Beastmaster: I'm really just a forest ranger

Chapter 451 Advisor Chen Arrives in the East China Sea!
The farm in spring is like an oil painting bathed in sunshine and vitality.

The warm afternoon sun generously bathed every corner, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of freshly turned soil, the exotic fragrance of various spiritual plants, and the fresh scent of growing grass and trees.

The Qinling Mountains in the distance undulate and are covered in varying shades of green, like silent giants guarding this tranquility.

Chen Yuan had just finished his morning routine meditation and training and was leisurely sitting in a rocking chair under the porch, with a cup of steaming tea beside him.

He closed his eyes slightly, enjoying this rare moment of tranquility, with the rustling of leaves in the breeze and the faint sounds of children playing in the distance.

"quack!"

The duck lay sprawled out on a large, sun-warmed rock not far away, belly up, mouth slightly open, humming contentedly.

"Ow!"

The cola transformed into a blue whirlwind, chasing its own tail across the open grassland, swirling up tiny blades of grass.

Even Youmi, who usually prefers to be alone, curled up in the shadows at Chen Yuan's feet, snoring contentedly.

Everything seemed so peaceful and serene.

However, this tranquility was soon broken by a series of hurried yet steady footsteps.

Zhou Xu appeared at the end of the path. He walked quickly, a hint of seriousness on his face.

"Advisor Chen."

Zhou Xu stopped in front of Chen Yuan, lowering his voice slightly to ensure he wouldn't disturb the tranquil atmosphere: "I just received an urgent message from the association that unusual activity has occurred in a certain area of ​​the East China Sea."

Chen Yuan slowly opened his eyes and sat up straight: "What exactly happened?"

"According to preliminary intelligence," Zhou Xu reported in a steady voice, "about half an hour ago, a violent energy oscillation occurred on the seabed in this area, triggering a large-scale backflow of seawater and abnormal surges. The sky was covered with dark clouds, and the weather changed abruptly."

"What's even more disturbing is that a large number of wild aquatic pets in the surrounding area seem to be summoned by something and are flocking from all directions to the epicenter."

Chen Yuan frowned slightly: "Is the source of this information reliable? What happened at the bottom of the sea?"

"The source is somewhat unusual, but very reliable."

A strange look appeared on Zhou Xu's face: "It was provided by Li Tianyun. He was on an ocean liner and touring the nearby waters when his pet beast, Anliu Youchi, happened to dive into the deep sea and witnessed the beginning of the incident."

"Li Tianyun?"

Chen Yuan was slightly taken aback. The image of the academic beast tamer who had shown a burning gaze and remarkable performance at the Eastern Empire Tournament immediately flashed through his mind. "It's him? He's back?"

I haven't heard this name for a while. I only knew that Li Tianyun chose to go overseas for training after the competition. I didn't expect him to come into the public eye again in this way.

"Yes."

Zhou Xu nodded in confirmation, and his voice slowly rang out: "According to Li Tianyun's description, the cause of the anomaly seems to be two bounty hunters who were exploring the deep sea and accidentally discovered a long-dormant ancient underwater site. They triggered a mechanism on the perimeter of the site, which caused a chain reaction."

Chen Yuan nodded thoughtfully.

Undersea ruins, traps, energy fluctuations, and unusual behavior from pets—these elements combined are definitely not good news.

He asked, "What are the association's current response measures?"

"The headquarters responded immediately after the incident."

Zhou Xu replied, "I have ordered the nearest branch of the Criminal Investigation Department and the rapid response force of the Beast Tamer Association to rush to the scene immediately. All civilian vessels and personnel in the area have been evacuated, and a Level 1 warning zone with a radius of 50 nautical miles has been established, implementing a complete blockade. Currently, the association's expert team is using remote detection equipment to scan and assess the seabed."

Chen Yuan pondered for a moment, then asked directly, "The situation sounds complicated. Should I head over there now?"

Zhou Xu shook his head: "There's no need for you to go in person for the time being."

"Initial assessments indicate that while the energy fluctuations are intense, they appear to be stabilizing, and no directly aggressive high-energy life forms have been detected. A blockade has been established, and the site is being directed by an experienced commander. Headquarters requests that you remain on standby and maintain open communication. In the event of any changes in the situation, especially if a threat arises that our current capabilities cannot handle, the highest level of contingency plan will be activated immediately, and your immediate support is requested."

