Venturing into the Tiger's Den

The shielding devices Bulma had promised arrived right on schedule two afternoons later. When the aircraft landed on the beach, it made less of a commotion than last time. The wind from its rotors blew the sand aside before gradually slowing to a stop. Bulma jumped down carrying a silver-gray metal case. Several rows of indicator lights and a port were set into its surface, with a dark sealing ring around the edge of the port, as though it had been opened and closed repeatedly.

"Finished." She set the case on the sand, crouched down, and undid the latches. Inside were two palm-sized square devices embedded in place. Their casings were matte black, covered in a fine grid texture, with a thin waterproof sealing strip around the edges, as though they had been sealed. "Stick them near the area where you train. One unit can cover the entire range of Kame House. If you produce energy fluctuations while training, it'll send out reverse signals to cancel them out, so instruments won't be able to pinpoint the exact signal source."

Lin Chen crouched down and picked up one of the devices. Its underside was smooth, and it had a satisfying weight to it. The machining marks around its corners were even, as though it had been finely polished. He weighed it in his hand. It was probably around two or three pounds, and the joints in the waterproof seal were tightly closed. "Does it need a power source?"

"It has a built-in battery. It should last around three to four months, or longer in low-power mode." Bulma patted a label on the case lid. "A green indicator means it's working normally. Red means the battery needs replacing." She handed him the other device. "Just pick a spot and stick them on. Somewhere stable where they won't easily get knocked off would be best, like a wall corner or the side of a pillar. Wipe the surface clean before attaching them."

Lin Chen took the two devices and headed toward Kame House. He stopped near the corner of the back wall, wiped it with a dry cloth, then pressed one device against it. It made a brief suction sound as it adhered, as though it had snapped into a preset position.

[Ding! External signal-shielding device detected. Technology Fragment ×1 acquired. Current Technology Comprehension: 3%.]

He then walked to the corner on the other side of the house and attached the second device at the same height. Once he had confirmed it was firmly in place, he straightened up. The two devices on the walls reflected very little sunlight and were not easy to notice.

Bulma was still standing on the beach, fastening the latches on her case again. The locks made a distinct click as they closed. "This should cover the signals from the main training area." She straightened, tucked the case under her arm, and said, "But this is only shielding, not invisibility. If someone specifically scans in this direction, they'll still detect something unusual. They just won't be able to tell exactly what it is."

"Got it."

Bulma nodded, then walked to the aircraft, placed the case inside, and pulled down the hatch. "Then let me know if you need anything next time." The aircraft's engines started up again. Less sand was kicked up when it lifted off than last time, leaving a shallow mark across the beach before accelerating into the air and flying west. Once the aircraft was gone, the sand settled again, and the wind smoothed away the marks at the edges.

Lin Chen stood in the yard for a while, pressed down on the last device one more time to make sure it was firmly attached, then turned and went inside. Krillin was under the porch, organizing fishing line. He looked up at Lin Chen. "All set?"

"All set."

Krillin wound the sorted fishing line back onto its spool, stood up, and brushed the fine sand from his hands. "Master Roshi said we're taking a different route tomorrow morning. We'll run toward the southern ridgeline. The terrain there is more complicated than the coastline, so it's good for training ankle stability." He put away the fishing line and went inside. The door closed softly behind him with a dry scrape of wood.

During dinner that evening, Master Roshi set down his chopsticks. "We're running south tomorrow. There are a few uphill stretches over there, and the stone steps are narrow. If you don't plant your feet properly, you'll twist an ankle. Watch where you step when you run. Don't just look at the scenery." After saying that, he picked up his chopsticks again and finished the rice in his bowl. Krillin washed the dishes after dinner, while Lin Chen sat in the yard and looked outside. The sea was completely shrouded in night, with only the moonlight in the distance breaking into countless silvery-white points across the rolling waves.

Early the next morning, the three set off south along the coastline. After passing through a patch of low shrubs, the ground did indeed begin to grow uneven—first came rolling dirt slopes, then gravel paths with varying degrees of weathering, and finally several stretches of narrow stone steps. A thin layer of moss covered the steps, making them somewhat slippery.

Krillin led the way, placing his feet slightly left of center on every step. Following behind him, Lin Chen noticed that Krillin landed close to the inner side of the steps each time. Much of the moss there had been worn away, exposing the rough rock beneath. It offered greater friction and was less likely to cause slipping. Lin Chen tried to step there as well, and each time his feet landed, he could feel that the contact between his soles and the rock was indeed more stable. Goku walked at the rear, his footsteps heavier than usual. Every step produced the sound of loose stones being pressed down.

After crossing the ridge, the terrain leveled out again. Ahead lay a slope covered in short grass. Krillin stopped and glanced at the distant coastline. "We'll stop here today. We'll take another route back and go around by the foot of the mountain." He turned and headed back the way they had come, his pace as steady as it had been on the way out, leaving a string of clear footprints across the grassy slope. Lin Chen turned and followed him. On the return journey, he felt that his ankles were more stable while passing over the stone steps than they had been on the way there. As he ran, he noticed that the placement of his feet was gradually becoming more precise. On the way out, his footing had been more inward than Krillin's, but on the return trip, that difference had narrowed until it was nearly identical.

After returning to Kame House, he felt a warmth spreading upward from his calves. It passed through his knees and thighs before gradually fading, disappearing completely around his hips. It was the typical sensation of acquiring fragments—just like what he had felt during training over the past two days. After lasting for a while, it would fade on its own and would not keep recurring.

[Ding! Running Skill Proficiency increased. Current Running Skill: 5%.]

[Ding! Gravity Adaptation: Maximum continuous training time under 1.2 times gravity extended to 25 minutes.]

He set down his towel and glanced at the matte-black device on the wall beside the tool shed. Its indicator light was steadily glowing green. He wiped the sweat from his neck and went inside.