251: Chapter 251 Window Operation, Fortress Expedition

Early the next morning, Lu Changyuan latched the door of the Chart Room from the inside.

Before leaving, everything had to be clearly accounted for. He would not give anyone the chance to say "I didn't know" while he was away.

Three sheets of paper were spread out on the chart table.

On the left, Su Qingli's material dispatch list: the warehousing and distribution plan for the monthly supply of 1,500 stones of Spirit Stone rice, the estimated arrival time of the Tiangong Pavilion's flying boat, and the shift roster for the Abyss Exploration Team's daily Ore warehousing assessment.

In the middle, Old Mo's Seal disintegration progress chart: the spreading speed of the dark gold fine lines on the black crystal, the daily change curve of the Formation Plate's humming frequency, and the estimated countdown for the full collapse of the Blood Prohibition—the bottom line read "11 to 13 days," pushed forward by nearly half a day since last night.

On the right, Commander Cai's daily shift roster for the Sin Battalion written in charcoal: the three-shift rotation for the reef wall sentries, the manpower for weighing Ore at the Pier, and the patrol routes for the wooden shed area in the outer city.

The corners of all three papers were curled upward by the sea breeze—Su Qingli's list was held down by a dark copper paperweight, Old Mo's drawing was pinned to the corner of the table with a piece of old array line, and Commander Cai's roster had nothing holding it down—its corners flipped and flapped in the morning breeze.

Lu Changyuan looked through the three papers one by one. Then, he called in Su Qingli, Old Mo, and Commander Cai.

Su Qingli arrived first. When she entered, she was still clutching half a piece of star-patterned gold Ore she had just appraised—the gold fine lines on the Ore's fracture were neither flashing nor blinding in the morning light, but the patterns were nearly twice as dense as those of the batch appraised yesterday.

"It was brought back by the last Abyss Exploration Team last night—knocked from a depth of 2,600 zhang. The deeper, the denser." She placed the Ore on the edge of the chart table—the weight of the Ore pressed down the corner of the roster paper that had been left unweighted.

"Starting today, I'm making a trip to the fortress. I'll be back in a few days." Lu Changyuan pushed the material dispatch list Su Qingli had made half an inch toward her— "The material dispatch on the island—you have full authority. If the people from the Tiangong Pavilion arrive early—settle the handover according to the terms of the contract signed last time, with the internal purchase price floating by no more than half a percent. For the military's Grade A rations—go to the Pier to receive the logistics ship on the fifth of every month; this time, let Commander Cai sign for it instead."

Su Qingli tucked her hands into her sleeves—the edges of her cuffs were worn into frayed threads from scraping against the copper plates in the Formation Affairs Room. She did not say "Don't worry." She walked to the opposite side of the chart table—and dragged Old Mo's Seal disintegration progress chart nearly a foot toward herself— "I've adjusted the Receiving Formation to full-frequency recording—I'll measure the crystal's frequency once every Mao hour and Xu hour. If the frequency jumps by more than half a grid, I'll send you a message."

When Old Mo pushed the door open to enter—his lapels were stained with at least three or four different colors of Formation ink. Dark copper-colored probe tip ink, silver-gray sensor array plate ink, and a deep blue ancient array marking ink smeared from his cuff—that blue streak had dried completely, forming an extremely thin oxidation film on the fabric. He had not left the Formation Affairs Room since last night—the black crystal was measured every half hour under the dark copper probe, and the charcoal lines on the deduction paper were drawn and erased, erased and drawn—the paper was worn through in several places, and the edges of the holes were mended with a few fine stitches of old array line.

"The deduction for the entry and exit Array Patterns—the first step of the 'Broken Mirror Reunited' method has been cleared." He spread a piece of deduction paper on the chart table—on the paper was a spiritual energy path diagram starting from a remnant segment of the dark gold fine lines on the bottom of the black crystal, winding through at least a dozen turns before converging into a blank circle. "The first step of reversing the remnant segment—restoring the path of the patterns on the fragments to the entry and exit Formation paths when the Seal was intact. I've cross-checked this step nearly seven times—the correspondence between the path angles and the spiritual energy frequency is correct. Next is the second step—expanding the single-segment path into a complete entry and exit cycle—the entire link from entry to exit. This step requires more spiritual energy—the spirit marrow thin slice will be in contact for half an incense stick of time every day—that should be enough to sustain it."

"Is a few days enough?"

"It's enough." Old Mo rolled up the deduction paper again—his fingers paused on the paper surface for less than half a breath while rolling it— "It's just that I haven't fully matched the frequencies of a few corners in the second step. There is a method in ancient array deduction called 'borrowed path deduction'—using the known path of the outer layer of the Seal's Array Patterns to reverse-deduce the inner corners—the array vein map that Blue Moon Island previously Tuo back from the outer layer of the Seal can be used. I'll need about—three days. Maybe four."