"understood."

Chen Yuan nodded to indicate that he understood.

The association's approach was prudent and professional. Sending the highest combat force to the scene when the situation was unclear could disrupt the deployment or put them in a passive position.

After Zhou Xu finished his report, he quietly withdrew to continue monitoring the latest information from various parties.

Since Chen Yuan became the association's chief consultant, his assistant Zhou Xu took the opportunity to live in Xuanhe Town and was responsible for handling a series of miscellaneous tasks for Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan watched Zhou Xu's figure disappear. He leaned back in his rocking chair, but his previous relaxed mood had vanished.

He picked up the slightly cool tea, took a sip, and gazed into the distance, as if he could see through thousands of mountains and rivers to the ever-changing East China Sea.

"Are these peaceful days about to end again?"

He chuckled helplessly, then muttered a few keywords under his breath, his mind racing: "Ancient ruins...mechanism...energy fluctuations..."

Suddenly, his eyes flashed, and a piece of information classified as top secret instantly jumped into his mind.

Beneath the East Sea lies a sleeping deity about to be revealed.

After the approximate locations of the eight deities were given to the Beast Tamer Association, the latter immediately launched a large-scale investigation and has now determined the specific sleeping locations of several deities.

However, due to the vastness of the East China Sea, the complex and unpredictable seabed topography, and the extremely hidden location of the deity's resting place, the association has been unable to accurately locate its specific coordinates despite using a large amount of resources.

"Could this incident be anything other than a coincidence?"

A strong premonition rose in Chen Yuan's heart, and he frowned slightly. "Could this underwater ruin be related to a deity?"

The thought sent a chill down his spine.

If the speculation is true, then the seemingly controllable situation at present may just be a brief calm before the storm.

Once that deity is fully awakened, the consequences will be unimaginable.

Chen Yuan's eyes flickered, and his expression became slightly solemn: "Although we cannot confirm this possibility for the time being, we must be vigilant and prepare for the appearance of a deity."

He took a deep breath, temporarily suppressing his chaotic thoughts.

Then, Chen Yuan got up and strolled towards the spiritual plant garden in front of the courtyard, which he had carefully tended.

Stepping into the plant garden is like entering another world.

Through his long-term, cost-insensitive investment and systematic efforts, this plant garden has begun to take shape, becoming a small world of its own.

Everywhere you look, there is vibrant life and dazzling colors.

The diverse spiritual plants coexist harmoniously, their roots intertwining underground and their branches connecting in the air, forming a tiny yet stable energy circulation field. The rich spiritual energy almost materializes into a thin mist, flowing slowly among the trees, and every breath is refreshing and invigorating.

The little ones love it here too, and they spend a lot of time here.

The rich spiritual energy also attracted many wild pets to "visit," but after Tie Touwa's gentle persuasion, they all eventually chose to leave.

Looking at this garden he had personally cultivated, a place brimming with vitality, and watching the little ones resting and playing comfortably here, Chen Yuan felt a sense of satisfaction and peace welling up inside him.

"Buzz-"

The silence was broken by the continuous vibration of the phone in my pocket.

Chen Yuan took out his phone, unlocked the screen, and opened a group chat named "Fruit Factory".

The message was sent by Jiang Wenning.

She posted a photo with the background of an endless sea, but the sky was slightly gloomy, and a message below: "My rare holiday is ruined, I have to go on another mission."

The text was followed by a small sighing emoji.

Chen Yuan's gaze sharpened slightly as he looked at the message.

After graduating with outstanding grades from the Beast Tamer Academy headquarters, Jiang Wenning unexpectedly chose to join the Criminal Investigation Department amidst numerous invitations from various organizations and institutions. She proactively applied to join a special operations team renowned for handling high-risk and emergency missions, and quickly rose to the position of team leader thanks to her exceptional skills and calm demeanor. Her choice sparked considerable discussion at the time, but those who knew her understood that Jiang Wenning yearned for a wider world and a more challenging life, rather than the stability of being confined to one place.

Immediately after, Chang Yuhuan also chimed in.

