88: Chapter 89 Han Tiecheng Raises the Bargain

The military order for the Main Stele Area to open the loop spread through every squad faster than the dark red fire ring in the sky: "All vanguard squads, return to your designated points immediately, take stock of battle damage, and report your mobile forces within a quarter of an hour!"

No one dared to be even a fraction slow—that dark red fire ring hung in the rift zone sky, its light not blinding, but like a red-hot iron hoop covering all the intersections on the outer edge of the Main Stele Area.

Every crack in the old steles and every grey fire vent was illuminated with black-red edges, exuding a heart-palpitating sense of oppression.

The few squads that had just been trying to peek into Stele Tooth Ravine now retracted their flags and retreated.

Some walked in a hurry, others wore grave expressions, but most kept looking back, their eyes locked firmly on Lu Jin, hiding both greed and trepidation.

Lu Jin withdrew his Divinity User pressure, and the residual dark red fire patterns beneath his feet spun half a circle around his soles before slowly seeping into the grey soil.

The Door of Divinity that had just been pried open inside his body was still burning hot, and the main core piece settled in the center of the Grey Stele Battle Map to stabilize most of it, but the authority fragments on the outer ring were still slightly scorching.

Every step he took, he could feel the fire lines of the Grey Stele Post, Second Branch Nest, and Priest Court being gently tugged.

Divinity User, First Stage; the door was open, but there was no room for even a breath of respite on the road ahead.

The forward command tent was set up in a half-collapsed black stone fortress on the western outer edge of the No. 7 Rift Zone.

Outside the fortress, it was studded with iron fire stakes from the Military Court, with dark red flames burning on the heads of the stakes.

Battle reports from various squads were sent in one after another, and the armored recording officer inserted fire markers into the sand table.

Soon, the area around the Main Stele Area was filled with dense red dots, making the battle situation clear at a glance.

When Lu Jin entered the tent, Instructor Han Tiecheng was standing in front of the sand table.

He wasn't wearing his outer armor, his sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, and a black iron ruler in his hand poked at the table, causing a section of the terrain on the sand table to collapse by half an inch, revealing the old stele patterns underneath.

Instructor Gu Pingchuan stood on the other side, his black-silver robes stained with wind-blown dust, his face so dark it could drip water.

The two of them stood in a standoff across the sand table, the atmosphere tenser than the life-and-death battle at Stele Tooth Ravine.

Instructor Han Tiecheng raised his eyes to scan the dark red in the depths of Lu Jin's eyes, his tone crisp: "Stand firm."

"I am standing firm." Lu Jin stopped at the tent entrance, his tone neither humble nor arrogant, his body still retaining the undispersed aura of his Divinity.

Instructor Han Tiecheng threw the ruler onto the sand table, producing a crisp "clack": "Don't just talk tough, look for yourself!"

In the center of the sand table, the Main Stele Area was encircled by the dark red fire ring.

Three rift paths opened up to the west, north, and southeast of the outer ring, like bloody mouths torn open by the fire ring.

Outside each bloody mouth, native Night Beast herds, collapsed old stele lines, and the vanguard squads of various courts were pressed, the situation extremely dangerous.

"The No. 7 Main Stele has opened its loop; the bloody road on the outer ring will be fully formed by dawn at the latest!" Instructor Han Tiecheng pointed to the western line, his tone as sharp as a knife.

"One step slower, and the native beast herds will block the intersections; another step slower, and the people from the Pei family and the Temple will reach out in the name of coordination. By then, the Military Court won't even get to drink the broth!"

Instructor Gu Pingchuan spoke immediately, his tone carrying a firm dissuasion: "Lu Jin just broke through to Divinity User, the main core piece has entered his domain, and the authority fragments aren't stable yet.

According to academy regulations, he cannot enter the high-pressure zone of the Main Stele Area for at least three days!"

Instructor Han Tiecheng scoffed, full of disdain: "Regulations are for training grounds, not for loop-opening battles!"

"Regulations are for keeping people alive!" Instructor Gu Pingchuan's voice turned cold.

