https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1089-The-Flow-of-Light-and-the-Strange-Ritual/13274561/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1091-Following-the-Spirit-s-Message/13274584/
Chapter 1090: The Storm Subsides, But the Waves Continue
Chapter 1090: The Storm Subsides, But the Waves Continue
Three days later, in the Atahoka region, the Operations Bureau's branch office.
In these three days, no news had come from either the headquarters' agent, Iron Crow, or Sai Jia from Titan Corporation.
It was as if both had vanished without a trace, like stones sinking into the vast ocean. The last information the branch had received about them was when Iron Crow sent a report and decided to follow Master Bai Shi and the others into the Voice of Star Spirits.
This situation had them on edge.
According to the Hunter-Rider Unit's report, Master Bai Shi had been confirmed dead, killed by Chen Chuan, and the battle was said to have lasted only a few seconds.
The formidable combat power displayed by the opponent couldn't help but raise further suspicions.
Jonas Carlo had been in back-to-back meetings these past few days, gathering intelligence from various sources and consulting with some veteran Ge Dou Jia. After ending another call, he sat silently in his chair, exhausted.
His assistant approached, placing a refreshing hot drink on his desk and whispering, "Sir, perhaps we've underestimated our opponent."
Carlo didn't respond. He took a sip from the cup, well aware that it was impossible for two Palace Martial Artists to go without any news for three whole days.
Something had definitely gone wrong with these two, and now he had to consider the worst-case scenario.
If this were the case, with Noah White Stone already confirmed dead, it meant three Palace Martial Artists had been lost in the Voice of Star Spirits, not to mention the mysterious disappearance of Black Catfish earlier. Headquarters would never accept such losses.
Although he appeared calm and confident in front of his subordinates, his heart was filled with worry.
This wasn't just about the Voice of Star Spirits anymore. Headquarters and other departments had been preparing to launch an offensive against Kawatua, planning to take it over by the end of the year, and the entire Western Coast was anticipating this outcome.
However, the loss of three Palace Martial Artists created a significant gap, making it impossible to carry out the plan as intended. The nearly two years of preparation would be affected.
The current situation wasn't a time of war, and it was impossible to deploy the military against a gathering of a million people. They could only rely on non-official forces for organization. If the originally arranged personnel were no longer available, all parties would have to coordinate and rearrange, inevitably delaying the original plan.
The time and resources spent, the interests of various parties involved, and the losses caused by the failure of initial investments—these were not issues that could be easily brushed aside. Someone had to take responsibility.
The assistant suggested, "Sir, perhaps we should advise headquarters to resolve this matter through diplomatic means, after all, the Voice of Star Spirits is on our territory."
Carlo thought rationally for a moment and calmly replied, "It won't yield any results."
Firstly, Chen Chuan, as a member of the Great Success Visit Group, had certain diplomatic immunity. Secondly, Master Bai Shi had lost in an open battle, leaving no grounds for pursuit. There was no evidence that Iron Crow and Sai Jia had killed them, making it a dead-end case.
Even if there was evidence, Chen Chuan held a Top-tier Unlimited Defense Permit, an internationally recognized document. As long as he proved that the two had attacked him, he would be blameless.
Of course, everything depended on strength. A mere document couldn't constrain powerful factions and national organizations. Even if they couldn't take direct action, there were always ways to circumvent the rules if necessary.
But the question was, who would do it? At the level of Palace Martial Artists, no one could be dispatched casually. This wasn't a matter he was qualified to handle or investigate thoroughly.
Moreover, he knew that if this escalated to the diplomatic level, the Eastern Coast Faction would try to hinder them, imposing various restrictions and making it difficult to resolve the issue swiftly. It might even drag on for years, ultimately ending in nothing.
If this matter were taken out of his hands, he would be completely detached from it. This was equivalent to handing over the power to decide and save his political career to others, which he couldn't accept.
Just then, a message came in, and the assistant said, "Mr. Gazette has contacted us with important intelligence."
Carlo quickly processed the information in his mind, straightened his posture, and said, "Put him through."
The field screen in front flickered, and the young man from their previous meeting appeared. He spoke rapidly, "Sir, I've found some information. The Primitive Sect may be involved in this incident."