She also sent a photo—a crimson mountain range that looked as if it were on fire, with a faint wisp of smoke seemingly floating in the sky.

"There was a photography contest themed around pets recently, so I came to Flaming Mountain again."

After the Donghuang Conference, Chang Yuhuan continued her photography career and has now gained some fame.

As expected, Li Junyue, who spends all his time at the training ground and is very busy, remained silent.

Chen Yuan tapped the screen lightly and asked Jiang Wenning directly, "In the East China Sea?"

After a while, Jiang Wenning replied: "I just received news that there is an emergency in a certain area of ​​the East China Sea. The level is very high, and the entire team needs to go there to provide support immediately."

After a pause, she added jokingly, "I almost forgot, Orange is now the association's chief advisor, she must have known about this for a long time."

Chen Yuan's eyes flickered as he looked at Jiang Wenning's reply.

Sure enough, even Jiang Wenning's special operations team was mobilized, indicating that the association's level of attention to the East China Sea incident far exceeded Zhou Xu's earlier verbal description of "the situation being under control."

He paused for a moment, then carefully typed: "The situation may be more complicated than we think. Be careful and stay in touch."

The message had just been sent when Zhou Xu called:

"Advisor Chen, the situation in the East China Sea has changed."

Zhou Xu paused, then emphasized:
"We just received news that the unusual situation over there has intensified. Many overlord-level pet beasts in the ocean are heading towards the underwater ruins, seriously affecting the stability of the sea area."

"Advisor Chen, you may need to go there. Your private jet will be here soon."

Chen Yuan's eyes flickered, and he nodded slightly: "Okay."

After hanging up the phone, he took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping over the unsuspecting children still playing leisurely on the farm, before finally settling on the distant horizon. He smiled helplessly and said, "Consultant Chen, it's time to go save the world again."

As dusk fell, the afterglow of the setting sun painted the sky a magnificent orange-red and purplish-red, but a heavy, invisible haze seemed to hang over this small island in the East China Sea, which was designated as a restricted area.

The salty sea breeze was even more biting than usual, carrying a sense of impending doom.

A sleek, silver-gray vertical takeoff and landing special plane, painted with the emblem of the Eastern Beast Tamer Association, roared and landed precisely on the makeshift helipad that had been leveled on the small island.

The hatch slid open, and Chen Yuan's figure appeared at the top of the gangway.

He was still dressed in a neat casual outfit, but the usual ease was gone from his brow.

Chen Yuan's gaze was sharp as lightning, quickly sweeping across the entire forward base.

The island is small, but it seems unusually busy at this moment.

The original vegetation was partially cleared, and dozens of camouflage tents and temporary prefabricated houses were erected.

Staff members from the Criminal Investigation Department, dressed in different uniforms, and special agents and researchers from the Beast Tamer Association hurried back and forth.

Various precision instruments with unknown purposes and flashing indicator lights were erected high up, with cables spreading out like a spider web.

Many more beast tamers stayed by their companions' sides—the Black Flame Hound lay prostrate on the ground, its ears perked up alertly; the Gale Falcon circled low in the sky, its sharp eyes scanning the sea; and several Water Spirit Turtles and Surfing Penguins swam in the nearshore waters, keeping watch.

A tense and oppressive atmosphere filled the air.

As soon as Chen Yuan stepped onto the ground, the people who had been waiting there quickly came to greet him.

The leader was a middle-aged man around fifty years old, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and with his hair neatly combed.

Although he was not a combatant, he walked with a steady gait and had a sharp and capable look in his eyes. He exuded a calm and decisive demeanor that came from someone who had long held a high position. He was Wang Tianming, the on-site commander of the East China Sea incident, who was known for his outstanding management and crisis management abilities.

He is also a senior director of the Donghuang Beast Tamer Association.

"Consultant Chen, you must be tired from your journey. It's wonderful that you could come in person!"

Wang Tianming warmly extended his hands and shook hands firmly with Chen Yuan.

Half a step behind Wang Tianming stood a familiar figure—Li Tianyun.

He changed into a smart combat uniform, his posture upright like a pine tree.

Li Tianyun and Chen Yuan's eyes met in the air. Without much small talk, they simply nodded solemnly, their expressions complex.