"Neither he nor Ning Yanqiu have entered the active service of the Military Court. One has just broken through to Divinity User, and the other's Master Crow has just shed its feathers. If you push them forward, who will take responsibility if something happens?"

"I will!" Instructor Han Tiecheng didn't even think, reaching out to press down on the western line of the sand table.

That bloody road lit up instantly, black-red fire lines surging, and the iron markers representing the vanguard squads on the outer ring fell one after another.

"I'll stake it on this battle map!"

He scanned the sand table, his tone resolute: "The Main Stele Area has opened its loop, and all outer edge points must be repositioned.

The strong vanguard squads can't hold the rhythm, and the rear-line students are even less capable!

Lu Jin just broke through his rank at Stele Tooth Ravine, holding off the entire slope with his own strength.

He can oversee three layers of troop lines and coordinate the suppression of the Nest, Priest, Fire, and Air segments.

Ning Yanqiu's Cold Mirror Sovereign Crow can carry the school crest, sealing the windward side for half an hour without letting a single Night Beast flank them!"

"If you keep these two in the back, who will clear the path for you on the front line?"

Instructor Gu Pingchuan was silent.

The iron fire in the tent crackled, the atmosphere oppressive to the extreme.

Lu Jin walked slowly to the side of the sand table, his gaze falling on the western line—it was exceptionally narrow, with a group of broken steles on the left, a collapsed fire slope on the right, and three cracks spewing grey fire in the middle.

An ordinary squad would surely suffer heavy losses if they went in, but this road was perfectly suited for his domain!

The ground could accommodate the rat tide, the middle section could take the furnace guards, the collapsed fire slope could utilize the Fire Well, and the high altitude was perfect for Ning Yanqiu's Mirror Frost Crow to suppress the wind.

It fit his combat rhythm perfectly.

"See it clearly?" Instructor Han Tiecheng glanced at him.

"Understood."

"Speak!"

Lu Jin pointed his fingertips at the three old stele roots on the western line, his tone crisp and decisive: "The first segment won't be a hard charge; let the Night Wings and the Mirror Frost Crow pin down the high windward vents.

Qiao Ye will suppress the middle segment; don't be greedy for speed, just push the beast herd to the right side of the collapsed fire slope.

The rat tide will sneak from the roots of the broken steles to bite open the three grey fire cracks first, and the Fire Well will follow up to continue the line, forcing out the old stele collapse line in advance.

For this last narrow opening, let Ning Yanqiu seal the air for two breaths, and I will use the furnace guards and Sacrificial Fire to pry it open.

The whole team will press in, and we will never look back!"

Instructor Gu Pingchuan's brows twitched, but Instructor Han Tiecheng gave a short laugh, speaking to Instructor Gu Pingchuan in a rough voice: "Hear that? You call this 'just broken through'? This is clearly the material of a veteran battlefield commander!"

"Being clear-headed doesn't mean he can hold it!" Instructor Gu Pingchuan remained firm.

"I can hold it." Lu Jin's tone was firm, without a shred of hesitation.

"Don't you start!" Instructor Gu Pingchuan turned his head to glare at him.

"Every time you say you can hold it, something more troublesome always happens later!"

Qiao Ye happened to lift the tent flap and enter.

Hearing this, he nodded in agreement immediately: "Instructor Gu is right! I'm on your side!"

Wen Zhao followed closely behind, handing the battle damage report to the recording officer, his tone calm but precise: "When he came back, the fire patterns under his feet dissipated three times.

The third time was the shallowest, which means he stabilized, but it's not fully stable yet.

Forcing entry into a high-pressure zone carries too much risk."

Lu Jin looked at him, and Wen Zhao did not avoid his gaze: "I record the lines, and I record the people. I won't gamble with the lives of the whole team."

Instructor Han Tiecheng was amused: "You, the backup, are actually quite reliable."

Wen Zhao nodded cautiously: "Thank you for the recognition, Instructor."

The tent entrance suddenly turned cold.

Ning Yanqiu lifted the flap and entered.

The Cold Mirror Sovereign Crow behind her shoulders retracted its wings, the frost-white patterns on the feathers not yet faded, and the two auxiliary crows clung behind her like two pieces of floating thin ice.

