Why Wait for Success to Enjoy Life

Within the Eternal Night. Several dozen li away in the darkness beyond the Fan Domain Yellow Springs Mouth Defense Line, the repelled ghost tide regrouped once more. "..." With a dark, grim look on his face, the Ghost Emperor turned to the trusted confidants gathered around him. He had been careless. The moment he noticed the Yellow Springs Coastal Defense Line was completely deserted, he should have realized something might go awry. A Level 10 defense line. The Yellow Springs Mouth Defense Line had suddenly transformed into a Level 10 defense line. This caught him entirely unprepared, but what troubled him most was having received zero intelligence, not a whisper of advance warning. "My King, what should we do now?" Beside him, one of his close subordinates asked in a raspy, vicious voice, "Should we launch a charge and test our chances?" "After all, this isn't the front line; they won't have stockpiled too many ghost stones. And with us blockading this position, reinforcements from the Eternal Night Hall can't get through either. Maybe we can break them." "..." The Ghost Emperor remained silent, his mind racing as he weighed the feasibility of the proposal. There was a chance! It possessed a degree of viability. After all, the Yellow Springs Mouth region was already overrun. They could move around freely in broad daylight, which meant they could assault the defense line around the clock. The defenders on the Yellow Springs Mouth Defense Line wouldn't be able to scavenge ghost stones during the day. As soon as the defense line ran out of ghost stones, they could surge inward in a single overwhelming rush. This was an advantage they never possessed at the Eternal Night Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1. He looked toward the endless tide of ghost creatures beside him. Though he had fallen into a trap, this was an all-out deployment. Even after making two covert sea crossings, the surviving ghost tide remained terrifying in scale. A front-line ghost tide was never a force to be underestimated. Yet aside from this, a second path remained. Keep crossing in secret. He lowered his head to gaze at the ghost-hide map in his hands. If they continued northward from the Yellow Springs Mouth region, they could slip across the sea into the Guandong Plain. The defense line there couldn't possibly be Level 10. Once they landed there, they could still push onto Western Desolate Isle. Except... They would lose nine out of every ten once again. "My King, let us use the Heaven Array," said the confidant holding a keen blade, a fierce light flashing in his eyes. "I will lead the vanguard." "The Heaven Array?" The Ghost Emperor frowned deeply. The Heaven Array was a method used by the Ghost Clan to descend from their Habitat, the Primordial Continent, down to Jiangbei. However, it could only land troops in occupied territories. They could not drop straight into Jiangbei through the Heaven Array. They could, however, drop right onto the ramparts. A dual assault—by air and by land. Yet the cost was exorbitant. Having already departed their Habitat, returning there would be no simple matter. "Let me think. Don't rush..." He closed his eyes, filtering through the various strategies and concepts he had learned from humanity. Two paths lay before him now. Launch a surprise strike on the Yellow Springs Mouth Defense Line with the Heaven Array. Or cross in secret once more and head for the Guandong Plain. After a long pause, he opened his eyes, looked toward an aged ghost creature standing to one side, and asked in a low voice, "Tell me your thoughts." This ghost creature served as his military counselor. Quite a few ghost creatures had attained sentience, but the degree varied greatly. Some could merely utter human words, while others were capable of deeper contemplation. His military counselor was among the most intelligent, and the Ghost Emperor often listened to his advice. "My King." Hunched over and leaning on a walking stick, his beard white and his voice trembling, the aged ghost creature spoke slowly: "I once heard a human story." "Oh?" The Ghost Emperor took an interest. "Do tell." "Once, there was a wealthy landowner of immense fortune. He worked diligently in his youth and spent his whole life striving. In his twilight years, he finally built an impressive estate. "In his old age, he went for a stroll on the beach. "There he saw a youth lying on the sand, sunbathing and doing nothing at all, which infuriated him. "He strode up and barked, 'Why aren't you working?' "The youth asked, 'Why should I work?' "The landowner said, 'Only by working hard can you become like me, basking in the sun on the beach in your old age after attaining fame and fortune!' "The youth smiled and said, 'Then guess what I'm doing right now?' "My King," the old ghost said, bowing with a rasp, "many things in life don't have to wait until you have attained success and fame." "..." A bolt of lightning seemed to flash through the Ghost Emperor's mind, and he vaguely understood. "Go on!" The old ghost coughed a few times before continuing. "Right now, only two paths seem to lie before us. "Continue crossing in secret to reach the Guandong