The situation was urgent, and Wang Tianming made no attempt at pleasantries. After shaking hands, he immediately stepped aside to lead the way, quickly walking towards the brightly lit command tent, which was filled with communication screens, while clearly and logically reporting the current situation:

"Advisor Chen, time is of the essence, so I'll get to the point."

"The current situation is very pessimistic, and it can even be said that it has exceeded our initial expectations."

He pushed open the curtain of the command tent, and was immediately met with a bustling scene and the sounds of rapid keyboard typing and communication calls.

Wang Tianming walked straight to the largest holographic nautical chart in the center and pointed to an area marked with a striking red circle.

"This is the exact location of the core area—the ancient underwater ruins—that we located based on the coordinates provided by Li Tianyun and combined with multiple probes."

Wang Tianming pointed his finger heavily at the center of the red circle, his voice low: "Before your arrival, we tried to send out several reconnaissance teams composed of elite beast tamers and water-type pets, but none of them could get close to the area within five nautical miles of the ruins."

He then pulled up a video transmitted by a drone, the footage of which was constantly shaking.

In the screen,
In the deep sea, countless dense black shadows could be vaguely seen, surging frantically in the same direction from all directions. Their sheer number resembled a migrating swarm of locusts, a sight that sent chills down one's spine.

“As you can see.”

Wang Tianming's expression was slightly solemn, but his tone remained calm: "An extremely large number of wild aquatic pets are converging on that underwater ruin from all parts of the East China Sea, and even more distant sea areas."

"The variety of pets is vast, ranging from the lowest-ranking Water Leap Carp and Shadow Winged Gull to the Sea Patrol Tsunami Gull and Raging Turtle, and we have even discovered many overlord-level pets of Morning Star quality and above. They completely disregard their natural enemy relationships and rush there like they are on a pilgrimage!"

Chen Yuan stared at the dense stream of light representing the beast horde on the hologram, his brows furrowed, and asked in a deep voice, "What are they doing? A gathering of this scale is definitely not unusual. What in the ruins is attracting them? Or rather, summoning them?"

"This is the crux of the problem, and also our biggest source of confusion."

Wang Tianming shook his head, a deep sense of helplessness on his face: "We used every means possible—sonar, spiritual energy detection, mental sensing—but the core area of ​​the ruins was shrouded in an extremely powerful and chaotic energy field. All detection signals were like stones sinking into the sea as soon as they entered. We only knew that they were converging, but we had no idea why they were converging."

“Something is very wrong.”

He took a deep breath, leaned closer to Chen Yuan, and lowered his voice even further, almost to the point of whispering, carrying a sense of awe and dread:

"Advisor Chen, based on all the current unusual signs—the underwater ruins, the abnormal energy field, the large-scale gathering of pets against their instincts, and the top-secret intelligence within our association regarding the possible existence of a sleeping deity in the East China Sea—our command, after urgent analysis, highly suspects, and can even be basically certain—"

He paused, then said, word by word, "This suddenly discovered underwater ruin has some connection with the ancient deity who sleeps here, a connection that we do not yet understand, but is certainly crucial."

"This anomaly is very likely a prelude to the awakening of that deity, or perhaps part of some kind of awakening ritual!"

Wang Tianming stared intently at Chen Yuan: "Precisely because the situation may be so serious as to concern the fate of the nation and even the safety of the world, we activated the highest level of contingency plan at the first opportunity, and we hope that you will come in person to oversee the situation!"

Chen Yuan listened to these words quietly, without any surprise on his face.

This is basically the same as what he guessed.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the tent's barrier, looking towards the deep ocean that was now turbulent and teeming with unknown terrors.

"I understand."

Chen Yuan's voice was steady and firm, slowly echoing inside the tent: "Don't worry, Director Wang. With me here, nothing will happen."

"Yes, Consultant Chen!"

Wang Tianming immediately straightened his back and solemnly replied, then turned to the command center and loudly ordered: "Attention all units! Chief Advisor Chen Yuan has arrived on site. Repeat, the Chief Advisor has arrived. All personnel enter Level 1 combat readiness status, and all data is synchronized to the Chief Advisor's terminal in real time!"

(End of this chapter)