After she entered, her gaze fell directly on Lu Jin, her tone concise: "Broken through?"

"Broken through."

"Can you walk?"

"I can."

Ning Yanqiu nodded, her tone resolute: "Then I can too."

Instructor Gu Pingchuan's brows pressed lower: "You also know I'm going to try to persuade you?"

"I know." Ning Yanqiu took out a Cold Mirror transmission slip and placed it by the sand table.

The transmission slip was thin and sharp, with the old pattern of the Ning Family main residence pressed into the corners.

As soon as it landed, the temperature in the tent plummeted: "Received before coming here, an order from Patriarch Ning Zhenyue."

Instructor Han Tiecheng glanced at it, his tone knowing: "Telling you to return to the Ning Family main squad, take the Cold Mirror vanguard deputy position, and have your merits and demerits entered into the Ning Family's general ledger?"

"Yes." Ning Yanqiu pressed her fingertips on the transmission slip, and the Cold Mirror light pattern unfolded: "It also wants Ning Hangce to take over the high-altitude main control, and the battle reports for the old forward markings will be audited by the main residence's mirror library."

Qiao Ye frowned on the spot: "Isn't this just trying to take you back? They won't even let you record your battle merits independently!"

Wen Zhao added softly: "It's even more stringent than last time. They gave the position but no real power."

Ning Yanqiu did not refute, but took out another, narrower fragment of ice slip.

There was no old main residence pattern on it, only a faint, almost invisible Cold Mirror scar.

She rubbed the scar with her fingertips, her knuckles tightening slightly: "There is also my father's reply slip."

The tent went quiet instantly—no one mentioned Ning Zhaochuan's name, but everyone knew the weight of this slip.

The fragmented ice slip unfolded, containing only three lines of small characters, each word like cold iron: The vanguard position is yours to choose, write the battle report clearly; if the old line breaks again, ask yourself first.

There was no retention, no praise, only a heavy trust and pressure once again pressing on her shoulders.

Instructor Gu Pingchuan sighed softly: "That man Ning Zhaochuan, his words are always hidden knives."

Ning Yanqiu put away the transmission slip, the Cold Mirror light pattern passing over her fingertips, her tone crisp: "I will reply to Patriarch Ning Zhenyue: if my name is on the Vanguard Command, merits will not be entered into the Ning Family's general ledger, and injuries will not be claimed from the Ning Family main squad either!"

The light pattern flashed and vanished, the transmission slip completely extinguished.

Qiao Ye grinned: "Once you send that, the Ning Family will probably hold another big meeting to criticize you!"

"They have enough meetings; one more doesn't matter." Ning Yanqiu's tone was flat, but her eyes hid an unarguable stubbornness.

Instructor Han Tiecheng finally showed some satisfaction in his eyes, reaching out to pull two black iron tokens from under the sand table—the tokens were heavy, the edges pressed with Military Court fire patterns, the middle left blank for names.

When they were not lit, they were as dark as iron; when they lit up, they reflected the dark red fire ring of the Main Stele Area, full of aura.

As soon as Instructor Gu Pingchuan saw the tokens, his expression changed drastically: "Instructor Han Tiecheng! Have you lost your mind?"

"Cut the nonsense." Instructor Han Tiecheng slapped the first token in front of Lu Jin, his voice clanging: "Main Stele Area western outer ring, ground vanguard core!

Responsibilities: clear the path, control the nests, suppress the fire lines! Your Grey Stele Post, Second Branch Nest, and Outer Fire Well are all included in the vanguard combat framework!"

Lu Jin stared at the token, his palm pressing against the black iron fire pattern.

The Divinity fire that had just stabilized in his body jumped slightly, and the main core piece at the heart of his Grey Stele Battle Map hummed in response—it recognized this Vanguard Command!

He knew that once this token was accepted, he would no longer be a freshman vanguard squad.

The Military Court would assign tasks according to Divinity User specifications, and the noble families would also target him at this level.

Risks and opportunities coexisted!

Instructor Han Tiecheng pushed the second token toward Ning Yanqiu: "Main Stele Area western outer ring, high-altitude marking vanguard!