Plain. "Or throw our entire army into an all-out assault against the Yellow Springs Mouth Defense Line. "However... "My King, when the superiors ordered you to lead every single subordinate in an all-out advance toward Western Desolate Isle, they had in fact already discarded you. After all, you can never go back. "Whether this mission succeeds or fails, you have no way to retreat. "There is something... I do not know if I should say it. "My King, have you carefully considered the superiors' orders? "'Eliminate the unstable elements on the Eternal Night Continent.' That is a long-term plan. Unstable factors take time to develop; even at their fastest, they could never influence the battlefield in a year or two. This implies the superiors intended to wear down the Eternal Night Continent gradually while weeding out anomalies. "Yet they also claimed they would launch a general offensive within the next year or two. That is a short-term plan. If they are already mounting a general offensive, why would they care about minor unstable factors? "The two contradict each other completely. "The ones the superiors wish to eliminate are not those unstable factors." "..." The Ghost Emperor froze in place. He looked up into the darkness above and scratched his neck reflexively. "Then the one they want to eliminate couldn't possibly be me, could it?" "Precisely," the old ghost rasped. "During this rainy season, the superiors ordered numerous frontline ghost tides to eliminate unstable factors through sea crossings that were practically suicidal. Yet they claim they will launch a general offensive in a year or two. The contradiction is glaring. "Barring any unforeseen developments... "The superiors have already begun dividing the spoils. "My King... "You have been cut out of the game." The Ghost Emperor let out a laugh of pure fury. "We haven't even breached the continent, and they're already carving up the spoils?" "Given the current tide of war, the Eternal Night Continent will be taken sooner or later, and I suspect the superiors may have obtained outside aid. Carving up the spoils after total occupation would only be more troublesome. "Otherwise, they would never allow so much military strength to be squandered for nothing. "Of course, it cannot be called a total loss either. After all, they truly have eliminated quite a few unstable factors—both on the Eternal Night Continent and within our Ghost Clan. "My King, have you ever wondered why the Ghost Clan at the Eternal Night Western Black Tortoise Front No. 2 stayed put throughout the rainy season?" "Because there were no unstable factors near them?" the Ghost Emperor frowned. "No. Because their Ghost Emperor is a blood kin of someone at the very top." "Didn't they say our Habitat is on the verge of collapsing?" "...Perhaps that is a lie as well." "..." The Ghost Emperor fell into a long, heavy silence. The revelation was far too shocking; he had never even considered such a possibility. "My King," the old ghost continued slowly, "so there is actually a third path, just as I said. "Whether crossing the sea or storming the line... "What are we fighting for? "To conquer the Eternal Night Continent and possess a land of our own. But right now... do we not already have one?" The old ghost pointed around them. "The Yellow Springs Mouth region has already fallen. This is our land. "This is our home. "Leave the rest to the front lines. We have already pulled back from the front, so attacking defense lines has little to do with us anymore. Our current forces are barely a hundredth of what we set out with. "What defense line could we possibly breach? "Many things do not need to wait until you have attained success and fame. We do not need to conquer the entire Eternal Night Continent to settle down." "But..." The Ghost Emperor frowned. "The ghost envoys will come. When that happens..." "Wait!" He suddenly realized something. Ghost envoys were the means by which the superiors kept them under surveillance. Individual ghost envoys were terrifyingly strong—stronger than him. Whenever a Ghost Emperor refused an order, a ghost envoy would descend. Ghost envoys possessed a natural, overwhelming aura of dread over ghost creatures. He could not command his mindless ghost tides to swarm a ghost envoy. Yet a ghost envoy could not command another's ghost tide either. Furthermore, ghost envoys could only descend on the front lines—that is, within the Breach Zones. A ghost envoy could not descend directly into the Yellow Springs Mouth region. Unable to command a ghost tide, a ghost envoy could never reach this place; without cannon fodder to shield against heavenly lightning, any ghost envoy attempting a covert sea crossing would be courting certain death. Solitude was the fate of a ghost envoy. In other words... He was now beyond the superiors' grasp. Though his forces were drastically diminished, he was a free being. "I see it now!" A grin broke across the Ghost Emperor's face as excitement welled within him. "From now on, we stay right here in the Yellow Springs Mouth region. We go nowhere, launch no assaults, and attempt no sea crossings. We'll merely order a few local ghost creatures to charge the defense line now and then for