They hurriedly gathered their strength to catch up, only to find that a brand-new stone slab path had been built along the way at some unknown point.
Looking at these familiar block-shaped stone slabs, everyone knew Lin Qiye had left them behind. This allowed their movement speed to soar.
Along the way, whenever Lin Qiye encountered mud, he filled it in to make a path; whenever he encountered a broken bridge, he repaired it.
This also allowed the people following behind to proceed unimpeded.
Finally, the group arrived at the village. The sight before them made everyone gasp in shock.
The entire village had been almost completely leveled by the mudslide.
Collapsed houses, snapped trees, and ruins mixed with mud and sand formed a tragic, apocalyptic scene.
The air was thick with the heavy stench of dirt and an aura of despair.
They didn't see Commander Yuan Gang at the village entrance or any other conspicuous location, nor were there any other rescue forces.
Meanwhile, Lin Qiye, who had already reinforced the mountainside to prevent further collapses and subsequent mudslides, regrouped with the team.
"We're not waiting for further orders!"
"Everyone, begin search and rescue operations immediately!"
At this moment, Lin Qiye, who was at the peak of the River Realm, no longer hid anything.
With a thought, the Minecraft interface instantly unfolded before his eyes.
Then, he loosely gripped his hands, and a uniquely shaped Netherite Pickaxe and Netherite Axe, both shimmering with a dark purple glow, appeared out of thin air.
Engraved on the pickaxe and axe were top-tier enchantments like [Efficiency V].
He then moved, charging straight toward the ruins of a house crushed by a massive beam.
Swinging his hands, the Netherite Pickaxe left behind streaks of afterimages.
*Swish, swish, swish—*
Before the Netherite tools, the hard bricks and heavy timber were as fragile as wet paper.
The collapsed houses were like building blocks in a game, rapidly "mined" and dismantled by him at an unimaginable speed.
In just a few breaths, the space crushed underneath was cleared out.
A young couple was tightly embracing each other, huddled in a narrow crevice. Their faces were covered in dirt and terror, and they were still a bit dazed when the space above them suddenly lit up.
Lin Qiye didn't stop. With a flip of his hand, he took a pink potion out of his Inventory.
"Splash Potion of Healing."
He casually tossed it. The potion bottle shattered the moment it hit the ground, transforming into a mist of pink light that accurately enveloped the couple.
The scrapes and bruises on their bodies healed rapidly at a visible rate.
The couple only felt a warm current surge through their bodies. Their pain vanished instantly, and their spirits were immediately lifted.
Before they even had time to thank him, Lin Qiye's figure had already lunged toward the next pile of ruins.
The other recruits and instructors stared dumbfounded at the magical scene unfolding before them.
Lin Qiye's rescue methods were outrageously efficient.
They wanted to help, but found they simply couldn't keep up with Lin Qiye's pace.
Mining, clearing, healing... all done in one smooth, continuous motion.
In less than ten short minutes.
Every single trapped survivor in Village No. 1 had actually been rescued by Lin Qiye alone!
Of course, the entire village had also been completely leveled by Lin Qiye in the process.
This level of efficiency was nothing short of a miracle!
The villagers who were rescued first looked at the young figure bustling through the ruins, their eyes filled with gratitude and awe.
The rescue work temporarily came to a close.
Lin Qiye's mental energy was highly concentrated, sensing every slight fluctuation in the surroundings.
Suddenly, he frowned.
In the mountain forest on the outskirts of the village, several powerful and concealed auras of hostility were locking onto them.
*'At least five River Realms!'*
*'And two... faint Ocean Realm auras!'*
Lin Qiye's expression turned grave as he immediately turned to warn Instructor Hong.
"Instructor! It's an ambush!"
"The enemies are strong!"
Before his voice could even fade.
*Swish! Swish! Swish!*
Several dark silhouettes lunged out from the pouring rain like ghosts, launching a sudden attack.
Their speed was pushed to the absolute limit, and their target was clear—they pounced straight toward Shen Qingzhu, who was relatively near the back of the group!
Having just experienced a series of sudden changes, Shen Qingzhu's mind hadn't fully settled yet. He completely failed to anticipate that enemies would appear at this exact moment.
Caught off guard, he only had time to slightly shift his body.
*Slash!*
A fierce attack grazed his shoulder, bringing with it a spray of blood.
Shen Qingzhu grunted in pain, his face instantly turning pale.
"Shen Qingzhu!"
Instructor Hong's eyes widened in fury as he hurriedly shouted into his communicator, calling the command center for backup.
However, the communicator only returned a dead, silent busy tone.
His heart sank, knowing the worst-case scenario had occurred.
Something really had happened to the command center!
And the fact that the enemies chose to strike now clearly meant they had calculated that the group would be isolated and helpless!
Even if the main support troops received the news right now, it would take them at least three hours to arrive!
Three hours was enough time for far too many things to happen.
Life and death hung by a thread!
Lin Qiye's eyes instantly turned cold.
He quickly made a judgment and issued orders in a deep voice.
"Instructor Hong, lead Baili Tuming and the others to rescue and protect Shen Qingzhu immediately!"
"Molly, Wen Qingqing, organize the villagers and evacuate them to the safe zone on the back mountain, hurry!"
"I'll stay behind and hold them off!"
Instructor Hong took a deep look at Lin Qiye. In those young eyes, he saw a calmness and resolve far beyond his years.
He had previously learned of Lin Qiye's strength through subtle hints, so without the slightest hesitation, he nodded heavily.
"Be careful... on your own!"
Instructor Hong and the others quickly sprang into action.
Cao Yuan and the rest covered the villagers, evacuating in the direction Lin Qiye had indicated.
However, unexpectedly, the mysterious experts from the Old God Church did not pursue the retreating Instructor Hong and his group.
It was as if they had only attacked symbolically a few times, allowing Instructor Hong and the others to leave with the majority of the people.
The leading man in black let out a cold sneer.
His gaze, like a playful falcon, locked onto Lin Qiye, who had stayed behind alone.
"It doesn't matter if a few small fries escape."
"Our main target, from the very beginning... has always been you, Lin Qiye."
The rain fell harder and harder.
The freezing rainwater washed over the earth, as well as Lin Qiye's young and resolute face.
Several more Old God Church elites radiating terrifying auras slowly stepped out from the shadows.
They wore uniform black combat suits and hideous masks on their faces, exuding a thick stench of blood and an ominous presence.
These people formed a half-moon encirclement, trapping Lin Qiye in the center of the village ruins.
The leading man in black had a cruel and excited glint in his eyes, like a hunter who had finally spotted his long-desired prey.
"Surrender without a fight, Lin Qiye."
"Otherwise, this place will become your grave today!"
The icy words, carrying intense killing intent, spread through the curtain of rain.
A life-and-death struggle was on the verge of breaking out!