Cruiser

Although Nangong Family were made to look exactly alike, Li Fan possessed the ability to see through the blind and discern the mind, as well as the ability to remember everything he saw, and he recognized Nangong Wuqing's reincarnation at a glance.

This guy was originally going to become a disciple of that female Daoist master at Hengshan, and now he's kidnapped her reincarnation near Hengshan, probably as a hostage. After all, during the turmoil in Xun Kingdom back then, the Nangong Family had already openly joined forces with the powerful clans of Xun Kingdom to ambush and kill the spirit officials and generals of the Three Realms, so they were already in the same boat.

Although taking a hostage wouldn't have a substantial impact on the overall situation, Li Fan would definitely not hesitate to cause trouble for the Nangong Family, since they were the ones who made the first move. However, there was a small problem.

"Ahhhhh--! Ahhhhhhh--! Ahhhhhh--!"

"Hey, Nangong Wuqing, is that enough?! It's been an hour! Stop pretending!"

"Waaaaaah--!"

"Holy crap... Xuan Tian, has she not awakened yet? What do we do?"

Li Fan originally wanted to press the Nangong Family for their conspiracy plans, but the child just cried and cried, which gave him a splitting headache.

Xuan Tian said, "I've told you so many times, self-disintegration is inherently risky. Even if you successfully possess another body, there's no guarantee you'll be able to return to your original form..."

"Waaaaaahh..."

Xuan Tian said, "How annoying! Why did you tie her up now? You can find her in a few years, it'll be the same!"

"Who knows where she'll run off to in a few years..."

"Waaaaaah--!"

Xuan Tian: "Ugh, so noisy! Knock me out!"

"This isn't good, it's like killing someone with acupressure..."

"Waaaaaah--!"

Xuan Tian: "Then gag them and put them in your sleeves!"

"Won't he suffocate?"

"Waaaaaah--!"

Xuan Tian: "Then let's find a place to throw it away!"

"But what if she really awakens?"

"Waaaaaah--!"

Xuan Tian, "Hiss... What exactly do you want?"

Li Fan was at a loss, but seeing the many talismans drawn on the basket and the yellow talismans pasted on the lining of the girl's clothes—whether to conceal secrets or ward off evil spirits—he suddenly remembered a story he had read before and asked,

"Is there any spell or magic that can seal Nangong Wuqing's soul and prevent her from awakening?"

Xuan Tian: "Yes, it is, but why are you making things so complicated when a single sword strike could solve it?"

Li Fan looked at the wailing little girl in the basket and shook his head. "She's wailing so energetically. It seems she hasn't awakened her past life memories yet. This child is just a victim of the Nangong Family, only tainted by evil spirits and demons."

"The Nangong Family has so many members; if everyone could reincarnate three times, how many innocent people would be harmed? Since we've encountered this one, let's try to save him first. Everyone's been reborn; nobody wants to be entangled in the karma of their past lives."

Xuan Tian scoffed, "Hmph, what's the point of messing around with these people if breaking that reincarnation formation would solve the problem? It's just treating the symptoms, not the root cause, and a waste of time!"

Li Fan sighed, "Is that so? Xuan Tian, if you can't do anything about it, then forget it. We'll just have to ask the Abbot..."

Xuan Tian: "Who said that! Who said I have no way! I am the dignified leader of the Northern Star Sword Ancestor! Sword Ancestor Xuantian! How could I not have a mere Soul Sealing Technique! Put down that girl! Let me handle this!"

... Xuantian, your personality is really quite peculiar...

So Li Fan found a hilltop and landed there, setting up a magic array. He figured the girl had been howling for most of the day and was probably hungry, so he stir-fried some rice for her to eat, and it actually worked. She quieted down for the time being.

Then he sent the Blood Infant to sneak into the girl's divine court for a peek.

Before the mortal's divine court was opened, it was a chaotic void. Only after the formation of the core could things appear. But in this girl's divine court, there was already a golden egg, which was engulfed in flames and seemed to be hatching. Around it, there were many chains formed by vermilion incantation seals, which bound the girl and extended six iron chains that were deeply embedded in her divine court, firmly fixing the fire egg in her Dao body's divine court, devouring and extracting the girl's spiritual power to awaken her former soul.