appearances. "After that, we can sit back and enjoy life in peace. "And the superiors won't be able to say a thing against me. After all, it's a Level 10 defense line—notoriously hard to crack." "Still..." "What about a reckoning after the war?" "There won't be one," the old ghost shook his head. "We still accomplished a military merit. Liquidating someone right after the war ends chills the hearts of the troops. In the meantime, you can curry favor with someone at the top and find an umbrella of protection to secure our peace. "Even if that fails and a reckoning truly comes... "At least we'll have enjoyed a few easy, leisurely years. "Isn't that better than the other two paths?" "True enough." The Ghost Emperor burst into hearty laughter. Suddenly, the gloom before him cleared away, replaced by bright prospects. He turned to look toward that distant Level 10 defense line. Conspiracies from above be damned. From this moment on... He would station himself right here in the Yellow Springs Mouth region. He wasn't going anywhere. To hell with conquering the Eternal Night Continent. He had already claimed the Yellow Springs Mouth region. He was going to bask in the sunlight. Soon, dawn broke. The Ghost Emperor merrily led his ghost tide back into the heart of the Yellow Springs Mouth region, occupying an abandoned city. Standing atop the city walls, he gazed at the faint sunlight filtering through the overcast clouds above. With profound satisfaction, he stretched out his arms and murmured, "So this is what sunlight tastes like. "Delightful." He had spent so much time in the Habitat and on the front lines without ever seeing the sun, and now he was finally beholding it. Indeed. Why wait for success and fame before enjoying life? As long as one had a heart ready for pleasure, success was already at hand. Success need not come from me, but pleasure certainly belongs to me. Behind him, the sentient ghost creatures had already begun claiming houses for themselves. Outside the city, vast swaths of the ghost tide lay on the ground; their armor cast aside, they were already cultivating the fields. "My King," A ghost creature strode forward to report, "The Castellan's Manor has been cleared to serve as your palace. In addition, we found a considerable store of seeds and distributed them so everyone can begin farming. It's just that the lower ranks are somewhat dull-witted and haven't learned how yet." "Fools!" the Ghost Emperor scolded with a hint of irritation. "They can't even manage something as simple as farming? Tell them, if they haven't learned within three days, I'll bury them in the dirt like seeds." Only then did he look up toward the luminous sky rail suspended high in the air. That route... That had to be the logistics line Fan Domain used to transport supplies to the front. "Now that is a bit of a nuisance." The Ghost Emperor frowned slightly. He wasn't worried about the Eternal Night Hall coming to purge them. His ghost tide was a regular force; without a defense line for protection, how could the Eternal Night Hall hope to clear them out? By relying on Nightwatchers? How many Nightwatchers would it take to wipe them out? Fan Domain, however, was another matter. He was somewhat wary of Fan Domain—Fan Domain truly possessed devastating firepower. Just then— The ghost bone inside his robes vibrated faintly. "How goes the progress?" The Ghost Emperor's eyes narrowed. Picking up the ghost bone, he transmitted back, "We encountered an unforeseen complication. The Yellow Springs Mouth Defense Line was upgraded to Level 10. We are currently mounting a fierce assault." "..." Silence lingered on the other end of the ghost bone for a long while, clearly caught off guard by the defense line reaching Level 10. "Is that true?" He curled his lip. "You may send someone to see for yourself." "If you cannot breach a Level 10 defense line, try crossing the sea into the Guandong Plain and landing via Defense Line No. 7." The Ghost Emperor chuckled soundlessly, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes. Did they truly think his subordinates' lives were worthless? A single sea crossing cost nine out of ten lives. How many troops did he have left to throw away like that? He grew increasingly convinced that the superiors had already begun dividing the spoils and weeding out Ghost Emperors who lacked backing. Yet without them, who would fight on the front lines? Could they truly have secured other assistance? Of course, he would not openly tear up the pretense. Instead, adopting a raspy, stubbornly fierce tone, he growled, "Rest assured. Three years—give me just three years, and I will shatter this defense line! "To the death! "If I fail to breach it, I shall present my own head to you!" The communication cut off. The Ghost Emperor chuckled, weighing the ghost bone in his hand. What was the rush? A Level 10 defense line was meant to be fought slowly. *** Meanwhile, Chen Fan had arrived at the Fan Domain Yellow Springs Mouth Defense Line. Standing on the ramparts, he looked out at the ground blanketed with ghost creature corpses beyond the wall, his brow slightly furrowed. This ghost tide had crossed over from the front line. And its scale was enormous. Far larger