A Precise Net
The clasped hands parted, and a moment of silence fell over the cavern. Lu Yuan didn't let the silence linger.
"Mo Chen, Teacher Shen, the array data." He walked towards the stone platform. "Stability duration, coverage radius, Soul Power consumption rate—the smaller the error, the better."
The two immediately walked to the workbench. The soft sound of carving knives could be heard.
"Lin Xiao." Lu Yuan spread out a sketch of the Thousand Needle Stone Forest. "For the next three days, keep a close watch on the Cloud Mist Sect. Precisely pinpoint the exact time the patrols pass through the stalagmite forest in the southeast corner. During shift changes, detect the rhythm of the Soul Tool, especially the activity patterns of that Soul Emperor elder."
Lin Xiao licked his canine teeth with the tip of his tongue. "Understood."
"Safety first; better to have incomplete information than inadequate safety."
"I know." Lin Xiao turned around. "Su Yan, Li Wangye, come out with me."
The two boys immediately followed.
Lu Qinghe silently walked to the table. "What can I do?"
"Father, you and Bai Zhi stay behind." Lu Yuan didn't look up. "Guard ' Spark ' and look after her brother; this is the foundation. Prepare dry rations, water, and hemostatic herbs. Bai Zhi knows these things; you help her."
"Good."
The crowd dispersed. The halo of the Soul Power lamp fell on Lu Yuan's profile, reflecting the calm focus in his eyes. He checked and marked the information Lin Xiao had brought back last time—the location of the crevice, the camp, and the patrol route—one by one. He then took out the Soul Power fluctuation data recorded over the past few days, the dense numbers and curves scattered on the scrap paper.
Gently tap your knee with your index finger.
It's slow, rhythmic.
In his mind, the models from his previous life about the periodic decay of energy fields and the filtering of terrain disturbances began to run. This was not Soul Skill, but it was even more mentally taxing.
Time passed.
Whispers came from Mo Chen's side, and the Soul Power Lamp flickered. Lu Yuan didn't disturb it, focusing all his attention on the increasingly complex "net".
He needed to calculate the "low point" of the chaotic Soul Power in the southeast corner of the Stone Forest.
According to the data, the turbulence there is like the Tide, with varying strengths. During the weaker periods, Soul Master are less affected. The window of opportunity is very short, perhaps only a quarter of an hour.
This window also needs to be aligned with the patrol patterns that Lin Xiao is about to bring back.
Find a "gap" where the two meet.
The charcoal pencil scratched softly, pausing occasionally. Lu Yuan closed his eyes, his fingers tapping faster, his brow furrowing slightly. Then he opened his eyes, erased the lines, and began to recalculate.
Night deepened.
Lin Xiao returned before dawn, carrying the scent of dew. He didn't speak, but placed a more detailed marking map next to Lu Yuan, on which the times of seven patrols and the intervals between three shift changes were marked with charcoal ash.
Lu Yuan glanced at it, nodded, and continued.
Lin Xiao sat cross-legged in the corner, closing his eyes to regulate his breathing.
The same thing happened on the second and third days.
Lu Yuan barely slept. His eyes were turning increasingly dark and bluish-black, but his index finger, tapping his knee, remained steady. More and more lines and symbols appeared on the scrap paper, forming a dazzling pattern—the center marked with a rock crevice, surrounded by layers of timelines, Soul Power contour lines, and risk zone markings.
It doesn't look like a map; it looks more like a blueprint for a precision instrument.
On the evening of the third day, I stopped writing.
Lu Yuan stared at the finalized plan for a long time. He took a deep breath and summoned everyone to the stone platform.
"Listen carefully," he said in a hoarse voice, each word clear, "I'll only say it once."
Pointing to the core of the drawing.
"The day after tomorrow, from 3:45 AM to 3:00 AM, there will be a 'low window' for the chaotic Soul Power, lasting about 45 minutes. At the same time, the patrol team will complete its cross patrol at 2:45 AM, and the next coverage of the edge of the stone forest will be after 1:15 AM. There will be a 45-minute gap in between."
The charcoal pencil moves, drawing a winding path.
"This is the 'safe corridor.' Lin Xiao and I will infiltrate with the array plate. The array plate will buy us the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn to wake up. We must reach the crevice in the rock within the time limit, take the sample, and return the way we came."
"Mo Chen, Teacher Shen," he said, looking at the two of them, "You two will provide cover at the sheltered rocky hollow 150 feet from the edge of the stone forest. Mo Chen, make a simple concealment Soul Tool to cover the Soul Power fluctuations of Teacher Shen maintaining the array plate. Teacher Shen will continuously supply stable Soul Power to the sub-array plate we are carrying. Once it is interrupted, the effect on our side will rapidly diminish."
Shen Moxin adjusted her glasses. "Have the transmission distance and loss models been verified?"
"Verified, the error is within 10%." Lu Yuan nodded. "During actual execution, Teacher Shen made minor adjustments to the array brightness based on our feedback, and Mo Chen assisted with monitoring."
