Chapter 698: The Rift
Chapter 698: The Rift
Chen Chuan gently caressed the Snow Lady Sword, sensing that it still held residual power. He raised the sword and, with a wave, created a tiny rift barely an inch wide.
Focusing his mind, he swung the sword again, successfully sealing the rift this time.
He repeated this process several times, and after a while, he felt a sense of fatigue emanating from the sword.
This indicated that both the act of creating and sealing rifts consumed the power within the sword, and the altered organization within it also experienced exhaustion.
Upon careful examination, he attributed this to the suppression of the World Ring, which made the energy required to seal the rift significantly less than that needed to create it.
This meant that if he could only create a rift once a day using maximum power, he could seal it two to three times within that period.
This was incredibly useful, as it meant that during his solo cultivation, he could immediately seal the rift if something tried to cross over from the other side or if someone suddenly discovered the anomaly, preventing any potential issues.
With this ability, he didn't need to strictly limit his time to the four-hour maximum; he could afford to extend it a little. If any problems arose, he could promptly close the rift.
Additionally, he didn't need to focus so much attention on monitoring external activity; he could entrust most of it to Chao Ming, significantly improving his cultivation efficiency.
However, he had to consider that there was only a little over a month left until the World Ring closed. When that happened, creating rifts would become more challenging, and the duration of their existence might be further shortened.
The golden time was just over a month, maybe even less.
In that case, he needed to strive for as much progress as possible within this timeframe, even aiming for a breakthrough.
Sheathing the sword, he poured a bottle of liquid onto the charred marks on the ground, instantly corroding the area. Then, he took out a small knife and scraped the residue into a prepared bag.
Whenever a rift appeared, strange things would often occur, so he kept these tools ready to handle any issues promptly. By doing so, he prevented his cultivation traces from leaking and avoided potential subsequent problems.
As for the damage caused, it was perfectly normal for a powerful fighter like Chen Chuan, and no one would think much of it.
After finishing the clean-up, he rang the bell next to the cabin door, signaling the airship crew, who had worked with him multiple times, to return to the Central City.
To be honest, they were also curious about Chen Chuan's cultivation, wondering why he insisted on practicing in the sky. But as experienced company employees, they knew when to ask and when to remain silent.
Upon returning to the Central City, numerous messages appeared in the World Credential. Chen Chuan replied to each one, and one of them, regarding the Allied Heavy Control, caught his attention.
Although the Processing Bureau had diverted most of its surveillance resources to monitor the Linax Federation's diplomatic team and the Union due to the An Dun incident, Chen Chuan hadn't relaxed his surveillance of the Allied Heavy Control.
To ensure control over internal information, he had also been sending personnel to conduct surprise inspections within the company from time to time.
The excuse was readily available—Fan Mo and three team members were proven to be connected to the Allied Heavy Control headquarters, and these individuals had significantly impacted and damaged the security of the Central City. To prevent similar incidents, strict measures were necessary for the branch.
According to the information displayed, the Allied Heavy Control Company had recently submitted an application to enter the Convergence Zone for exploration and to fulfill its support obligations.
While it was called an application, in reality, due to agreements made during the Grand Alliance era and with the cooperation of the City Council, this had become a procedure with little actual power.
It could be said that as long as the company was still recognized by the Central City, any application they submitted would undoubtedly be approved.
Fortunately, regarding the personnel entering the Convergence Zone, the Defense Department and the Processing Bureau still had the authority to review and take action if the list of entrants differed from the submitted application.
After reading the application, Chen Chuan immediately retrieved the personnel list.
He noticed that the two Black Steel-level fighters who had previously served as escort leaders were included in this mission.
Additionally, there were names not recorded in the previous case files, with notes indicating that these individuals were currently en route to the Central City and would arrive in the following days.
However, he felt there was one issue: while Black Steel-level fighters were indeed formidable in regular situations, they might not be enough in the context of the relic's dispute.
Unless they didn't intend to take any action.
But was that possible? After expending so much effort, could the Allied Heavy Control simply be sending these two individuals to explore the Convergence Zone and then return?
Chen Chuan was certain that the Allied Heavy Control had invested more than just these two fighters.
So, with one group of operatives eliminated and the new team not yet fully in place, how would they ensure their military strength?
He paused for a moment, deep in thought, and couldn't help but think of the active conscious entity embryo he had encountered before.