than the last one. Except... After falling into the ambush once, they had pulled back immediately without launching a second assault. Had they returned to the front? That was impossible. Going back would require two more sea crossings; round trip, they would be practically wiped out before anyone even lifted a finger. That left only two viable options. A brute-force assault. Or continuing their sea crossing to reach the Guandong Plain. He produced a voice transmission talisman from his robes and connected with Defense Line No. 7. "Seventh Elder." "A massive ghost tide might attempt a landing tonight. Be on high alert. If an emergency arises, contact me immediately." "Understood." Just then— High above. Along the sky rail, a Fan Domain high-speed rail car sped toward them, coming to a halt as it passed the Fan Domain Yellow Springs Mouth Defense Line. A member of the Shadow Pavilion stepped down and hurried over to Chen Fan. "Domain Lord." The man was lean and gaunt, his voice trembling slightly. "We have detected large numbers of the ghost tide operating across the Yellow Springs Mouth region. They have already occupied several cities, and they appear to be... clearing land to farm." He had been tasked with tracking the movements of the ghost tide in the Yellow Springs Mouth area, but the spectacle he witnessed from above had stunned him to his core, prompting him to push the train to maximum speed and return immediately. "They've taken root?" Chen Fan paused, taken aback. Farming? In an instant, the truth clicked: this ghost tide had dug in and established roots in Fan Domain territory. No sea crossings. No brute-force assaults. Instead, they had chosen to hold the Yellow Springs Mouth region. He looked down at the ghost-hide map in his hands, gradually deciphering their intentions. This ghost tide had no intention of storming defenses or crossing the sea; they intended to desert. To say they were garrisoning the area was inaccurate. Rather... they were squatting. And by the looks of it, they planned to squat here indefinitely. With a complex expression, Chen Fan glanced at the surviving Shadow Pavilion operative and waved a hand, signaling that he could withdraw. A Ghost Emperor had been present. That this man returned alive was clearly because the Ghost Emperor had stayed his hand; otherwise, survival would have been impossible. Fan Domain's high-speed rail was hardly invincible. The Ghost Emperor wouldn't even need to act personally. A swarm of flying ghost creatures would have been enough to cripple it. This was an exceptional anomaly. He had been analyzing this ghost tide's actions strictly from a strategic standpoint, completely overlooking the fact that their leader possessed sentience. No one willingly threw their life away for nothing. Even if a suicidal sacrifice benefited the Ghost Clan as a whole, it offered zero benefit to the individual. Sacrificing oneself for the greater good. Very few beings could truly bring themselves to do that. "What should we do now?" Chen Fan rubbed his temples with a sigh. Originally, he had tossed the dilemma onto the enemy: after enduring an agonizing sea crossing to reach the Guandong Plain, they would have been greeted by a sudden Level 9 defense line. Their expressions would have been priceless. Yet now, the enemy had thrown the dilemma right back at him. A defense line was, by definition, built for defense. If the enemy refused to attack, the defense line became utterly useless. By hunkering down in the Yellow Springs Mouth region, they choked off his vital artery of communication with the outside world, leaving Western Desolate Isle an isolated island. This ghost tide had to be eliminated. With Heaven-Reaching Pillars? How many would that take? According to the Shadow Pavilion operative's report, the ghost tide was scattered across the entire Yellow Springs Mouth region. Bombarding the whole territory was out of the question; they would have to concentrate strikes on several key cities to eliminate the Ghost Emperor first. The remaining masterless ghost tide could then be mopped up gradually. That would consume immense time and energy. Or perhaps... Extend the Jiangbei Defense Line and roll it forward. In any case... This ghost tide had to be dealt with, lest Western Desolate Isle truly be isolated and trapped in this corner. The offensive and defensive roles had flipped. That was hardly good news. Fan Domain wasn't particularly suited for offensive warfare. Strictly speaking, no faction was; the Ghost Clan had always been the attacker, while everyone else defended. Just then— "Enemy attack!" Shouts erupted from the wall around him. Through the lead-gray veil of rain ahead, a single ghost creature sprinted toward them. By routine, a second, third, and fourth should have followed close behind, and yet... eh? Even as the ghost creature reached the base of the ramparts, no other ghost creatures appeared. Only this lone creature charged the defense line. In its left hand, it held aloft a white flag. In its right, a sheet of cowhide paper. Dropping the paper on the spot, it turned around and sprinted back into the rain. "What is going on here?" Standing nearby, Binghou frowned. "As expected of a frontline