Lu Changyuan nodded. Then he turned to Commander Cai.

Commander Cai stood at the doorway with a pipe in his mouth—the tobacco was not lit. He was holding the list of the third batch of the Abyss Exploration Team he had just registered early this morning—the charcoal handwriting on the list was somewhat blurred by the sea breeze, but the numerical sequence was complete. "The 1,800-person expansion of the Sin Battalion—yesterday, about 600 were initially screened from the refugees. As you said—those at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage or above are prioritized, those with underwater combat experience are prioritized, and those who served as squad leaders in their original strongholds are prioritized. For the remaining 1,200 people—screen them for two more rounds." He moved the pipe from the left side of his mouth to the right— "You don't need to worry about the daily roster—those veterans on the reef wall know how to stand guard. In the few days you're gone—if anyone causes trouble at the Pier—I'll take care of it."

Lu Changyuan stood up. He took down the defense map of Blue Moon Island hanging on the wall of the Chart Room—rolled it up—and handed it to Su Qingli. "The Core Formation Puppet will remain on the reef wall—to maintain deterrence—the spiritual energy consumption in silent mode has dropped to less than one-tenth of the startup level, enough to last until I return. The Killing Array will maintain its current state—all sixteen array eyes will be handed over to Old Mo for coordination. If the Haiyuan Clan comes to invade while I am away—"

"They won't." Old Mo lifted his head from the deduction paper— "The Haiyuan Clan is currently pouring all its forces into the deepest part of the Dragon Burial Trench. From the Zi hour to the Mao hour last night—Su Qingli's Receiving Formation only captured sporadic spiritual energy fluctuations in the flank direction. Their outer patrol line has shrunk to only one—and they are continuing to withdraw deeper. The density of the forces ramming the door is increasing—they have no time to worry about Blue Moon Island."

"If they don't worry—we won't actively provoke them either. Starting today, all Abyss Exploration Teams will be restricted to waters above 2,500 zhang—do not approach within ten miles of the stone gate." Lu Changyuan called Leng Feng in.

When Leng Feng pushed the door open—his armor plates were already on—that dark gray hard scale armor specially made for Outer Sea abyss exploration. The seams of the armor plates were all re-lined with waterproof beast tendons—a layer of dark copper alloy protective plate was padded over the location of the old injury on his left shoulder. He had two swords hanging at his waist—one was his usual narrow-bladed straight sword, and the other was a short sword with a scabbard nearly half a foot shorter than a standard sword—suitable for close-quarters parrying in narrow underwater spaces.

"My Lord—when do we depart?"

"Not you." Lu Changyuan pressed Leng Feng in front of the chart table— "Your task for these few days is not at the fortress. You will take two personal guards—go underwater now—while the Haiyuan Clan's main force is all ramming the door, go to the periphery of the ruins. Three things: First—reconnoiter the force density in front of the stone gate, confirm the number and distribution of Golden Core-level Abyssal Beasts. Second—find a safe location where the stealth flying boat can dock—it must be an underwater rock wall crevice or a corner of an undercurrent, capable of shielding the flying boat's hull from being visually spotted by patrol soldiers. Third—confirm the change in the direction of the underwater undercurrent before the Blood Prohibition disintegrates—Shen Qinghan said the undercurrent direction has been shifting northward these past few days. If it has changed—our entry and exit routes must also change."

Leng Feng's sword scabbard buckle had already been unfastened—he fastened it back again. When he fastened it, his fingers paused on the buckle spring for an extra breath—then he let go. "When do we leave?"

"Now."

Leng Feng turned and walked toward the Pier. He stopped for a moment at the door—turned his head to look at the Seal disintegration progress chart Old Mo had drawn on the chart table—stared at the dark copper-colored curve on the chart that extended from "11 to 13 days" toward an even shorter direction—looked for nearly three breaths. Then he pushed the door open—the armor plates made a very short, crisp metallic scratching sound against the door frame.

It was quiet in the Chart Room for about five breaths. Lu Changyuan took out the gold-inlaid jade plaque of the Blue Moon Island Grade B stronghold from his waist—the front was engraved with the vermilion Seal of the military Command Headquarters, and the back was the chart coordinates and stronghold number of Blue Moon Island. He tucked the jade plaque into his inner sleeve pocket—and placed it together with the ten items stacked there. The black crystal was at the very bottom—its ice-cold surface pressed against his forearm through layers of paper. He stood up—closed the lamp cover of the cold light stone lamp on the windowsill—the light went out.

"Special Commissioner Wei Yuan—come with me."

