The Last Peace Before The Storm

Sitting around and waiting to die wasn't his style. Since he couldn't completely avoid it, he had to prepare thoroughly. Even if these preparations might be laughably weak against true powerhouses, every bit of preparation meant a sliver more hope for survival.

The entire afternoon, Xu Qian was unusually "diligent." He took the initiative to clean several sections of the corridors. Under the guise of sweeping, he secretly memorized the terrain around cell E-98, possible escape routes, and the environment near the pile of junk where the two assassins were hiding.

He even "accidentally" kicked over an unused, broken wooden barrel, sending it rolling to a corner near a backup passage. This could create a distraction at a crucial moment, attract attention, or hinder pursuers.

After finishing these tasks, he returned to his dormitory, bolted the door, and began his real preparations.

First, he needed to improve his own meager "strength."

He sat cross-legged on the bed, his consciousness sinking into his sea of consciousness. The Longevity Dao Fruit still floated there quietly, emitting a gentle, clear light, circulating energy automatically and accumulating cultivation. Thanks to the Dao Fruit's automatic growth, the accelerated Sha Qi, and the slight optimizations from studying the Sword Manual during this period, the "Longevity True Qi" (the name he gave to the internal energy produced by the Dao Fruit) within him had become quite substantial. He was steadily at the late stage of Postnatal cultivation, slowly advancing towards its peak.

He carefully guided this True Qi, letting it flow slowly through his meridians, nourishing his limbs and bones, and adjusting his state to ensure his essence, energy, and spirit were all at their best before nightfall.

Then, he focused his main energy once again on deducing the mad old man's scribbles.

This time, he wasn't mindlessly imitating lines. He had a strong purpose: survival!

He repeatedly sketched the patterns of the most aggressive "First Stab" and "Slanting Sweep" in his mind, guiding the Longevity Dao Fruit to analyze and deduce them deeply. He no longer sought to understand the "sword intent" within them but focused with extreme pragmatism on one point: how to attach the faint "Sharpness" sensation in his body to a weapon in the fastest, most covert, and most lethal way, and then unleash it!

The Dao Fruit's clear light flowed, and combined with his intense desire for survival, the efficiency of his deductions seemed to increase slightly. Various subtle optimization plans regarding angles of force, instantaneous bursts of True Qi, and the stability of the sensation's attachment continuously flooded his mind.

Not enough! Still not enough! Xu Qian could feel that although the "Sword Qi" was of extremely high quality, the quantity was too small! It could only support one full-power burst at most, and after using it, it couldn't recover in a short time. This was like a handgun with only one bullet; it had to be used at the most critical moment, aiming for a one-hit kill, or... to create an opportunity to escape!

He designated the use of this precious "Sword Qi" as his final trump card, to be used only in life-or-death situations.

With his personal strength prepared, it was time for external items.

He took out the materials he had bought with the silver awarded by Zhou Kang. Common ingredients for wound-healing powder, like lime, were carefully wrapped in oil paper several times and tucked into his clothes. Although this was a low-class trick, throwing it out at a critical moment to obscure vision should be effective.

He then repeatedly checked the standard-issue waist knife of the guards, ensuring it slid smoothly. But this standard knife was too obvious and of mediocre quality. He thought for a moment, then found the short wooden stick he had used to practice the "Rat Extermination Swordplay." He wrapped some rags around the handle to make it more comfortable to hold. This stick was inconspicuous; it could be used as a short spear for throwing when necessary, or... to perform that "First Stab."

Finally, there was a rusty but sharpened old dagger, barely longer than his palm, which he had secretly stashed away. He had "picked it up" from a pile of confiscated prisoner belongings and kept it hidden under his bed board. This item was small and potent, easy to conceal, and served as his last resort for close-quarters combat.

He hid the lime powder and the dagger in different, easily accessible locations on his person. The waist knife hung in plain sight, while the short wooden stick was placed casually next to his post.

With everything ready, Xu Qian looked at the scattered items on his bed and couldn't help but let out a wry smile.

To think that I, the owner of the Longevity Dao Fruit, a future great figure of Longevity, now have to rely on lime powder and a broken dagger to survive... This is truly a disgrace to transmigrators.

But complaints aside, he felt a lot more at ease. These items represented his efforts to survive. Steadiness wasn't about cowering motionless; it was about increasing his odds as much as possible before risks arrived.

Night finally fell completely.

Roll call, shift change.

Xu Qian, carrying his waist knife and the inconspicuous short wooden stick, walked back into the deathly silent Block E.

Li Xi was already there. He saw Xu Qian, his eyes flickered, and he forced a smile. "Xu... Xu Qian is here."

"Mm, Brother Li," Xu Qian nodded, maintaining his harmless, honest demeanor. He walked to his chosen corner with the wooden stick and sat down, placing the waist knife within easy reach.