ghost tide. Even issuing an official declaration of war before fighting. Quite refined." "You there, go bring up that declaration." Before long, the sheet of cowhide paper was delivered into Chen Fan's hands. A few brief lines of text: "Jiuwu's Truce Proclamation." "Ghost Emperor Jiuwu addresses the Fan Domain." "We command millions of troops, yet the Heavenly Dao cherishes life. We hereby express our desire to lay down our arms and take the territory of Yellow Springs Mouth as our boundary, encroaching upon one another no more. Our forces shall not disrupt your supply lines, and your lord shall wage no unprovoked war. "Yin and Yang follow their respective paths; Heaven and Earth accommodate all." "..." Chen Fan stood in silence, his face expressionless. This was the first time he had ever received a peace proposal from a ghost creature. He had to admit, this Ghost Emperor possessed higher intellect than any other ghost creature he had encountered. He had even learned to wield literary flourishes. The fellow truly intended to desert. No more fighting. He was simply going to settle down in the Yellow Springs Mouth region. To Chen Fan, this wasn't purely good, nor was it purely bad. It just felt bizarre—the most surreal experience he had had with a ghost creature in all these years. "Young Master," Quehou also looked utterly bewildered after seeing the letter. "Do we accept?" "Hold our ground for now," Chen Fan said after a moment's reflection. "We are the ones who need time to develop. If they aren't in a hurry, we certainly aren't either. Let's run a few empty trains first and see how they react. "And send a reply while we're at it. "I want some sincerity. "For example... "Their roster of spies." *** "Will this really work?" The Ghost Emperor stood on the city wall, feeling rather uncertain as he conferred with his advisors. Discarded drafts littered the ground around them; they had debated for a long time to craft that truce letter. After all, it represented his cultural refinement. He couldn't afford to lose face. The greatest difference between the Ghost Clan and mindless ghost tides was that they understood culture. "Let us test the waters," the old ghost rasped. "From a human perspective, they certainly wouldn't agree, as humans would never permit the Eternal Night Continent to be occupied, not even a single region. "Yet humans are individuals, not a unified whole. "So long as we do not excessively infringe upon Fan Domain's interests, Fan Domain shouldn't initiate an attack on its own." "..." The Ghost Emperor fell silent for a long time before gazing up at the curtain of rain beneath the gloomy clouds, murmuring, "The world is so vast, yet finding a place to dwell is so hard. "I wonder what lies on the other side of the sea." "My King, do not indulge your curiosity. Not a single ghost creature who grew curious about that ever returned." "True enough." The Ghost Emperor nodded, then glanced toward the seeds buried in the nearby soil, his interest reigniting. "I should be curious about when these seeds will ripen instead." This was his first time farming. It felt novel. Truly miraculous. Burying such a tiny seed in the dirt could yield so many things. Just then, a Fan Domain high-speed rail car rushed past along the sky rail overhead, and a letter drifted slowly downward. "..." The Ghost Emperor's pupils contracted. With a sweep of his sleeve, the drifting envelope shot rapidly into his grasp. He opened it to read: "Fan Domain's Reply." "Peace requires a pledge. Deliver the roster of your covert operatives who have infiltrated our borders to verify your sincerity. On the day the registry arrives, a white feather shall serve as our covenant, whereupon border matters may be discussed further." "..." The Ghost Emperor furrowed his brows and read through it several times. Once he understood that they wanted him to surrender the spy registry, he let out a long sigh of relief. It seemed Fan Domain was willing to negotiate. A few terms were no problem at all. He cleared his throat immediately and spoke, "Counselor, I will dictate, you write. "The spies are as follows: "'Zhang Yi, Deputy Minister of Military Intelligence at the Eternal Night Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1.' "'Qi Tong, Head of Logistics Section Nine at the Eternal Night Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1.' "'Eternal Night Western...'" After rattling off over a dozen names in one breath, he added, "Remember to polish the wording for me so it sounds cultured." "Understood." *** "..." Chen Fan looked down at the new letter delivered by the Ghost Emperor. "Registry of Covert Agents." "Black Tortoise Front No. 1, Deputy Emissary of the Military Intelligence Office, Zhang Yi." "Same front, Head of Logistics Section Nine, Qi Tong." "..." Over a dozen names lined the page. "That's quite a haul." Chen Fan's eyes narrowed slightly as he passed the letter in his hand to the monkey beside him. "Send this to Shao Qiu. Have our Shadow Pavilion operatives embedded on the front line use this roster to claim merits." Long ago, he had dispatched a cadre of Shadow Pavilion operatives to join the Eternal Night Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1. