Demon King: Hero, don’t run away!

The plan was executed in an orderly manner.

The magicians repeatedly absorbed the magic power in the air, forging super large magic, and then focused the power of the super large magic on one point, piercing into the mountains like a drill, creating a cave.

A team consisting of adventurers from the [Corpse Collection Coffin] and magicians skilled in detection magic carefully infiltrated and explored the cave created by the super large magic’s blast.

As the excavation plan began, some powerful individuals gradually gathered at the mountain where Yang Yu and his team were located.

Most of them arrived here through the teleportation array pre-arranged by the Terran Republic.

Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, the Terran Republic decided to disclose everything happening in the capital and summoned capable individuals to jointly eliminate the Curse Sect.

Although it couldn’t be guaranteed that none of the Curse Sect had infiltrated the team, the officials of the Terran Republic firmly believed that even if some members of the Curse Sect had infiltrated, public recruitment would still overwhelmingly be beneficial.

It’s worth mentioning that some officials and nobles originally reluctant to use their connections started taking action, realizing that everything they owned would be reduced to nothing if the Curse Sect descended.

From the start of the digging until nightfall, more than five hundred combatants had spontaneously joined the battlefield.

What delighted Yang Yu the most was that another S-Class adventurer team from the Terran Republic, [Vine Overgrowth], also joined the battlefield.

It’s important to note that when [Corpse Collection Coffin] tried to contact them, they made excuses about urgent matters to avoid it.

Why they suddenly appeared, those in the know understand.

Wang Wu Yidru simply welcomed their arrival without saying much.

Upon hearing that the members of [Vine Overgrowth] were skilled in mass teleportation lockdown magic, Yang Yu immediately asked them to construct magic around the mountain to prevent the Curse Sect from teleporting away.

Apart from [Vine Overgrowth], Yang Yu also saw many highly distinguished individuals.

Among the gathered powerful individuals, there were those intent on befriending Yang Yu or aiming for the fame and profit from the crusade. Though their powers might be mediocre, their enthusiasm was high.

Despite being busy, Yang Yu took the time to welcome each attendee, following the principle of ”making friends through strength” and ”if you can’t beat me, you’ll have to listen to me,” he gathered a wave of experience, making them submit to him.

Among the powerful individuals, a mix of good and bad, some obnoxious troublemakers appeared, thinking too highly of themselves. Yang Yu beat them up and tossed them out of the army.

The number of helpers unconsciously increased, making Yang Yu happy, but he still frowned.

The work of excavating the Curse Sect continued from morning till night, creating more than fifty caves in total, yet nothing was found.

Yang Yu roughly estimated that it would take at least four days to finish digging all the caves on the map.

And during these four days, who knows what might happen.

Yang Yu couldn’t help but wonder, is it because my luck as the commander is poor, dragging down all those digging the mountain?

In the early hours, Yang Yu handed over the task of organizing the excavation to the officials of the Terran Republic, taking a break.

The next morning, after receiving the people who arrived, Yang Yu took out a fishing rod and started fishing in an empty fish tank.

Perhaps Yang Yu’s fishing had an effect, as the situation with no information was finally broken in the afternoon.

A light blue ghostly little fish swam to Yang Yu’s side, leading him to the area where Hualan’s group was investigating.

The area Hualan was currently investigating was located on the northwest mid-slope, surrounded by scenery similar to most of the terrain of this mountain range - barren, with only mottled rocks and a few low plants.

Approaching Hualan, a hole with a diameter of over three meters appeared in front of Yang Yu.

Pointing at the hole, Hualan looked severe:

”I sent out spiritual bodies to detect anomalies here.

This cave leads to a river, and along the river upstream, there’s a man-made tunnel.”

”An underground river...

Under the mountain, there’s an underground river, and further connected by a man-made tunnel...

The place they’re hiding in might be more habitable than we imagined.

Have you commanded spiritual bodies to investigate the tunnel?”

Hualan nodded, ”I manipulated spiritual bodies, infiltrating the man-made tunnel, but before long, my spiritual body encountered attacks from other spiritual bodies, and eventually...

was devoured.

No matter how many times I investigate, the dispatched spiritual bodies never return, all devoured by stronger spiritual bodies.”

Yang Yu asked further: ”Have the magicians in your team tried to investigate?”

Hualan replied, ”Their detection magic has limited range, not farther than I can detect.”

Yang Yu took out a map, ”I have a map here, can you point out the approximate location of your detected anomalies?”

Spiritual ability users have the skill to sense the location of their spiritual bodies. Hualan quickly pointed out where their spiritual bodies were devoured on the map Yang Yu provided.

After cross-checking twice to confirm there were no mistakes, Yang Yu spoke to Hualan:

”Thank you, Hualan, take a rest for a while.

We might need your help later.”

Hualan nodded, taking their investigation team back to the army’s encampment to switch to a new investigation team.

Despite not ruling out the possibility of the Curse Sect enticing them, Yang Yu decided to focus firepower on the area where Hualan found, continuing the excavation.

After spending more than ten minutes, Yang Yu gathered most of the magicians capable of casting super large magic, reassigning the areas to be excavated, and instructed the accompanying investigation teams to pay attention to gaps in the mountains, searching for artificial objects.

With all instructions given, the units returned to their posts.

Soon, Yang Yu received report after report from the investigation squads.

They found some non-natural pipelines in the caves as well.

Similar to Hualan’s findings, the spiritual bodies of spirit manipulators within the investigation squads encountered attacks from other spiritual bodies in the pipelines.

Those powerful spiritual bodies were protecting the pipelines.

Someone immediately suggested to Yang Yu to let spirit manipulators use powerful contracted spirit bodies to break through, follow the pipelines to locate the Curse Sect precisely.

The spirit manipulators exchanged glances, seemingly contemplating something but unsure what to say, finally all looking at Yang Yu, waiting for their commander to give orders.

Yang Yu naturally understood the significance of contracted spirit bodies to spirit manipulators, he said:

”It looks feasible, but we cannot ascertain how strong their spiritual bodies are.

Some spiritual bodies possess the trait of devouring others to become stronger.

Sending powerful contracted spirit bodies directly to them would only make them stronger, reducing our combat strength.

I know you’re anxious, but we can’t act on assumptions.

Since they are right in front of us, our actions have long been exposed.

Using spiritual bodies to thread those tunnels might be exactly what they want to see.

So...

Keep digging, report any abnormalities immediately.

I need to go organize the troops for the assault.”

After finishing, Yang Yu instructed the teams to return to their posts, proceeding to the camp alone, beginning to gather and coordinate the troops, preparing for the assault.