322: Chapter 322 No Need for That Much Trouble

The meeting was held in the central ice cave of Ling Shuanghan's camp. It was called a "central ice cave," but it was actually just a hollowed-out cavity in the ice layer carved by human hands.

The ceiling was constructed from the bones of a Frost Evolution Beast to form a crude dome, with several glowing ores hung around to provide illumination. In the microscopic world, this already counted as luxury decor.

Ling Shuanghan's 800 survivors and the 4,969 people from Lin Yuan's side had all their core members present. The ice cave was packed, and the white mist from their breath gathered under the dome, making the entire space look like some cheap stage effect.

Ye Qingyue huddled behind her sister and whispered, "This place is so cold... much colder than our side."

Ye Qingxue didn't speak, simply tucking her sister's hand into her own pocket.

Luo Qinghan stood in the corner with her arms crossed, scanning the room expressionlessly. Her gaze lingered on Ling Shuanghan for two seconds, shifted to Lin Yuan, and finally fell upon the tips of her own shoes. There was no such woman in the memories of her past life. Nor was there this meeting. Everything was deviating from the trajectory she knew. But strangely, she didn't feel uneasy. Perhaps it was because—that man was there.

Ling Shuanghan stood before a flat ice platform in the center of the ice cave. She had changed into a new outfit, with silver-white armor fitting her slender figure perfectly. Her silver hair glimmered with a cold luster under the light of the ores. Even in this extremely crude environment, she still possessed an aura that made it impossible to look away. The Centennial Empress. It wasn't just talk.

"Everyone." Ling Shuanghan's voice wasn't loud, but the ice cave instantly quieted down. The 800 survivors from the other world straightened their backs as if by reflex. Even their breathing became lighter. This was an instinct carved into their bones after 100 years of obedience.

The people on Lin Yuan's side weren't quite as uniform, but they quieted down too—mostly because they were stunned by Ling Shuanghan's aura.

Ji Wushuang stood in the crowd and whispered to Murong Xueer beside her, "This woman... she has such a strong sense of oppression."

Murong Xueer glanced at her, "Aren't you also a figure of Empress caliber?"

Ji Wushuang thought about it, "Mine was self-proclaimed. Hers was earned through real fighting. It's different."

Ling Shuanghan ignored the whispering below and directly unfolded a map carved into ice crystals. The map marked the complete route from their current location to the rift core. It included terrain, the known distribution of mutated insect nests, the migration paths of the Frost Evolution Beast herds, and the general patrol range of the Vanguard. This map was the crystallization of the intelligence she had accumulated over 100 years. Behind every marked line was information bought with countless human lives.

"The current situation." Ling Shuanghan's finger pointed to the silver vortex mark in the center of the map. "The rift core is about 50 meters away from us—on a microscopic scale, that is equivalent to 50 kilometers. Around the core is the patrol network of the cleanser Vanguard, with at least dozens of clones, each with a strength no lower than SSS-level."

She paused. "In my world, we call this kind of situation a 'desperate plight'."

The ice cave was silent. Ling Shuanghan's adjutant—a veteran with graying hair but sharp eyes—stood behind her with a grave expression. His name was Huo Yan, and he had followed Ling Shuanghan for 80 years. 80 years. That was longer than the combined ages of most people present.

"But a desperate plight doesn't mean there is no way out." Ling Shuanghan continued, her tone steady and powerful. "My plan is—to gather all our forces and march along this route toward the rift core."

Her finger traced a winding route on the map. "The troops will be divided into three echelons. The first echelon will be led by me personally, responsible for breaking through the Vanguard's patrol network head-on. The second echelon will be responsible for flank cover and supply transport. The third echelon will remain in the rear to ensure the retreat route remains clear."

"After reaching the core, I will take an elite squad into the interior of the rift to attempt to close it."

Her plan was detailed to every last point—which sections might encounter Frost Evolution Beast herds and how to deal with them; which areas of the ice surface were unstable and required the advance construction of passages; how to maintain supply lines, how to handle the wounded, and what the backup route would be if the head-on breakthrough failed. Every point was well-reasoned. Behind every point were lessons written in blood. This was not just talk on paper. This was experience built from the corpses of countless companions by a woman who had lived in hell for 100 years.

After listening, everyone present felt that this plan was feasible. One could even say—within the scope of known information, this was already the optimal solution.

After Ling Shuanghan finished, her gaze swept across the room and finally landed on Lin Yuan. "This is my plan." Her tone was calm. "If you have any additions, you can say them now."

She didn't say, "If you have a better plan." Because in her view, this plan was already good enough. She was simply giving Lin Yuan a chance to speak out of respect for a strong individual.

Lin Yuan had been leaning against the ice wall. His hands were in his pockets, and from start to finish, he had not interrupted Ling Shuanghan's presentation. He was listening very seriously. It wasn't the kind of seriousness of "I'm waiting for you to finish so I can refute you"; he was truly listening.

