202: Chapter 202 Countdown Hangs in the Balance, Deep Dive Makes a Decision (2)

The stakes were thinner than the batch from three months ago—nearly half as thin, but the anchoring patterns at the bottom were nearly twice as dense as before.

The stake bodies were made of dark cyan reef rock quarried from the Blue Moon Island reef area—the density of the stone itself was nearly thirty percent higher than ordinary reef rock, so it would not be crushed even in the Deep Water Zone where water pressure was greater.

The top of each formation stake was engraved with a circle of miniature communication Array Patterns—once the stakes were driven into the seabed, Su Qingli could determine the distance and direction of Leng Feng and his team from the stakes via the spiritual energy resonance between them in the Formation Affairs Room.

"For every hundred zhang you descend—drive in a stake. The communication range between stakes is about fifty li—from Blue Moon Island to the periphery of the main hub, you need at least four stakes. After driving in all four—even if the coverage range of the Receiving Formation attenuates, the resonance signal between the formation stakes can still be transmitted back."

Su Qingli handed the four formation stakes to Leng Feng—each was about the length of a forearm and less than three fingers thick.

Leng Feng put the formation stakes into a waterproof bag.

After putting them away, he wrapped another layer of waterproof oilcloth around the outer layer of the waterproof bag—the edges of the oilcloth were tied tight with thin hemp rope.

Then he fastened the waterproof bag to his waist—after fastening it, he patted the waterproof bag with his hand.

Lu Changyuan walked from the Lords Mansion to the Pier.

It was not yet dawn—the brightness of the cold-light stone lamps on the Pier had been dimmed by one level before the mao hour.

The green light of the repeater on the easternmost sentry post of the Ring Reef was still on—the Old Veteran was still at the sentry post, and the barrel of his observation scope was still aimed towards the Dragon Burial Trench.

He handed a direct-transmission emergency talisman to Leng Feng.

It was the same as the one given before—the surface of the talisman was drawn with three circles of red patterns, and embedded inside the third circle was a layer of extremely fine Spirit-Locking Array.

Once torn open, the signal would be transmitted directly to Lu Changyuan—without passing through the Pier relay.

"Five days. If you haven't returned within five days—I will have Commander Cai tighten the outer perimeter defense line to its maximum density."

When Lu Changyuan handed over the emergency talisman, his finger pressed on the surface of the talisman—the spot he pressed was the very center of the Spirit-Locking Array.

Leng Feng took the emergency talisman—and tucked it at his waist.

He tucked it next to the Grand Commander Seal.

Leng Feng stood on the Pier.

The Grand Commander Seal at his waist reflected a very faint deep blue light under the cold-light lamps—the engraving on the face of the seal, depicting a sword tip pointing down into the sea, was illuminated from the side by the cold light of the lamp wick, and the grooves were filled with fine salt particles brought by the sea breeze over the past three months.

He adjusted the position of the traction formation stakes in the waterproof bag again—the tails of the stakes pressed against the inner side of the waterproof bag, with the Bone-Repelling Paste and Water-avoiding Talisman in front.

The rubbings Jade Slip was placed in the innermost layer—against the side touching his body.

Then he turned around, vaulted over the gunwale of the sampan, and entered the water.

His movement into the water did not splash—his feet entered first, his body slid down after, and his right hand pushed against the gunwale to control his entry speed.

A circle of extremely fine ripples spread on the water surface at the point of entry—the ripples expanded less than three feet before being swallowed by the undercurrent brought in by the ebb tide.

Deng Yue followed him into the water.

His entry movement was less than half a breath slower than Leng Feng's—when his left shoulder entered the water, his body tilted about ten degrees to the right, avoiding the angle where the new injury on his left shoulder would directly bear the water pressure.

Ma Yuan and Tian Qi entered the water simultaneously—their entry movements were almost perfectly synchronized, and the sound of water they created overlapped into just a single splash.

The four of them disappeared beneath the water surface.

The ripples on the water surface were smoothed out by the ebb tide within about three breaths—restoring the usual dark blue.

The green light on the Ring Reef was still on—in the Old Veteran's observation scope, the sea surface was completely calm.

Su Qingli switched the Receiving Formation to tracking mode.

The positions of the four—Leng Feng and his team—were marked on the Formation Plate by four tiny blue light spots—the light spots were moving from the east side of the Ring Reef towards the Dragon Burial Trench.

The movement speed was steady—advancing downwards by about one hundred zhang every half hour.

She held the array brush in her hand—the tip resting on the rubbing paper.

Then she began to keep time.

About a quarter of an hour after the four entered the water—Su Qingli saw on the Formation Plate the thing she least wanted to see.

The seventh fluctuation source—that small fluctuation which Leng Feng confirmed to be seven or eight scouts—had moved its position on the Formation Plate.

The direction of movement was not Blue Moon Island.

It was towards the direction where the four had entered the water.

She put down the array brush—her finger tapped the position of the seventh fluctuation source on the Formation Plate.

After tapping it, she picked up the communication Jade Slip—activating the underwater communication channel with Leng Feng.

"The seventh fluctuation source—scouts—moved just now. The direction—is the direction where you entered the water. About forty li from you. Still near the water surface—not diving."

Leng Feng received the message underwater.

He did not slow down—the rhythm of the four-man diamond formation pushing downwards did not change.

He felt for the position of the Bone-Repelling Paste in the waterproof bag—confirming the pill was still there.

Then he pulled the Water-avoiding Talisman out of the waterproof bag—and stuck it to the inside of his armor plate.

The moment the surface of the Water-avoiding Talisman touched the armor plate, a circle of extremely faint blue water ripples spread out.

The four continued to descend.

At a depth of four hundred zhang—the water temperature had dropped by nearly half a degree.

The Foundation of the Ring Reef extended about three li eastwards underwater—the cement mixture layer at the very bottom of the reef wall was compressed by the deep water pressure to nearly twice the density of the shallow water zone.

Leng Feng turned at the base of the reef wall—about ten degrees east of south, heading directly towards the depths of the Dragon Burial Trench.

On the water surface behind him—morning light had just begun to spread from the east towards the Outer Port.

The light from the surface had already turned into a very faint dark cyan at four hundred zhang underwater—in another two hundred zhang, it would turn completely black.

The blue light spot of the seventh fluctuation source on the Formation Plate—was moving slowly near the water surface directly above the direction where Leng Feng and his team had entered the water.

It was not diving. But it was not leaving either.