This fiery egg should be the Vermilion Bird egg, and inside it is probably Nangong Wuqing's primordial spirit. It seems that after a few years, when the Vermilion Bird hatches, Nangong Wuqing will be completely resurrected.

Actually, the simplest way would be to use the Blood Infant to forcefully break through, tear the chains, eat the Golden Egg, and annihilate Nangong Wuqing and soul. Of course, the little girl would definitely die as well.

It's true that killing is easy, but saving lives is difficult...

Based on the confirmed state of the primordial spirit by comparing it with the blood infant, Li Fan followed Xuan Tian's teachings, and after a detailed and thorough expert consultation, model design, and surgical rehearsal, finally completed the preparations. He took out a wolf-hair brush, dipped it in cinnabar, and drew a sword talisman on the girl's forehead. Then he activated the sword talisman and projected the sword array imprint into the divine court.

This was a set of primordial spirit restrictions designed by Li Fan and Xuan Tian together. The chain incantation was clearly a spell from the Divine Sect lineage. Li Fan also used the power of the Six Blood Talisman Sword Divine Swords to set up a primordial spirit sword formation according to the Sword Sect's sword formation. After it was completed, the six Blood Talisman Swords were not hindered by the chains and went straight into the Vermilion Bird egg, instantly piercing the eggshell and leaking out a large amount of golden-red blood, which flowed into the girl's divine court along the six chains.

The more you draw, the more you spill. Nangong Wuqing spirit will gradually be digested and absorbed by the girl, nourishing her body. If nothing unexpected happens, she will most likely be devoured, and then she can forget about possessing another body to be resurrected.

"... It seems pretty simple, doesn't it?"

Li Fan was also covered in sweat, after all, using the primordial spirit technique was quite mentally taxing. But thankfully, he succeeded on the first try. The girl seemed unaffected, and had even eaten her fill and fallen asleep.

Xuan Tian said, "It's not that simple. She would have been dead if she had missed even a hair's breadth. Who else has a blood infant inside watching over her like you do? Who has the time or inclination to go through all this trouble... But this should be enough. Check her out every few years and repair the sword seal. I think the Golden Core realm can solve the problem. This child's aptitude is carefully selected, and her primordial spirit is being nurtured. Reaching the Nascent Soul Nascent Soul Stage in the future won't be a problem."

"Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. It's a pity that the Vermilion Bird hasn't hatched yet. I originally wanted to make a cage to imprison Nangong Wuqing's primordial spirit inside, to make it a human pillar..."

Xuan Tian: "What the heck is a Jinchuriki... But this is quite a novel idea you came up with. Hmm... Maybe I can try this on a reincarnated enemy sometime in the future, hehe..."

Xuan Tianyi's chuckle probably doesn't mean anything good...

However, after causing a commotion over Nangong Wuqing's incident for half a day, and seeing that it was getting late, Li Fan didn't have time to deal with it anymore. He set up a magic array, drew a circle around the girl to ward off evil spirits, and ordered Xuan Tian and Xue Ying to keep watch at night. He then conserved his energy and prepared to Moon Worship and enter the abyss at nightfall, ready to do something big!

This time, when he opened his eyes, he was no longer in the Yinshan scenery. Li Fan looked at the blurry human figure formed by black dust gathering and reflected in the mirror-like metal surface in front of him, and knew that he had been teleported to the outer shell of the system's particularly advanced detective ship, the 'Sentinel'.

Moreover, the starry sky is different now. Last time I came, it was pink radiation, but this time, overhead, there are two enormous blue plasma fireballs, a binary star system.

Is it the same 'Sentinel' ship? Or has it already flown to another space region...?

"Alright, now let's talk about the plan."

Accompanied by the system's voice, a huge spaceship hidden in an asteroid belt was reflected on the mirror-like metal of the Sentinel's outer shell. Unlike the Sentinel, the entire hull of the ship was pitch black, like the shadow of a whale cast on rocks, and it looked somewhat similar to the ship where the Thousand-Faced Immortal dwelled in the Lei Marsh underground.