Ling Shuanghan noticed this. This man hadn't shown any expression of disapproval while she was speaking—no frowning, no shaking of his head, no subtle smile of "I already knew that." He was simply listening. Like a student listening to a high-quality lecture. This increased her favorable impression of him by another point.

She had seen too many self-righteous people. In 100 years, she didn't know how many people had rushed to interrupt when she proposed a plan, eager to show that they were smarter than her. And what was the result? One couldn't even find the graves of those people.

"Your plan is fine." Lin Yuan spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but everyone in the ice cave heard it clearly.

Ling Shuanghan raised an eyebrow slightly. She had originally thought Lin Yuan would propose a completely different plan—after all, the feeling this man gave her was that he was "always thinking differently from others." But he said, "It's fine."

"However, one piece of information is missing." Lin Yuan straightened up from the ice wall and walked to the ice platform. He didn't touch Ling Shuanghan's map, but just pointed his finger in the air at the location of the rift core. "The silver light."

Ling Shuanghan's brows furrowed slightly. "The silver light is not diffusing outward," Lin Yuan said. "It is converging inward."

The ice cave went quiet for a moment. Ling Shuanghan's pupils contracted slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Literally what I said." Lin Yuan's tone was very flat, as if he were stating a weather forecast. "When you observed the silver light, you saw it diffusing from the rift core outwards, right?"

Ling Shuanghan nodded. "That is an appearance," Lin Yuan said. "The energy flow of the silver light is actually reversed—it is converging toward the rift core. There is an out-of-control energy body inside the core, and it is the true source of the shrinking effect."

He paused. "The Vanguard isn't guarding the door. They are retrieving that energy body."

The ice cave went completely silent. Ling Shuanghan stood where she was, motionless. Her brain was running at high speed. 100 years. She had been fighting the cleanser Vanguard for 100 years. No one had ever told her this information. Never. She had always thought the Vanguard was guarding the rift to prevent anyone from approaching. All her tactics, all her plans, all the sacrifices were built upon that understanding. And now, this man was telling her—the premise was wrong.

"How did you know?" Ling Shuanghan's voice was very calm, but those who knew her could hear what was pressed beneath that calmness. Huo Yan's hand had already subconsciously pressed onto the hilt of his sword. It wasn't hostility. It was the instinctive reaction of a veteran who had followed the Empress for 80 years upon sensing emotional fluctuations in his sovereign.

Lin Yuan glanced at Huo Yan, then looked at Ling Shuanghan. "I have been observing the energy flow of the silver light for these past five days," he said. "The energy waveforms of diffusion and convergence are completely different; one can distinguish them with a careful look."

Ling Shuanghan: "..."

One can distinguish them with a careful look. Something she hadn't been able to distinguish in 100 years, this man saw in five days. Moreover, the tone in which he said this. It was as if he were saying, "Apples are red; you know it with a single look."

Ling Shuanghan took a deep breath. She wasn't angry. She was a woman who had lived for 122 years; she was long past the age of getting angry because someone else was stronger than her. She was just digesting this information.

"So..." Ling Shuanghan spoke slowly. "If the silver light is converging inward, then the energy body inside the rift core is the source of everything."

"Correct."

"Take away the energy body, and the shrinking effect will automatically be lifted."

"Correct."

"The Vanguard will lose their retrieval target and will also withdraw."

"Correct."

Ling Shuanghan was silent for a few seconds. Then she did something that no one expected—she smiled. It wasn't a bitter smile, not self-deprecating, but a true, heartfelt smile.

"My plan was the optimal solution made without knowing the existence of the energy body," she said. "But since there is a more direct way, there is no need to take a detour."

She looked at Lin Yuan. "How do we take it?"

Lin Yuan thought about it. "Walk over and take it."

The ice cave went quiet again. Ling Shuanghan: "..." Huo Yan: "..." The 800 survivors from the other world: "..."

Ye Qingyue whispered to Ye Qingxue from behind, "Sister, what does he mean by 'walk over and take it'? Just... literally?"

Ye Qingxue said expressionlessly, "What do you think?"

Ye Qingyue thought about it seriously, "Based on my understanding of Brother Lin Yuan... it's probably literally what he means."

Luo Qinghan sighed silently in the corner. She was already used to it. This man always spoke like this—using the simplest sentences to describe the most outrageous things. "Walk over and take it." There were dozens of SSS-level Vanguard clones patrolling around the rift core. Inside the core, there was a cosmic-level existence surpassing SSS-level retrieving the energy body. And this man's plan was—walk over and take it. As if the rift core were the convenience store downstairs and the energy body were a bottle of mineral water on the shelf.

Ling Shuanghan stared at Lin Yuan for a long time. She had lived for 122 years and had seen countless types of people. She had seen arrogant people. She had seen conceited people. But this kind... it wasn't arrogance, nor was it conceit. It was just someone who genuinely felt that "this matter isn't that complicated"—it was the first time she had seen such a person.