Upon hearing this, Carlo's eyes lit up, and he leaned forward, saying, "Specific intelligence!"
Gazette tapped the interface, immediately sending the gathered intelligence to Carlo.
Carlo's professionalism allowed him to quickly browse through the extensive content and extract the key information, forming several plans in his mind.
The assistant beside him spoke up, "Sir, the Primitive Sect has deep connections with the Eastern Coast Faction. Could this setback be due to interference from the Strategy Affairs Department?"
Jonas Carlo knew that their swift actions meant the Department couldn't have possibly intervened, even if they had been informed.
But with the appearance of the Primitive Sect and its deep ties to the Eastern Coast Faction, could it be that they were acting on the Faction's behalf? Had they formed some kind of agreement with the Palace Martial Artist from the Great Success Visit Group, leading to their failure? After all, the visit was at the invitation of the Eastern Coast Faction, and the First Delegation was currently engaged in discussions with them at the Government Residency. It wouldn't be surprising if their cooperation ran deep.
Carlo understood that the truth of the matter wasn't important; it only needed to appear reasonable.
Even if the Operations Bureau knew the full story, they wouldn't expose it to maintain internal stability and divert attention. They would likely accept this explanation, allowing him to maintain some dignity.
After considering this, he addressed the young man on the screen, "Gazette, your information was very useful. It helped the branch clarify some crucial doubts."
The young man immediately stood at attention on the screen.
Carlo offered him an encouraging smile and a few words of praise before ending the field call. He quickly stood up, his posture straight as if he had just won a battle. "Send a telegraph to headquarters," he instructed his assistant.
"Yes, sir!"
He swiftly sent a telegraph to headquarters, emphasizing the reasons for their recent setback. Now, it was up to headquarters to respond.
As he waited, he felt a mix of anxiety and calm. He knew that based on his understanding of the Bureau Chief and the bureaucrats at headquarters, they would never admit to any failure or wrongdoing on their part. He was confident that his explanation would be accepted.
He had expected a response in the afternoon, assuming a meeting would be necessary to discuss the issue. But to his surprise, a reply came within five minutes.
This left him puzzled. When the telegraph arrived, he read its contents and furrowed his brow in confusion.
There was no criticism or feedback on his report. Instead, he was instructed to continue monitoring the Voice of Star Spirits in the coming days and take immediate action if there were any changes.
Action?
What action?
He suspected there was something he wasn't aware of.
He turned his attention to the map of the Voice of Star Spirits on the field screen, staring at it intently. A thought suddenly occurred to him.
If that was the case, everything would make sense.
At the Gem Lake end of the Voice of Star Spirits, a large tent capable of accommodating over ten people had been set up. Chen Chuan was inside, meditating in mid-air with his legs crossed, still wearing the Exo-Skeletal Armor.
The armor acted as a resonance nest during his meditation, blocking external distractions and aiding his focus and breathing. It also provided him with protection and early warning.
The more he used the armor, the more it synced with his movements, becoming more responsive to his rhythm and breath. After the battle with Iron Crow and the others, the armor had significantly improved, adapting to his pace and breathing. So, he decided to use it during his meditation.
Over the past three days, all the medicines he had used for his spiritual cultivation came from the Voice of Star Spirits. Although their potency had diminished over time, their initial high quality made them still usable, and there was an abundant supply, allowing him to use them freely for a while.
However, he lacked medicines for spiritual cultivation.
He had checked the storage area on the Divine Aspect side a few days ago and found, as he had suspected, that most of the storage was empty, and the remaining items were not what he needed. Even after searching all the Step Pyramids, there were no leftovers, indicating that in the face of the emergency, these had all been used as sacrificial offerings.
Given this, he didn't dwell on it. He decided to finish and arrange matters here first before figuring out a solution.
He had thought these materials must have come from the Transcendent Beings that the Isutalans had once tamed or revered. It had only been about a hundred years, so these beings might still be around. If he could find them and negotiate a new agreement, he could obtain more from them.
The Isutalans might not need these materials now, but he could offer force protection or exchange goods for them, provided he could locate them.
After several hours, his meditation came to a temporary halt. He checked the time; it was the agreed-upon time for the visit delegation to exchange telegraph messages. He exited the tent and made his way through the mist to the Gem Lake end.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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