Forging a "Miracle"
It's done.
Mo Chen uttered two words, his voice hoarse. In his hand, he held a palm-sized piece of old metal, its edges deliberately chipped, its surface covered with twisted, snake-like engravings, and several charred burn marks.
Shen Moxin took off her glasses and rubbed her nose vigorously. The scrap paper in front of her was covered with ancient script variants and energy diagram specifications. "Academically, there's nothing seriously wrong with it, unless a true Grandmaster compares it with the original for three months."
Lu Yuan didn't speak, his fingertips brushing against an aged paper map on the table. The edges were rough to the touch due to wormholes.
The main room was piled with things: a tattered fragment of an "ancient map," a stone slab engraved with energy curves, three pieces of rusted metal inscriptions, a small roll of rubbings outlined with dark green fluorescent paint, and even a few pieces of cloth stained with dark red "blood."
They are scattered together, like accidental discoveries from different times and different places.
The oil lamp has been refilled three times. The sky outside the window has changed from deep black to grayish-white, and then sank into twilight.
Mo Chen, shirtless, carved characters, sweat dripping down his old scars. Su Yan squatted by the brazier, his fingertips wielding Soul Power as fine as hair, carving grooves into a stone slab with unwavering precision. Shen Moxin checked the grammar and units of Soul Power measurement, while Mr. Wen squinted, recalling the old legend of the "Ghost Cry Rift." Lu Qinghe went in and out, fetching water and food, his gaze sweeping over the increasingly "ancient" objects with a complex expression.
By the evening of the third day, all the parts were complete.
Mo Chen picked up the "energy map" stone fragment and infused it with a wisp of Soul Power. The groove lit up with a pale yellow-green light, which lasted for five breaths before extinguishing. The light was weak, yet it carried a sense of "antiquity" that had been accumulated over a long period of time.
"The fluctuations are mixed, with a strong sense of layering." Mo Chen grinned. "Unless you use a high-level Soul Tool to test it closely, you absolutely can't tell it was just made."
Lu Yuan nodded. "Li Wangye."
The tall, thin boy guarding the door immediately straightened his back.
"Tonight we're going to ' Old Ma Tavern.' Our target is the hunter nicknamed ' Quick-Mouthed Liu.'" Lu Yuan spoke steadily. "Pretend to be drunk, complaining about finding a 'scribbled old leather piece' in the mountains that almost tripped you. Just as he gets close, you 'accidentally' let a corner of the map slip out of your pocket. You catch a glimpse of the outline, panic, and quickly put it away, cursing yourself for making things up, and then you leave immediately."
Li Wangye nodded vigorously.
"Su Yan, secretly follow for a while to make sure no one is tailing you. After that, return to the hut in the back mountain and don't show your face for three days." Lu Yuan looked at the table. "The rest will be divided into two parts. One part, the most inconspicuous rubbing fragment and inscription fragment, will be left by Father tomorrow under the seat where Deacon Han often sits at the old teahouse in the east of town. The other part will be hidden."
Night had completely fallen.
News travels faster than the wind.
On the fourth day at noon, Lu Qinghe returned from town with a furrowed brow. "Everyone in the teahouses is saying there are ancient ruins in the Black Stone Mountain Range. Several rogue cultivators are asking how to get to ' Ghost Cry Rift '."
On the fifth day, Mo Chen slipped out and brought back news. "Those bastards from ' Desolate Wolf ' are making a move; they're sneaking into the mountains in groups of two or three."
On the afternoon of the sixth day, Deacon Han sent a message to Lu Qinghe, arranging to meet him at an abandoned kiln three miles outside the town.
The cave dwelling was dimly lit. Deacon Han, dressed in gray cloth, had sharp eyes.
"Old Lu, let's get straight to the point." He skipped the pleasantries. "Have you heard about those rumors circulating in town and the mountains lately?"
Lu Qinghe feigned a look of utter bewilderment. "Lord Han is too kind. I'm just a farmer, how would I know anything about these things?"
"It's best if you don't know," Deacon Han, staring at him. "But if someone in your family happens to know something... like something that doesn't seem to be from this era, it's best to hand it over. The Empire has priority exploration rights for unclaimed ancient relics within its borders. Hiding them privately, or attracting unwanted forces, will cause big trouble."
He paused, his tone softening but becoming even more authoritative. "Of course, good citizens who proactively report and assist in the exploration will naturally receive credit and benefits. It's better than letting sects or outlaws benefit, right?"
Lu Qinghe nodded and stammered, repeatedly saying, "I really don't know."
Deacon Han didn't expect to get the answer in one go, so he gave him a meaningful look and left.
Almost simultaneously, in the Lu family's backyard, Lu Yuan, who was inspecting the Blue Silver Grass, paused.
The feeling of being spied on resurfaced.
Clearer and more focused than ever before. Eyes in the darkness carefully discern and assess. After ten breaths, the sensation recedes like the tide, disappearing once more.
Lu Yuan straightened up and brushed the dirt off his hands.
The bait has been cast. The greedy fish begin to gather.
He walked back to the main room. Mo Chen was solidifying the last piece of inscription, Shen Moxin was organizing the theoretical draft in preparation for destruction, Su Yan was quietly wiping the tools.
"Mo Chen," Lu Yuan said.
Mo Chen looked up, his eyes bloodshot.
"The ' Key ' is ready," Lu Yuan said in a low voice, "But Key alone isn't enough. We need to set up a decent 'keyhole' and even a section of 'porch' in ' Ghost Cry Rift ' beforehand."
He unfolded Mr. Wen's map and pointed to the canyon symbol "Ghost Cry Rift Ridge".
"We need to set up the stage before everyone arrives. We need to make them 'discover' something, but not too easily." Lu Yuan looked at Mo Chen. "Can your little gadgets and leftover materials create an 'ancient trace'? It doesn't need to be very realistic, just enough to attract their attention and slow down their initial exploration."
Mo Chen's eyes lit up, and he licked his lips.
"A day and a half!" he rubbed his hands together. "I'm good at bluffing. Create some traces like the aftermath of a broken mechanism being triggered, or a small area of unstable Soul Power disturbance... that could work!"
Lu Yuan nodded, but his gaze went past him and towards the twilight outside the window.
The stage is set up, and the actors are about to enter.
The weavers behind the scenes must ensure that they are not dragged to the forefront during the climax of the drama.