169: Chapter 0169 Security Device

The gate had a heavy oak lock, with the national emblem of the Crimson Soul Duchy carved on the cylinder, and faint traces of sorcery reinforcement lingering around the keyhole.

Li Size crouched in the shadows outside the wall and whispered to Gelia:

"I've prepared the Light Body Technique and Feather Fall Spell. The Lesser Invisibility Spell can also be activated at any time—"

"I need you to help me over the wall. Aim carefully and toss me next to the second-floor window."

After observing during the day, Li Size had confirmed:

The core facility room of the Sakura Town Communication Node Center was in the first corner of the second floor.

From their position, they could see the tightly locked window.

A smile played on Gelia's lips as she stood with her hands on her hips:

"Don't worry, this Deputy Director's arm strength is no joke."

"I guarantee I'll toss you right to that second-floor window."

Li Size closed his eyes and chanted a silent incantation. A pale blue halo gradually emanated from his body—

The Light Body Technique made his body as light as a feather.

The Feather Fall Spell surrounded him with a layer of swirling breeze, as if to lift his body up.

The Lesser Invisibility Spell caused his figure to slowly blend into the shadows.

Gelia took a deep breath, firmly supported Li Size's waist with both hands, and threw him upward with a sudden burst of strength!

Li Size streaked over the wall like an afterimage.

The suction climbing tool in his hand made a "zzzt" sound as it stuck firmly to the stone wall of the second floor.

He moved slowly along the wall to the window of the facility room.

The latch was locked from the inside. He quickly constructed the sorcery rune model for the Unlocking Technique in his consciousness space.

A pale gold Unlocking Technique rune lit up at his fingertip. With a gentle tap, the locked latch on the window popped open with a "click."

After sneaking into the room...

Following the instructions provided by the Feiting Federation, Li Size quickly located the core interface of the communication node.

He then embedded the modified eavesdropping device into it, skillfully hiding it with cables.

Once finished, he lightly leaped out of the window.

The Feather Fall Spell allowed him to float slowly outside the wall, landing right beside Felina and Gelia.

Felina hurried forward to support him:

"Hubby, are you okay?"

Li Size shook his head and smiled:

"Successfully completed—"

"Next, we'll go to Ginkgo Town and Songtao Town to set up the remaining devices using the same method."

Over the next three days...

They completed the installation of the eavesdropping devices in Ginkgo Town and Songtao Town one after another.

Every one of Gelia's tosses was precise, while Felina kept watch nearby, observing for any unusual movements.

With the help of the Internal Affairs Department, the mission was completed very quickly.

It took only one week.

The Lurkers organization of the Feiting Federation also successfully confirmed through domestic nodes that they could intercept communication information from Monte Province.

They confirmed that Felina's mission had once again reached Perfection.

This situation made Li Size secretly wary:

He felt that domestic communications were becoming increasingly insecure.

He decided to focus all his efforts on mastering the Communication Spell and teaching a modified version to Lilith.

He wanted Lilith to develop her own communication tools as soon as possible to avoid information being monitored.

Not long after...

Felina received a message from Rice, his voice carrying uncontrollable excitement:

"Felina! The Feiting Federation has granted us the title of Baron!"

"They said it's because we successfully deployed the eavesdropping devices and made a great contribution by obtaining intelligence for the Federation!"

Felina was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then couldn't help but laugh out loud:

"I've actually become a Baron of an enemy country?"

"What is this even supposed to be? Haha!"

Gelia slapped the table and laughed:

"Haha! Lord Baron Felina, should I start bowing to you from now on?"

Li Size also shook his head with a smile:

"The Feiting Federation is indeed generous—"

"But for us, this title is just a tool to mislead them."

...

The April sunlight of the Sun Day spilled like molten gold over the factory roofs of Gray Mist Mountain...

The pink and white cherry blossom petals had long since fallen, replaced by dense, emerald-green leaves.

Cicadas began to chirp intermittently in the shade, and the air was filled with a mixture of the burnt smell of metal and the fragrance of magic potions—

In Li Size's Laboratory, the cold light of the Demonic Energy lamps intertwined with the sunlight from outside...

He was closing his eyes, sketching the rune matrix of the Zero Ring Communication Spell in mid-air with his fingertips.

Li Size looked a bit weary, with beads of sweat sliding down his jawline and dripping onto the rune paper on the table, where they were instantly absorbed.

His Mental Energy patterns glowed with a pale blue light, and the rune matrix in mid-air gradually took shape, emitting a faint hum.

Violet sat at the nearby experimental bench, her blonde curls tied in a high ponytail, holding notes on the Communication Spell as her pen quickly recorded:

"Brother-in-law, your rune stability has improved by 30% this time!"

Li Size opened his eyes, took the mental power amplification potion she handed him, and downed it in one go:

"It's not enough. To reach the level where it can be modified, I need more practice and to become more proficient with this sorcery."

At dusk, Li Size received the sixteenth letter from Felin—

The envelope was stamped with the crest of the Lanwei Alchemy Academy, the wax seal featuring a hawk with outspread wings.

He opened the envelope, and out fell a Sorcery Recording and a few pages of letter paper. The handwriting was elegant yet playful:

“Brother~ I hope this letter finds you well!

I received the Buffett sniper rifle and the unmanned reconnaissance drone you sent!

The sniper rifle's rune matrix is so cool! I tried firing a few rounds, and it can actually penetrate 10-centimeter-thick steel plates!

The drone's reconnaissance range is actually 30 kilometers, and it can fly over a kilometer high!

Your Mechanical Alchemy works are getting better and better!

And yet you're still at an obscure, low-level academy. I really don't know how you're studying?

Could it be that you're the Reincarnation of some fallen legendary wizard, born with extraordinary wisdom?

Remember to practice the Eagle Eye Spell scroll I sent you last time.

This sorcery lets you see an ant from a kilometer away!

Also, here's some advanced alchemy knowledge I've collected, including techniques for rune Fusion. It will definitely help with your Mechanical Alchemy~

By the way, the academy is organizing a Secret Realm trial next month!

This time we're going into the Lanwei Alchemy Academy's independent Secret Realm, called the 'Stardust Realm'.

It's full of glowing demonized plants and stardust fragments.

The task is to collect 100 stardust fragments and defeat 3 Zero Ring high-tier Demonized Creature~ I heard the stardust fragments in the Secret Realm can increase Mental Energy!

However, this Secret Realm is only for students of our academy, unlike the Ministry of Education's public Secret Realm, the 'Mist Forest'—

Public Secret Realms are visited by many academies together. The Demonized Creature inside are more powerful, but the rewards are also richer!

The Academy League in May is about to start too!

There are individual challenges (whoever defeats the most opponents wins), five-person team matches (cooperation is key!), potion competitions (comparing whose potion scores higher)...

Alchemy competitions (making the most powerful sorcery items), formation competitions (setting up the strongest rune arrays), and knowledge competitions (testing knowledge of sorcery and alchemy)~

I'm going to participate in the alchemy and formation competitions.

Brother, good luck with your entrance exams in June. You must get into Lanwei!

Our academy's alchemy department is the best in the Duchy!

Finally, I'm sending you my Sorcery Recording!

Am I even prettier than the last time we met?

Remember to send me a recording of yourself too!

Missing you, Felin~

Lanwei Alchemy Academy, April 19th”