This is the company's cruiser...

"No, this is a research vessel belonging to the Science Ethics Council. It's been abandoned. What you saw in Lei Marsh was the shuttle on that ship."

... Science Ethics Council?

"They're a really annoying organization on this side of the Gate. They're basically in charge of all the investigations into the new world on the other side of the Gate. Only worlds that pass their review are allowed to be bid on and auctioned by the company. And they happen to control the second strongest military force in this world, so everyone just has to put up with it."

The Ethics Council is second? Then who's number one? The company?

"No, it's the Citizens' Tax Bureau. Okay, that's not the point. The world where the transaction is completed belongs to the company's private property, and those official forces won't come. Let's get back to the main topic."

The Sentinel's mirrored shell flashed again, revealing the electronic ghost shell helmet that Li Fan had stolen from Asiba, and then analyzed and modeled it.

"We'll hack into this ship to disable its defenses, then teleport your coordinates to the research vessel. You can just go Moon Worship directly. Once on board, find the signal interface, simulate the Ghost Shell, and physically connect to the research vessel's communication server. Then we'll launch electronic warfare against the company's cruiser and sink it."

... No, using a research vessel to sink a cruiser is a bit outrageous...

"Of course it wasn't really thanks to that ship. We just borrowed the server to log in to the Legion system information we copied from the Ghost Shell. Once the company finds out who was so reckless as to shoot down one of their cruisers, someone has to take the blame, right?"

The legion is in a terrible state... If this ship is a disguise, how will they fight cruisers?

"I'll rely on you."

It's me again? Tearing apart a cruiser with my bare hands?

"It's not that exaggerated. To be precise, it's using your system. To put it bluntly, it's about taking advantage of the fact that the company's Apostles have lost their permissions, hacking into the cruiser's system, seizing control, and then self-destructing. We'll handle the specifics; you just need to provide the 'execution permission' when necessary."

Isn't this outrageous...? Wait, doesn't he have to become a contractor and obtain citizenship before he's authorized to use weapons?

"Yes, but we're not using weapon-grade software. Sending you a 'weapon authorization request' is just for show. After all, there's a generational gap between the Legion's technology and the company's. The company probably won't believe that the Legion's junk-picking crew can destroy a cruiser through electronic warfare without even using military equipment."

... But you can? And you can even disable the defenses of that... the Science Ethics Council research vessel... Just who are you?

"Hehe, we're just a mental health maintenance system. Many things were accomplished mainly because of you... Alright, the coordinates are set, let's go. Don't worry, we're putting in our absolute best effort this time!"

So you guys were just slacking off all this time?! How much is that pot even worth anyway?!

But at this point, Li Fan had no choice but to trust the system to make sure the pot was reliable.

Actually, he didn't feel like he was losing out. After all, what was the loss in replacing a cruiser? Besides, it was all for the protection of Ink Bamboo Mountain.

It might sound a bit cheesy, but Li Fan truly regarded Ink Bamboo Mountain as his second hometown. Especially after traveling around the Central Plains and witnessing the differential treatment and exploitation of disciples and ordinary people by the Three Great Sects, it was hard for him, a poor boy from another place with no background, not to feel a sense of belonging and identification with Ink Bamboo Mountain, which was willing to accept him as family.

Perhaps in the eyes of the righteous sects, Ink Bamboo Mountain is a group of demons and monsters, a heretical sect. Perhaps Ink Bamboo Mountain is not without its dark and bloody side. Perhaps if it grows too big in the future, Ink Bamboo Mountain may follow the old path of the Three Great Sects.

But it doesn't matter. At least for now, the safety of Ink Bamboo Mountain is worth exchanging a pot for.

Without further hesitation, Li Fan used the False Moon image conjured on the Sentinel's shell to teleport to the Moon Worship. The Sentinel beneath his feet vanished in a flash of silver light. In that instant, Li Fan felt himself flying across an endless, deep void. Suddenly, his feet felt empty for a moment, then he landed firmly on solid ground.

