Otherworld Advance Team

On March 21, 2120, the mysterious Aels Rock located in central Australia disappeared, replaced by a gigantic stone gate 400 meters tall and 3,000 meters wide that led to the unknown. While scientists were investigating it, armies numbering a million from the Otherworld launched an attack on Australia on April 10, turning wherever they went into scorched earth. On the 16th, the Australian government requested the U.S. forces stationed in Australia to launch an offensive against the Otherworld armies, and at the same time, the U.S. Western Pacific Fleet rushed to assist Australia. On April 25, under the overwhelming firepower of the U.S.-Australia combined forces, the million-strong Otherworld army was completely defeated, with over a million killed or captured...

On May 3, the UN Security Council passed a resolution requesting multinational forces to intervene in the Otherworld army invasion incident in Australia, and a multinational joint investigation team was established to conduct a year-long investigation of the invading Otherworld people...

On May 1, 2121, after a year of investigation, the Security Council passed a resolution with 4 votes in favor and 1 abstention, authorizing the deployment of multinational forces through the Otherworld Gate to counter-attack the Otherworld...

"Luo'er, Luo'er!!"

The teacher, who was passionately lecturing about the history between Earth and the Otherworld, saw Luo'er dozing off and knocked on the display screen angrily as he shouted.

Luo'er came out of his chaotic reverie, groggily opened his eyes disclosing his unique dark green pupils. Seeing the teacher's angry expression, he stood up, bent forward slightly with an apologetic gesture, and responded, "Did you call me, Teacher?"

"Continue from the point where I left off," the teacher, still not over his anger, told him with a stern face.

"Yes!" Luo'er picked up the textbook, found the content the teacher had just covered, and continued reading.

On May 5, on the fifth day into the Otherworld, the multinational forces defeated the armies guarding the Otherworld Gate, secured a foothold within the Otherworld, and began to delve 20 kilometers deeper to engage the enemy's main force in battle. On May 6...

Luo'er paused, then turned the page and continued reading.

With the forces advancing in isolation, the Otherworld's main army outflanked the multinational troops from behind, attacked their artillery positions and cut off their supply lines. The frontline troops, surrounded and isolated, fought desperately for five days, and were ultimately annihilated when they ran out of ammunition and provisions. This war was called the Second Otherworld War and was the deadliest military operation Earth had seen since entering the 21st century, with estimated casualties around three hundred thousand for the multinational forces...

Luo'er wanted to continue, but the teacher raised his hand, signaling him to sit down. He looked at the classroom full of diverse students and said in a grave tone, "This war that happened thirty years ago taught us many lessons, letting us know that in the Otherworld, the electromagnetic waves we're accustomed to on Earth do not exist. Instead, they are replaced by a gaseous substance known as magic power. Furthermore, the technological products of humanity's second industrial revolution are inoperable in the Otherworld. More importantly, the magic power of the Otherworld causes irreversible harm to the human body, and many Earth soldiers who were captured died in agony due to the magic power erosion."

"But thankfully, in the end, we chose to shake hands and make peace with the people of the Otherworld. Everyone, please turn your textbooks to page 37; on June 16, 2121, the UN Secretary-General signed a ceasefire agreement on behalf of Earth with the Otherworld, which has maintained thirty years of peace between both sides and fostered economic, cultural, and military exchanges. Until today..."

When class ended, Luo'er specifically went to the restroom to wash his face. The summer afternoon could indeed make one tired easily, and despite the air conditioning, he would inevitably doze off.

Raising his head, Luo'er looked at himself in the mirror. Whiter skin than others, well-defined facial features, and those dark green eyes along with his slightly pointed and drooping ears—if not for his soft black hair, he would look much more like an Elf from the Otherworld in every aspect.

The school Luo'er attended was named Haiya Academy, which was not a typical school but one specifically designed to train Sub-beastmen, and it was directly under the control of the Ministry of Defense. The so-called Sub-beastmen referred to a new human species born from the genetic combination of Otherworlders and Earth people. During the Second Otherworld War, many Earth soldiers died from erosion by Otherworld's magic power, while the invading Otherworlders also perished in large numbers because they could not adapt to the absence of magic power on Earth. Thus, it was proposed to merge the genes of Earth people with those of Otherworlders to cultivate a new species capable of adapting to both Earth and the Otherworld—that is, the Sub-beastmen.

There are the Human Race, the Elf Race, the Dwarf Race, and the Beastman Race in the Otherworld, as well as a sub-species of the Beastman Race known as the Sub-beast Race, and Luo'er was a hybrid of Earth people and the Elf Race.

"What's the matter, dazzled by your own beauty again?"

Luo'er was deep in thought when he suddenly heard a deep yet teasing voice behind him. He turned around and saw a towering soldier standing behind him. He appeared to be in his thirties or forties, with dark skin, wearing an army uniform, and radiating heat as if he had just come from outside the teaching building.