"Are you serious?" Ling Shuanghan asked.

"When have I not been serious?" Lin Yuan countered.

Ling Shuanghan thought about it. She realized that although she had only known this man for a few days, she had indeed never seen him joke around. Every word this person said eventually turned into reality.

"Fine." Ling Shuanghan nodded. "Then I will adjust the plan. The original head-on breakthrough will be changed to an escort mission—my people will be responsible for safety along the way, and you will be responsible for entering the core to retrieve the item."

"No need for that much trouble," Lin Yuan said. "I've already handled the things on the way."

Ling Shuanghan raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"You'll know when we set off tomorrow."

Ling Shuanghan looked at his face, which was calm to the point of being boring, and suddenly had a very strong urge—she wanted to open up this man's brain to see what on earth was inside. For 100 years, she had been the backbone for everyone. She was the spiritual pillar for 800 people, the one who always walked in the very front, the one who always made the first judgment. And now, she was standing in front of this man who was 100 years younger than her. For the first time, she had a strange feeling—that she was being covered. It was as if no matter what lay ahead, this man had already handled it. She just needed to follow along. She was not used to this feeling. But she didn't hate it.

After the meeting ended, the crowd dispersed. Ling Shuanghan stood before the ice platform without moving, looking at the map she had spent 100 years drawing.

Huo Yan walked to her side and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, do you trust him?"

Ling Shuanghan didn't answer immediately. Her fingers gently brushed over the dense markings on the map—every mark was a life, every route was an expedition. 100 years. She had spent 100 years, using the sacrifices of countless people, to exchange for every piece of information on this map. And that man, with five days of observation, had found the truth she hadn't discovered in 100 years.

"It's not a question of trust or not," Ling Shuanghan said. Her voice was very light, but very steady. "It's that everything he has said, up to now, has been correct."

Huo Yan was silent. He had followed Ling Shuanghan for 80 years and had never seen her evaluate anyone in this tone.

"And—" Ling Shuanghan turned her head, looking in the direction of the ice cave exit. Lin Yuan's back had already disappeared into the ice mist. "When he said 'walk over and take it,' there was no hesitation in his eyes."

Ling Shuanghan withdrew her gaze. "When a person is boasting, their eyes will drift."

"His did not."

Huo Yan opened his mouth, but in the end, said nothing. He had lived for nearly 100 years and had seen more people than all the Blue Star people present combined. But he had to admit—the young man's eyes were indeed different from everyone he had ever seen. Not sharp, not deep, not cold. It was calm. A kind of calmness of "everything is under control." Like someone standing on a mountain peak looking at the scenery at the foot of the mountain—not looking down from above, but simply not feeling that there was anything to be nervous about.

Outside the ice cave, Lin Yuan was walking on the road back to the camp. Ye Qingxue followed beside him, silent for a while, and then suddenly spoke: "When you said 'walk over and take it' just now, were you serious?"

"Mm."

"...Couldn't you phrase it differently? Like 'I have a detailed plan' or something?"

"Wouldn't that be redundant?"

Ye Qingxue looked at him. "Do you know what expression Ling Shuanghan had when she heard that sentence?"

"What expression?"

"It was the kind of..." Ye Qingxue thought about it. "You go to a restaurant to order, the waiter asks what you want, and you say 'whatever'—then the look on the waiter's face."

Lin Yuan: "...That analogy is a bit strange."

"But it's accurate."

Lin Yuan did not refute. He looked up at the sky. The silver light was still converging. The energy body was still waiting for him inside the rift core. The Vanguard was still patrolling above. But these, in his eyes, were not problems. What really concerned him was something else. After absorbing that energy body, what changes would occur to the power within him? He wasn't sure. But he was looking forward to it.

"Let's go." Lin Yuan withdrew his gaze. "Go back and prepare the things for tomorrow."

"What things?"

"The supplies to bring for the departure," Lin Yuan said. "We've accumulated quite a bit these past five days; we need to organize them."

Ye Qingxue nodded and didn't ask again. She had learned one thing—when this man said "organize them," it usually meant he had already prepared something that would leave everyone dumbfounded. And all she had to do was watch quietly from the side. And then, when he occasionally showed fatigue, hold his hand.

The wind on the ice field whistled by, whipping up fine ice crystals. The figures of the two people gradually drifted away into the ice mist. Behind them, in Ling Shuanghan's camp, the 800 survivors from the other world were heatedly discussing the meeting just now. The core of the discussion was only one question—what on earth did "walk over and take it" mean? Some said it was a metaphor. Some said it was a tactical term. Some said it might be an expression unique to Blue Star people. Only Huo Yan stood at the entrance of the ice cave, watching the back of that young man in the distance, muttering to himself: "I think... he meant it literally."