruins that might contain treasures capable of allowing one to advance to the legend level, everyone knew he was desperate to seize whatever lay within for himself.
As for his talk of the Federation’s laws and regulations, they all knew the truth that this old man himself was corrupt to the bone, and his so-called righteous indignation was nothing more than self-serving rhetoric.
"If we come across those three, we will capture them immediately." Morrison said in an icy tone, "We cannot allow them to steal what rightfully belongs to the Federation."
His sharp gaze swept over the members of the security forces. "Do you all understand?"
"Yes, sir," The security officers replied in unison, though many did so reluctantly.
They might not have respected Morrison, but they could not deny his strength.
As someone who had been stuck at the peak of epic level for many years, he had become very powerful among the epic-level warriors in the Flato Solar System.
About ten minutes later, the group reached the vicinity of the sandstorm’s edge.
From their vantage point, just like Elyara and the others, they could also spot figures moving along the outer rim of the swirling storm.
"They are members of the Transcendent Organization," Said Lark, a level 37 epic-level warrior.
"According to the intelligence we have gathered, it’s impossible for anyone to approach the core area of the ruins right now. Only around noon, at roughly three o’clock, does the sandstorm subside for a few minutes, allowing entry into the core area."
He turned his gaze toward the bloodied captive being dragged behind the group and asked in a cold, threatening voice.
"You are not lying to us about the time we can enter, are you? If you are, I strongly advise you to reconsider, because..." Lark narrowed his eyes, and a suffocating killing intent seeped from his body. "If you are lying, I will break your limbs and toss you alive to the monsters so they can fill their bellies."
The bloodied man’s face turned deathly pale at Lark’s words, and he quickly shook his head.
"I am telling the truth! If you try to enter now, even if you are an epic-level warrior, your body will be torn to shreds by the sandstorm. Only at noon can anyone safely approach the core area."
Lark studied the man for a few seconds, then turned to Morrison.
Morrison thought silently for a moment before giving his orders.
"Retreat and set up a defensive camp. We move tomorrow at noon."
The security forces immediately withdrew a short distance from the storm and began setting up camp beside a tall mountain.
Meanwhile, a few kilometers away, Azrael, Elyara, and Luo Bingqing remained hidden behind a blood-red sand dune.
Luo Bingqing and Elyara could not hear what Morrison and his men were discussing.
However, Azrael, whose affinity with the wind element was exceptionally high heard every word of their conversation through the currents of air.
When he heard Morrison ordering the security forces to capture them on sight, a cold light flickered in Azrael’s eyes, and a sneer curved across his lips.
’Let’s see if you have the ability to catch us,’ He thought to himself.
He was about to share the news with Luo Bingqing and Elyara when Lark’s words caught his attention.
’So we can approach the core area only at noon,’ Azrael mused as his gaze lifted toward the orange-hued sky above the ruins.
It was late evening now, and the brilliant orange of the sky had already begun to fade into the dark of approaching night.
Recalling Morrison’s plan to act at noon tomorrow, Azrael glanced at his two teammates. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ noᴠelfire.net
"It seems we won’t need to deal with the Transcendent Organization’s people ourselves."