When Special Commissioner Wei Yuan came out from the stone house next to the Pier's bulletin board—he was wearing the cloth clothes issued by the island. The cuffs of the cloth clothes were a size too large—he rolled up the cuffs twice. The deep gray leather glove on his left hand covered the burn scar on the web of his hand—but the edge of the glove slid down nearly half an inch at the wrist, and the edge of the scar revealed a waxy white tone characteristic of old injuries. He had a standard sword issued by the island hanging at his waist—not the narrow-bladed sword with the Inspectorate's copper emblem he originally had. That sword had been unbuckled and leaned against the door frame the day he was left on Blue Moon Island as a liaison officer.

"Going to the fortress?"

"To see your uncle. Some things are easier to discuss on the gangway—than to discuss via the sound transmission array."

Special Commissioner Wei Yuan pulled the glove on his left wrist up nearly half an inch—covering that burn scar. He did not ask again. When he walked past the bulletin board—Commander Cai was registering the fourth batch of the Abyss Exploration Team's underwater list. The register had already been turned over at least a dozen pages—the corners of every page were curled upward by the sea breeze, and Commander Cai used his pipe to press down on the paper corners while continuing to write.

At the north corner of the Pier—the merchant flying boat left by the Tiangong Pavilion was still parked on the stone platform. The gold hammer and silver anvil family crest on the flying boat's hull gleamed with a faint metallic luster in the morning light—the three cracks on the protective Array Patterns at the bow caused by Haiyuan Clan bone spur fragments when passing through the blockade were still there, and the copper wires at the edges of the cracks were turned outward. Old Mo had added a layer of temporary stealth Array Patterns to the bottom of the boat—the path of the Array Patterns used the same brushwork as the heat dissipation scheme he had drawn twenty years ago—the corners were tucked inward by nearly half a degree to reduce spiritual energy leakage. The Spirit Stone slot at the stern was already full—Su Qingli had checked the Spirit Stones one by one last night, and the residual spiritual energy in each piece was enough to last until the fortress.

Lu Changyuan took Special Commissioner Wei Yuan and six personal guards aboard the flying boat. As the hull lifted off the ground—the Abyss Exploration Team on the Pier was preparing for today's Mao hour dive. Old Mai Liu was squatting by the side of the sampan—the oilcloth with the Ore vein coordinates drawn by Leng Feng spread out in front of him. His finger paused on the third Ore vein prediction point—the depth was about 2,500 zhang. At least a dozen waterproof bags were tied on the sampan—the mouth of each bag was tied with a slipknot using old array line.

As the flying boat passed through the light curtain of Blue Moon Island's Formation—the sixteen array eyes on the inside of the light curtain flashed simultaneously. That was Su Qingli controlling it from the Formation Affairs Room—sending him out of the port.

The flying boat flew toward the southeast for about half an hour—passing through the edge of the Haiyuan Clan's last remaining flank patrol line. Old Mo's stealth Array Patterns suppressed the flying boat's spiritual energy fluctuations to a level below the Foundation Establishment Stage—the Haiyuan Clan sentries on the patrol line did not turn their heads. The flying boat swept over them at less than twenty zhang—the reflection of the bone armor below looked like scattered broken silver in the morning mist.

After flying for another half a day—the Outer Port of the Zhenhai fortress appeared on the horizon ahead. The sixteen breakwaters of the fortress's Outer Port looked like sixteen giant black iron pillars stuck on the water surface in the morning light—each pillar topped with a Foundation Establishment Late Stage sentry Puppet. Outside the breakwaters—at least twenty flying boats and cargo ships of different specifications were queuing to wait for port entry inspection. Lu Changyuan's flying boat relied on the Grade B stronghold gold-inlaid jade plaque—no need to queue. He pressed the jade plaque against the protective array at the bow—the Array Patterns recognized the military Seal on the jade plaque—and automatically opened up an entry channel.

Just as the flying boat landed on the berth on the east side of the fortress's Outer Port—the sound transmission jade talisman at Lu Changyuan's waist lit up.

Chu Yunfei's voice came from the jade talisman—the voice was pressed nearly half lower than usual, but every word carried a kind of deliberately suppressed excitement. "Changyuan—you've arrived at the fortress? Just in time. Come to the old place in the East District of the inner city. I have something in my hand—you should see it."

Lu Changyuan flipped the sound transmission jade talisman over—took a look at the residual spiritual energy on it—nearly half remained. "What thing?"

"Don't ask." The excitement in Chu Yunfei's voice jumped up another notch— "You'll know when you get here. In the entire Zhenhai fortress—I reckon there's only this one."

The transmission cut off. The residual spiritual energy on the jade talisman dropped by nearly half a percent—the gray-white surface of the talisman gleamed with a faint, depleted luster in the morning light.

Lu Changyuan put the jade talisman back to his waist. He reached into his inner sleeve pocket—touched the ten items stacked together. The black crystal was at the very bottom—its ice-cold surface pressed against his forearm through layers of paper.

He turned and looked at Special Commissioner Wei Yuan— "Go to the inner treasury first. Some things—are worth more than Spirit Stones."