Mo Chen scratched his messy hair. "I'll do anything to keep your signal going."
"Su Yan, Li Wangye," Lu Yuan turned to the boys, "Your mission is on the outskirts of ' Spark.' Lin Xiao will show you all the hiding spots and escape routes within three miles of the stronghold. On the night of the operation, you will be responsible for perimeter security, focusing on monitoring the two abandoned roads leading to the Old West Gully mining area. If you spot any non-our personnel approaching, do not engage in combat, immediately use this—"
He took out two small objects made of thin copper sheets bound together from animal hides and handed them to Mo Chen. Mo Chen infused them with his Soul Power, and the objects emitted a very subtle yet penetrating buzzing sound, like the chirping of bees on a summer night.
"--Issue a buzzer alarm, then retreat ' Spark ' via the third path, and notify my father and Bai Zhi." Lu Yuan looked at them. "Remember, the mission is about eyes and ears, not fists. Preserve yourself, deliver the message, and you'll succeed."
Su Yan nodded emphatically. Li Wangye a deep breath. "Keep a close watch."
"Father, Bai Zhi." Lu Yuan turned to the two who remained behind, "You are the last line of defense and the final rendezvous point. Pack up all important data, research notes, and remaining Soul Marrow fragments in ' Spark ' in advance, and be prepared for any possible transfer. Bai Zhi, healing abilities and herbal knowledge are crucial. If anyone is injured, treat them immediately, leaving no trace. Father, you have the experience to oversee the whole situation. If we receive the alarm or we haven't returned by dawn, assess the situation and, if necessary, lead everyone back to the old house in Maple Leaf Town."
Lu Qinghe remained silent, rubbing his thumb against the callus on his index finger, and slowly uttered, "Okay."
The Bai Zhi seed bracelet on her wrist jingled softly; her eyes were clear and resolute. "I will prepare all the medicinal herbs."
The plan has been announced.
The cavern was completely silent, save for the faint crackling of the burning Soul Power lamp wick.
No one questioned the details, no one argued about the division of labor. Everyone was digesting their own part of the task, mentally rehearsing possible scenarios. It was a silence based on trust, and also the tense, oppressive atmosphere before a major battle.
Lu Yuan glanced around at everyone, his gaze returning to the thin "safe corridor" on the blueprint.
"Every step is interconnected," he said in a low voice. "If one step goes wrong, the whole thing could be lost. But we don't have time to wait for the perfect moment. The Soul Marrow Essence is right there, and the Cloud Mist Sect's probes will only become more in-depth. This is our way of proactively weaving a net, snatching food from the tiger's mouth."
He paused.
"The risk is high, but it's worth it."
The next day and night were for final preparations.
Mo Chen and Shen Moxin were welding at the workbench, repeatedly adjusting the concealed Soul Tool and the remote Soul Power maintenance device. Lin Xiao led Su Yan and Li Wangye through the mountains and fields, familiarizing themselves with every path and every hiding crevice. Lu Qinghe and Bai Zhi organized "Spark," burying unnecessary items and packing important things into a light bag.
Lu Yuan faced the plan map and conducted a final simulation. He mentally Simulation more than a dozen unexpected events: the array plate malfunctioning prematurely, encountering Soul Beast, the patrol team changing its route, and the sampling causing abnormal Soul Power fluctuations... and devised a response or evacuation plan for each of them.
The night before the operation, the moon was high in the sky.
Inside the cavern, everyone had finished checking their equipment and waited quietly. The atmosphere was as heavy as if it were frozen.
Lu Yuan took out an old pocket watch—a pieced together by Mo Chen from scrap parts. It wasn't very accurate, but the markings were clear. He carefully calibrated the time using the light of his Soul Power lamp, his fingers steady without the slightest tremor.
After calibration, I looked up and scanned each face that appeared clear in the dim light.
"Remember," Lu Yuan's voice was exceptionally clear in the silence, "Once the rendezvous point sounds the alarm, regardless of whether Lin Xiao and I have succeeded, everyone immediately evacuate according to the third contingency plan. Don't hesitate, return to the old house in Maple Leaf Town to regroup."
He added, "If... Lin Xiao and I fail to return, Lu Qinghe will be in temporary command. Preserve our strength and remain in hiding."
No one answered. But every gaze met his, without flinching.
Lin Xiao crouched in the shadows, slowly wiping the blade of his dagger with a whetstone. The rustling sound was clear in the silence. He suddenly stopped, looked up, and a near-provocative smile curled at the corners of his mouth, his amber vertical pupils gleaming slightly in the dim light.
"That's interesting." He chuckled softly, his voice tinged with excitement. "Much more exciting than the 'trials' arranged by those old fogies at home."
Lu Yuan glanced at him, said nothing, and simply put the pocket watch away carefully.
Outside the cave, the night wind howled, sweeping across the direction of the Thousand Needle Stone Forest, bringing a faint, mournful echo from afar.
Moonlight filtered through the cracks in the mine shaft, casting cold, fragmented patches of light on the ground.
The operation is about to begin, in the darkest hour before dawn.