Then Li Fan found himself standing in the outer cabin of the scientific research vessel. Countless black dust particles on the hull peeled away, gathered around him, and merged with him, like a charcoal-colored swamp that swallowed him up.

It was pitch black.

Then it seemed like someone turned on the light.

Li Fan squinted at the suddenly brightened space, which was surrounded by white, or rather, a vast space composed of a single colorless crystalline panel.

Li Fan looked around, as if he were standing on the ice of the North Sea. He tried to spread his Divine Sense and roughly confirmed the structure inside the cabin.

As expected, it belonged to the same faction as the ancient spaceship in Lei Marsh. This was the main cabin of the spaceship with an octagonal cross-section, but with a 'snap,' the defense system that had been reduced to ashes had already been shut down. And that wasn't all.

The colorless crystal suddenly shifted in light and shadow, and the surrounding white light dimmed, leaving only a clear strip of light to guide Li Fan.

Recalling his past adventure, when he was forced into it by the old toad, Li Fan understood a little. He flew along the light strip, and this time there was no need for trouble. The passage opened automatically, allowing Li Fan to easily reach the core, the spherical crystal control room.

Seeing the countless black human figures reflected in the crystal, Li Fan's mood couldn't help but sink a little; that time he almost died...

Forget it, now is not the time for sentimentality!

As planned, Li Fan simulated the transformation of the ghost shell. The black figures reflected in the countless crystals also began to change violently, baring their fangs and claws. The humanoid head, with its face that seemed to gather and disperse like smoke and dust, came together to form an octopus-like head with eight tentacles.

Li Fan looked at his reflection in the crystal, and it was exactly the same. Unconsciously, he had become like the shadow of that Octopus-headed Sergeant... Oh well, they're going to take the blame anyway, so he might as well add to it.

Li Fan then extended the tentacles from his head, enveloping the main crystal in the control room.

"Okay, communication established. We'll now upload the puppet's backup. Keep the connection open."

So you're saying his mission is complete? How long will it take to prepare?

"Upload complete, now initiating hacking."

... So fast?

"Hack complete, now take care of the watchdog."

What kind of dog?

"Done. Intrusion protocol, written, firewall, overwritten, control permissions..."

Li Fan was completely bewildered; all he could see was a bunch of tentacles below his nose, and crystal balls shimmering around him...

"... Okay, now I need your voice permission. Just don't use your own voice. Now tell me, 'I'm authorizing the system.'"

Li Fan recalled for a moment, then said in the voice of the Octopus-headed Sergeant, "I authorize the system."

"Okay, remember this frequency, repeat it once every three minutes. Half an hour will be enough."

Is it really that simple? A cruiser can be destroyed in half an hour?

"Oh no, it's already finished."

... ha?

"It's done. We can order the ship to dismantle now, but the legion's electronic warfare equipment will take at least half an hour, so let's go all out with this performance."

... Is this how you fight wars?

"Hehe, of course not. We didn't touch the core of the company's system; we just dismantled a ship—a petty theft. But don't worry, we've confirmed that there isn't another ship like that on the track. This world is still under evaluation, and the company's infrastructure is insufficient; it won't be able to build a new ship for at least a hundred years."

... That's it? I spent a fortune, and it's gone without even a glimpse of the cruiser?

"Oh, you want to see him? How about I project it for you?"

Li Fan: "I'm authorizing the system."

Then the crystal flickered, projecting a holographic image that zoomed in on Earth. Above near-Earth orbit, near the Arctic ice cap, lay a massive... system. You must be mistaken, this isn't a... dragon?

"That's right, it's a skin disguise. After all, it's going to appear frequently, and to avoid excessive deviation, it has to fit the art style of this world. By the way, the name of this ship is..."

Zhu Long

The god of Zhong Mountain is named Zhuyin. When he looks, it is day; when he closes his eyes, it is night; when he blows, it is winter; when he exhales, it is summer; when he breathes, it is wind. His body is a thousand miles long and he is located in the east of nothingness.