Choice and Cost

Three minutes.

Mo Chen was taken aback.

"Give me three minutes." Lu Yuan pushed away the hand gripping his shoulder, the force not strong, but undeniable. After saying that, he closed his eyes.

Outside the tunnel, the clanging of metal and hushed shouts echoed through the rock walls, like a dull knife scraping bone.

Mo Chen stared at him, his Adam's apple bobbing, but he didn't utter a sound.

Lu Yuan's mind raced.

Staying is safe for now; Mo Chen is a treasure. But the tunnel resources are limited, and Lin Xiao needs stable treatment. The Hundred Refinements Pavilion will arrive sooner or later. The Vast Sea City mentioned in the letter might be a more reliable escape route, or even a future foundation. Not confirming it is tantamount to cutting off one's own arm.

Leaving would immediately expose them. The road ahead was unknown, and traversing the mountains with a seriously wounded soldier was fraught with danger.

He thought of his father Lu Qinghe's calloused hands, and of Su Yan's focused gaze as he hammered away at the parts. He wasn't alone. His life was intertwined with the expectations of many.

I also recalled those theories from my past life that were condemned as "heresy." One hand cannot clap.

Mo Chen's invitation represents another path where "one hand cannot clap." Two outcasts hiding in the shadows might spark something, but they lack fertile ground, a solid foundation, and the kindling to turn that spark into a raging fire.

What he needs is a stronghold, a place where more "Core Flame" can be gathered.

Three minutes have passed.

Lu Yuan opened his eyes. The lamplight reflected two shimmering golden points in his pupils.

"I can't stay."

Mo Chen's facial muscles twitched violently, and the light in his eyes suddenly dimmed.

"But we can cooperate," Lu Yuan continued, his speech quickening. "Not now, but in the future. Give me a completely secure way to contact you. Once I'm settled and have a foothold, I'll send people over. You provide the ideas and skills, I'll provide the theory and resources. We'll contribute technology as equity, and share the profits. We won't hide here; one day, we'll openly and legitimately overthrow those scum who monopolize technology."

Mo Chen opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His gray hair looked even more disheveled under the light.

"... empty talk." After a long pause, he said in a hoarse voice, but the despair in his tone had faded, replaced by a hint of struggle.

"This isn't just empty talk." Lu Yuan held up the rough iron box in his hand. "Your 'inheritance' is secured by collateral. And—"

He walked over to Lin Xiao, squatted down, and touched the boy's burning forehead.

"--I took him with me. If all I wanted was to escape, I could have left him with you and traveled light myself. But I didn't. People like us shouldn't abandon each other."

These words struck a chord with Mo Chen.

He abruptly turned his face away and rubbed his nose hard. "Damn it," he muttered under his breath.

The sounds of searching outside the tunnel grew closer. The sound of boots crunching on gravel filled the air.

Mo Chen turned and darted to the pile of junk, frantically rummaging through it. There was a lot of clanging and clattering. A moment later, he ran back with a palm-sized, dark, irregularly shaped object in his hand and shoved it into Lu Yuan's hand.

It felt heavy and cool to the touch, like a mixture of metal and gel, with a pitted surface and several dull soul guide crystals embedded in it.

"Take it!" Mo Chen lowered his voice, speaking very quickly. "I just messed around with this myself. Inputting a little Soul Power can interfere with low-level Soul Power fluctuations within a ten-foot radius, lasting for about twenty breaths. The effect isn't strong, but it's enough to make those guys who rely on Soul Power to sense people 'blind' for a while. It's only for once; it's useless after that."

He stared intently at Lu Yuan.

"The side effect is that you won't be able to use your Soul Power when it's activated. Also, it might be... a bit noisy."

"Possibly?" Lu Yuan considered it.

"I haven't tried it on a human!" Mo Chen scratched his head in frustration. "The theory holds true! The clash of Soul Power causes high-frequency vibrations, which are then conducted through the solid..."

"Understood." Lu Yuan interrupted him, carefully tucking the black lump into his pocket and placing it against the inside of his bag. It was uncomfortable, but strangely reassuring.

He stood up, supporting himself against the rock face. "Exit?"

Mo Chen looked at him with a complex expression, which contained disappointment, but more so a resigned understanding, and a faint, rekindled flame.

"... Come with me."

He blew out the oil lamp, leaving only a small lamp in his hand, encased in a stone slab by a dark red, shimmering moss. The light was dim and reddish, illuminating only a small area beneath his feet.

Mo Chen, carrying Lu Yuan and supporting Lin Xiao, headed deeper into the tunnel. It wasn't the way they had come from; it was another, narrower side passage, almost half-hidden by rubble.

The air was getting worse, the musty smell was so strong it was almost unbearable. The rock walls were damp and seeping with cold water.

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a huge, crisscrossed pile of rotten wood blocked the way.

Mo Chen stopped and handed the moss lamp to Lu Yuan. He lay down in front of the pit and reached behind to feel around. There were a few soft clicks.

