221: The first contact target and the "fishing" operation

The second phase of the "Spark" plan was officially launched, and the entire "Bedrock Base" began operating at high speed like a precision instrument that had been wound up, following a new blueprint.

Mo Chen's injuries recovered rapidly under the effects of Mu Wanqing's Medicinal Pill and the base's environment, and he was soon able to preside over work.

The "Liaison Group," composed of him, Senior Brother Zhang, and Wang Wu, began their operations first.

Their first task was not to rashly contact the sensitive or missing individuals on the list, but to start with relatively peripheral, lower-risk targets, like laying out a strategy in chess to test the waters.

After careful screening and risk assessment, the Liaison Group locked onto a seemingly inconspicuous target.

[Loose Cultivator, Old Diviner Chen, has spent years frequenting the "Wild Boar Forest" market on the outskirts of the Qinglan Mountain Range, making a living by fortune-telling and hawking low-grade Talisman.

His grandfather, Chen Fu, was once an Outer Sect deacon of the Qingxuan Sect's Talisman Pavilion.

One hundred and twenty years ago, he was stripped of his cultivation and expelled from the Sect for privately researching "concealment Talisman that block spirit net sensing," and he died in depression.

Old Diviner Chen is suspected of inheriting part of his Family business, as the "Amulets" he sells have effects that differ from standard products.]

Choosing Old Diviner Chen had several advantages: First, he was a Loose Cultivator who did not belong to any Sect, making his background relatively simple; second, the Wild Boar Forest market was a mixed bag of people, making it easy to hide and make contact; third, he had Family origins, and his potential hostility toward the "spirit net" might have been passed down through generations, making him easier to win over.

"But we can't just go to his door," Mo Chen, experienced in these matters, emphasized at the first meeting of the Liaison Group. "We don't know if he is still being monitored, or if he remains vigilant, or even... if he has changed."

"Then what should we do?" Wang Wu asked. "We can't just wander around in front of his stall, right?"

Mo Chen revealed a mysterious smile: "We won't go find him; we'll let him... come find us."

He detailed a "fishing" plan.

A few days later, in an inconspicuous corner of the Wild Boar Forest market.

A man wearing ordinary clothes with an honest face (played by a "Purifiers" member skilled in disguise) set up a small stall.

Scattered on the stall were some common herbs and a few pieces of mediocre-quality Ore.

Unlike the peddlers shouting and hawking around him, this man seemed somewhat taciturn, just lowering his head to wipe a piece of grayish, inconspicuous metal fragment.

If someone proficient in Artifact Refining or with keen perception were to investigate carefully, they would discover that within the fragment, a trace of extremely faint yet exceptionally pure and stable Star Power flowed.

Its energy structure was completely different from the "spirit net" spiritual power, carrying a natural "shielding" and "purifying" characteristic.

This was precisely a piece of "Star Iron" fragment imitated by Senior Brother Li using scraps, specially aged, and left with a trace of bait-like pure fluctuation.

This man was the bait.

That fragment was the aromatic bait on the fishhook.

The stall had been set up for half a day, and no one took interest.

Just as the team member playing the man thought he would return empty-handed today, an old man wearing an old, washed-out Daoist robe, sporting a goatee, and with somewhat cloudy eyes, strolled slowly to the stall.

He looked no different from other down-and-out old Loose Cultivator in the market; this was the target—Old Diviner Chen.

He first casually glanced at the herbs on the stall.

When his gaze swept over the grayish metal fragment, a glimmer of light that was extremely difficult to detect seemed to flash in his cloudy eyes.

He squatted down, picked up a piece of ordinary iron Ore, weighed it, and asked as if unintentionally: "Young man, how much for this black lump?"

His finger was pointing at a piece of ordinary iron next to the Star Iron fragment.

The "Purifiers" member followed the script and answered honestly: "Old sir, that's not worth much, ten Low-Grade Spirit Stone.