Having clashed with this entity, he had a strong impression of its capabilities, and his instincts immediately drew a connection.
After a moment's thought, he immediately asked An Dun, "An Dun, you mentioned that the embryo of the active consciousness entity itself has no combat power and can only transmit and receive messages. Are there any other technical means to enhance its combat capabilities? I'm asking about those that are not yet mature or only exist in theory."
An Dun replied, "Currently, there is an immature technology that may achieve the effect you described. It involves the fusion of a person with the embryo of an active consciousness entity, thereby achieving a symbiotic relationship and mutual amplification."
"However, the conditions are quite stringent. Firstly, we need someone with a special spiritual talent, and their spirit must resonate with the active consciousness entity to achieve a high success rate in fusion."
"But it's important to note that even with these conditions, under the same circumstances and with the same subject, fusion may not succeed every time. Failure will cause irreversible damage to both parties, reducing the success rate for the next attempt."
"Even if successful, how to separate is also a problem that needs to be solved. According to current research, if this state is maintained for a long time, there is a possibility that both parties will completely merge into one, and the specific impact and consequences afterward are currently unknown based on existing experimental data..."
After listening to An Dun's explanation, Chen Chuan paused for a moment, then quickly brought up the photo of a girl named Yang Ling.
If his previous guess was correct, this Yang Ling possessed certain talents that ordinary people lacked, which just fit the required conditions.
Only such a biological weapon would be qualified to compete with the government and other forces.
Given that there were no other options or possibilities, this inference was the most likely one.
However, the list did not mention the active consciousness entity or Yang Ling's name, and he quickly realized that this was a condition he could exploit. If his speculation was correct, he might be able to disrupt Lian Wei Zhong Yu's possible plan.
He glanced at the time of Lian Wei Zhong Yu's application to enter the Convergence Zone, which was set for 5 PM on October 4th.
After a moment of thought, he reached out and tapped the World Credential, "Attention all teams, there's an important mission coming up, please stay alert for further instructions."
In the underground hall of Lian Wei Zhong Yu, Yang Ling was controlling Narcissus as it fed on high-energy nutrients. Her outer shell was sprouting tendrils that extended into the nutrient storage area, drawing the nutrient liquid towards her.
It was evident that her body had grown significantly larger since she first emerged.
However, a powerful body also meant higher consumption. Here, she had access to nutrient supplements and could even enter a low-consumption state on her own.
But once she entered the Convergence Zone, she would no longer have such conveniences. In theory, Narcissus could capture prey from the Convergence Zone to replenish her energy, but this would take up a large portion of her day, leaving little time for other tasks.
Therefore, Lian Wei Zhong Yu would assign a team to support her, capturing prey and providing logistical support.
All she needed to do was focus on finding relics and dealing with critical enemies. As she fed, Yang Ling felt her mind gradually merging with Narcissus, as if she were becoming one with it, and it with her. This was an inevitable result of the integration of their bodies and spirits.
Perhaps soon, they would truly become indistinguishable from each other. Her human side would completely fade away, and she would transform into a unique active consciousness entity, a biological weapon under the company's control.
Footsteps approached, and a female assistant walked up to her, gazing at the consciousness entity in front of her with fervent eyes. It had grown even larger.
The assistant said, "Miss, the application has been submitted, and the time has been set. Tomorrow evening, we will set off. Everything is arranged, and we will provide you with cover when the time comes."
After seeing the response on the World Credential, she continued, "Miss, you don't need to worry about a shortage of personnel. The second team sent by the headquarters is already waiting outside the city.
Although the Processing Bureau has been closely monitoring our actions through official procedures, this time, we are following the proper process. The arrangement for the fighters complies with safety limits, and at most, they will be released by tomorrow."
At this moment, Narcissus also raised her head to look at the assistant.
The assistant glanced at the World Credential, and her expression turned cold, "Miss, you can rest assured. Once we find what we're looking for, we will help you undo the fusion. Someone with your special talent is currently irreplaceable in the company.
I should also remind you that the duration of the fusion depends entirely on you. If you can find what the company needs quickly, we can undo the fusion sooner."
As she spoke, she leaned forward slightly and then turned away, her high heels clicking as she walked into the dimly lit corridor ahead.
Yang Ling silently watched her leave, and after a moment, she lowered her head and unconsciously swayed Narcissus' tail, continuing to absorb the high-energy nutrient liquid around her.
(End of Chapter)
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