Then, he mustered all his strength, braced his shoulder against one of the thickest logs, and slowly turned it to the left.

A sickening grinding sound. The seemingly messy pile of pit timber had parted to create a gap, just wide enough for one person to pass through sideways. From behind the gap, a faint breeze carrying the fresh scent of grass and trees blew in.

"The way out is the shady side of the back mountain, about three miles from the main mine tunnel." Mo Chen, panting, stepped aside. "Follow the stream downstream; that will avoid most of the search routes. Downstream is the edge of the Black Swamp; be careful of miasma and poisonous insects."

Lu Yuan nodded, and helped Lin Xiao squeeze through the gap first.

Outside were mountains and forests. The night was deep, there was no moon, and sparse starlight outlined a blurry silhouette. The air was cool, carrying the scent of dew and decaying leaves.

Mo Chen squeezed out as well. He stood at the gap, looking at Lu Yuan, his lips moving.

"... Don't forget what you said." That was all he managed to utter at the end.

"I won't forget," Lu Yuan said earnestly. "Take care. Don't die."

Mo Chen grinned, wanting to laugh, but didn't. He waved his hand, turned around, and retracted into the gap. A few seconds later, the pit wood closed up again, sealing perfectly.

Lu Yuan didn't delay any longer. After discerning the direction, he heard the gurgling sound of water not far away, so he helped Lin Xiao and walked towards the stream, sometimes stepping into the deep water and sometimes into the shallow water.

Lin Xiao was heavy. Most of his weight rested on Lu Yuan's thin shoulders. Each step he took made a slight rustling sound as he stepped on the soft humus and slippery stones. Lu Yuan tried to be as light as possible, but carrying someone made it impossible for him to move quickly.

After walking for about half an hour, the stream widened and the sound of the water grew louder. The trees on both sides became denser, their canopies blocking out the sun, making it almost impossible for starlight to penetrate. All around was pitch black, with only the stream water shimmering with a faint phosphorescence.

Lu Yuan was nearing his physical limit. His Soul Power was already weak, and it had been even more depleted earlier. Now his dantian was empty, and he was only holding on by his willpower. His calf muscles began to tremble uncontrollably.

He gritted his teeth, stopped, and carefully leaned Lin Xiao against a large, sheltered rock. He then slumped to the ground, panting heavily. Sweat soaked through his inner shirt, sticking coldly to his back.

Is it safe for now?

The thought had barely crossed his mind when he extinguished it. He couldn't relax. Not even for a moment.

He reached out to touch Lin Xiao's forehead; it was still burning hot. He took out the water pouch Mo Chen had given him from his pocket; it was still a little over half full. He carefully pried open Lin Xiao's mouth and dripped a few drops into it. The boy swallowed unconsciously.

Just then...

Not far ahead, on a forest path—which could hardly be called a path, but was merely the tracks left by wild animals—three figures appeared without warning.

It was as if it were seeping out from the deepest darkness of night.

Their position was strategically chosen, blocking the only path leading downstream. The three were dressed in matching dark gray outfits, almost blending into the darkness, with only an abstract hammer and anvil pattern embroidered in silver thread on their chests occasionally flashing a cold light in the extremely faint reflection of the stream.

Hundred Refinements Pavilion.

The leader was a middle-aged man, lean with sunken cheeks, and his eyes shone frighteningly in the darkness, like those of a night owl. He crossed his arms and leisurely watched Lu Yuan, who was slumped on the rock, a slow smile curving his lips upward.

That wasn't a laugh. It was the look on a cat's face as it watched a mouse struggling beneath its paws.

Lu Yuan felt as if his blood had frozen instantly. He leaned on the stone and slowly, bit by bit, stood up, blocking Lin Xiao's path. His fingers secretly reached for the dark lump in his chest.

"Finally, you've arrived, kid." The middle-aged man spoke, his voice hoarse and cold, like a rusty knife scraping against sheet metal. "You're quite the hider. Those rat holes in the mine have covered my men in mud."

His gaze swept past Lu Yuan, then swept over Lin Xiao, who was unconscious behind the rock, his smile deepening and growing colder.

"Elder Sun has ordered," he said slowly, each word as if steeped in ice, "That I must be seen alive..."

He paused deliberately, admiring Lu Yuan's instantly tense body and pale face.

"... Even if I die, I must bring my body back."

The moment the words fell, a chilling, viscous, and oppressive wave of Soul Power suddenly emanated from the middle-aged man. Four Soul Ring quietly appeared beneath his feet—two yellow and two purple. The light was not dazzling, but it was as heavy as lead, pressing down on Lu Yuan's chest, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

Soul Ancestor.

Behind him, the other two also released their Soul Ring at the same time. Both had two yellow and one purple rings, a standard Soul Elder configuration. The auras of the three merged into one, like an invisible net, completely enveloping this small clearing by the stream.

Lu Yuan's fingers gripped tightly the rough, pitted, disposable "little thing" in his arms.

Mo Chen's words echoed in my ears:

"It might be... a bit noisy."