But this piece next to it..." He pointed to the Star Iron fragment, "I picked it up from an old cave. It looks strange, but it's quite sturdy. If you're interested, take it for five Spirit Stone."

Only then did Old Diviner Chen say "Oh," as if he had just noticed the fragment, and reached out to pick it up.

The moment his fingertips touched the fragment, his body stiffened imperceptibly.

A trace of shock and disbelief flashed in his cloudy eyes, but it was quickly covered up.

He rubbed the fragment, feeling the restrained yet real strange fluctuation.

He remained silent for a full dozen breaths before slowly opening his mouth, his voice carrying a trace of imperceptible hoarseness: "This thing... is a bit interesting. Five Spirit Stone, I'll take it."

He paid the Spirit Stone cleanly, clutched the fragment tightly in his palm as if afraid someone would snatch it, then took a deep look at the "honest" man without saying another word, turned around, and quickly disappeared into the bustling crowd.

"The fish has taken the bait." In the distance, Wang Wu, disguised as a hunter, saw this scene through the image transmitted by the "hummingbird" Puppet and said in a low voice to Mo Chen beside him.

Mo Chen nodded, a look of satisfaction on his face: "He recognized the difference in this power, and he cares about it a lot. Next, we just wait for him to come find us."

They didn't leave any direct contact information on the fragment; the pure Star Power itself was the best advertisement and question.

For someone whose ancestors researched Talisman that block the "spirit net" and who might be exploring in secret himself, this different, hopeful energy fluctuation was undoubtedly a lighthouse in the dark.

Sure enough, the next day, not long after the "honest" man opened his stall, Old Diviner Chen appeared again.

This time he didn't hesitate, walked directly to the stall, looked left and right, lowered his voice, and said to the man: "Young man, that stone from yesterday... do you have any more? Or... do you know its origin?"

The "Purifiers" member acted according to instructions, showing a vigilant look: "Why is the old sir asking about this? Just that one piece, I picked it up."

A flash of eagerness crossed Old Diviner Chen's eyes.

He took out a small, old-looking compass-like Magical Artifact from his bosom.

Its needle was not pointing North or South but was trembling slightly.

He whispered: "To be honest, young man, I have studied such strange objects quite a bit.

This object... is extraordinary.

If you can tell me the origin, or if there are similar items, I am willing to pay a high price, or... trade item for item." He hinted by shaking the compass in his hand.

The "Purifiers" member pretended to hesitate for a moment before saying "reluctantly": "I don't really know either.

It was brought by a distant relative of mine, who said he picked it up in a strange place deep in the 'Black Wind Mountain' to the north.

He only gave me this one, saying that if someone knew the goods, I could pass a message to him."

"Deep in the Black Wind Mountain?" Old Diviner Chen frowned.

There were indeed rumors of strange things there, but it was also full of danger.

He pondered for a moment and said: "Can you ask the young man to introduce me? I really have important matters to ask."

The "Purifiers" member scratched his head: "My relative's whereabouts are uncertain.

How about this, he might come to the market in a few days.

At that time, I can ask him to wait for you at the 'Old Tea Shed'? Time... about noon three days from now?"

This was the first contact point in the plan.

The Old Tea Shed was crowded and noisy, which actually made it easier to observe and conceal.

A sharp light flashed in Old Diviner Chen's eyes, and he nodded immediately: "Good! Noon three days from now, Old Tea Shed, be there or be square!"

He squeezed the Star Iron fragment in his hand tightly again, as if holding onto some hope, and left in a hurry.

The first "fishing" operation, a success!

The news was sent back to the base, and Wen Youyi and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

This was a good start, proving the value of the list and the feasibility of the "fishing" strategy.

"Next is the formal contact three days from now." Wen Youyi's gaze was deep.

"I hope this Old Diviner Chen can become the first... real spark of our 'Spark' plan."

(End of chapter)