Luo'er knew him; his name was Wang Xu, a senior army non-commissioned officer and an instructor at the academy. In this academy directly established by the Ministry of Defense, it was very common to see military personnel.

Wang Xu had watched Luo'er grow up and had deep affection for him, but Luo'er did not like him because he always seemed to speak on behalf of certain individuals.

"Is there something you need?" Luo'er asked with little expression on his face as he dried his hands and turned to leave.

"Do you really dislike me that much, even though I have watched you grow up since you were a child? Do you need to be so cold toward me?" Wang Xu didn't seem to mind Luo'er's attitude and continued to stand with crossed arms, looking at him with a half-smiling expression.

"If you're going to speak for certain people again."

"Of course not," Wang Xu stood in front of Luo'er and said, "I'm here to give you a heads-up."

Luo'er looked up at him with an indifferent expression. Wang Xu turned his head and said, "Follow me."

The two arrived at a private smoking area, which was a separate room. After Luo'er entered, Wang Xu casually locked the door and leisurely lit a cigarette.

"Spit it out, what's the matter?" Luo'er didn't mind the smoking but still instinctively kept a distance from him.

Wang Xu took a deep breath, exhaled a smoke ring, and gazed at the lingering smoke. He listened to the hum of the room's purifier, then sighed before slowly saying, "There's going to be a war soon."

"War? Against the Otherworld?" Luo'er was caught off guard.

"Mmm, it's hard to say." Wang Xu flicked the ash from his cigarette and continued, "The Human Race nations in the Otherworld have been in disarray for a long time. Their king is hoping that the United Nations can send troops to stabilize the situation. Some representatives of the UN Security Council are already interested, but..."

He took another drag of his cigarette and coughed for a bit before continuing, "The largest religious power in the Human Race nations, the Church of Light, strictly forbids Earth's military from appearing in the Otherworld, considering it a declaration of war against them. However, this doesn't seem to be deterring the Security Council from deploying troops."

"What about us?" Luo'er asked.

"You have to know, the temptation of interests is always universal. Just by helping the Otherworld nation quell a rebellion, we can find a reason to extend our influence into the Otherworld. No one in their right mind would refuse such an opportunity," Wang Xu said with a smile.

"And then?"

"Headquarters is planning to reform the academy's system, dividing students into teams of five. After the Graduation Exam, there will be a selection competition. The winning team will be incorporated into the Headquarters' frontline command, becoming an advance force and assigned to carry out missions in the Otherworld."

Wang Xu looked at Luo'er, who had lowered his head, his gaze wavering. So he continued, "I know you've always wanted to enter the Otherworld. This is your best chance. Put a team together, win the selection competition, and you'll get the chance to go to the Otherworld."

Luo'er lowered his head and fell silent. He had always been accustomed to being alone, working quietly by himself. His goal was clear: to constantly improve his strength, break free from the academy's constraints, and then enter the Otherworld.

For this goal, he devoted all his energy to learning how to enhance his own strength, neglecting to interact with others. Now the academy required them to form teams, which for someone like Luo'er, who hadn't communicated with outsiders for over a decade, was no different than starting from scratch.

Wang Xu seemed to grasp his thoughts and sighed softly before saying slowly, "I don't know how to help you. You'll have to decide for yourself, but if you need me, come find me."

More than twenty years ago, when he was still a security officer, he first saw Luo'er, who was only a few years old back then—a small, timid, Elven half-breed clinging to his father's side. Over twenty years, he watched Luo'er grow up and witnessed the decades-long Cold War between Luo'er and his grandfather. Since the death of Luo'er's father, his relationship with his grandfather rapidly deteriorated. Luo'er's burning desire to enter the Otherworld was, to some extent, inseparable from his grandfather.

"So you're saying that now I have to find people to form a team and then participate in the selection to have a chance to enter the Otherworld?" Luo'er suddenly asked.

"Yes," Wang Xu nodded.

"What if I can't find anyone?" Luo'er looked at him.

"Then I don't know," Wang Xu shrugged and spread his hands. In the end, he added, "But I suppose your grandfather would be pretty happy."

Luo'er stared at him, with Wang Xu wearing a noncommittal smile, ambiguous between mockery and resignation. But as soon as that man was mentioned, Luo'er felt an unexplained anger flare up.

"I got it," Luo'er resolutely turned around and said without looking back, "I'll go find people to form a team and then join the selection, that should do it, right?"

"Good luck. As long as you can find teammates to join the selection, your chances are very good. You should know that Headquarters—" Wang Xu suddenly stopped talking, as if realizing he had said too much, and replaced what he was about to say with a smile.

Luo'er turned to look at him one last time. Wang Xu had a strange smile on his face, but Luo'er did not intend to inquire further. He turned his head and left without a word.