Responsibilities: seal the air, illuminate the steles, fix the path! Your Cold Mirror Sovereign Crow, remnant disk fire network, and Post Station hanging patterns are all included in the battle map!"

Ning Yanqiu lowered her head to look at the token.

The Cold Mirror Sovereign Crow behind her shoulders gently flapped its wings, its crow eyes reflecting the fire ring, the cold white pupils hiding a sharp edge—she was only one hard battle away from Apprentice Perfection, and this token was the exact opportunity she needed!

"If you promote them into the Main Stele Area vanguard, the academy will never sign off on it!" Instructor Gu Pingchuan shouted angrily.

"Military Court wartime orders come first!" Instructor Han Tiecheng would not give an inch.

"The life-protection authority can save them, but it cannot override my order!"

"You are poaching people!"

"I am calling up troops!"

The two of them stood in a standoff again.

The recording officers in the tent lowered their heads one after another, not even daring to breathe loudly.

Lu Jin picked up the token and looked up at Instructor Gu Pingchuan: "Instructor Gu, the western outer ring of the Main Stele Area must be walked by someone sooner or later.

If I walk it, it's steadier than letting others trample my fire network."

He paused, his tone solemn: "I will write down all the reports clearly.

The status of the main core piece, the position of the authority fragments, and the consumption of the branch nests will all be left on file for the academy.

I will never be perfunctory."

Instructor Gu Pingchuan stared at him, then looked at Ning Yanqiu: "Have you thought it through too?"

Ning Yanqiu picked up the token, her tone crisp and decisive: "I will also write reports.

The burden of the Cold Mirror Sovereign Crow and the damage to the fire network will all be my own responsibility.

Whether the Ning Family investigates or the academy audits, I will cooperate."

Instructor Gu Pingchuan was silent for a long time, then cursed under his breath: "One after another, they are so good at finding trouble for me!"

Qiao Ye secretly nudged Wen Zhao: "Does this mean he agreed?"

Wen Zhao replied in a low voice: "At least he didn't snatch the tokens back, which means he agreed."

Instructor Gu Pingchuan glanced at them without refuting, only dropping a single sentence: "By dawn, I want to see your stability reports.

If a single word is missing, I will personally drag you out of the vanguard squad!"

Instructor Han Tiecheng waved his hand: "Alright, stop scaring the kids, clear the way and get to work!"

Subsequently, he picked up the ruler and pointed to the sand table: "Qiao Ye, front-pressure top line position, join Lu Jin's vanguard group.

In the first segment of the bloody road, pin the beast herd to the right side of the collapsed fire slope.

If you dare to lose the line, I'll whip you!"

Qiao Ye puffed out his chest and sucked in his stomach, responding loudly: "Understood! Guarantee to complete the mission!"

"Wen Zhao, backup and line adjustment, follow the middle fire line.

Battle damage, exit points, and formations, keep them all recorded well.

If anyone moves randomly or grabs things, you record them first, and I'll deal with them later!"

"Understood." Wen Zhao nodded, his tone steady.

Instructor Han Tiecheng pointed to a few more iron markers, his tone majestic: "Western outer ring vanguard group, with Lu Jin and Ning Yanqiu as the dual core.

The other two squads follow in the second echelon.

No grabbing lines, no exceeding orders.

Those who grab merits or disrupt positions will be dealt with according to wartime disobedience!"

The recording officer immediately lowered his head to carve the order.

The iron pen scratched across the order book with a rustling sound, announcing the official establishment of the vanguard group.

Outside the tent, the dark red fire ring in the sky continued to rotate slowly.

With every rotation, the black fog of the Main Stele Area faded by a fraction, and that dangerous bloody road was gradually revealing itself.

Instructor Han Tiecheng put the two Vanguard Commands into the black iron command plate.

Lu Jin's and Ning Yanqiu's names lit up one after another, the red light reflecting on their faces—there was no retreat, only determination.

Instructor Han Tiecheng slammed the command plate onto the table, his voice as loud as a bell, shaking the air in the tent: "Take your troops, pick up your gear, and move forward—the bloody road of the Main Stele Area will be opened by you!"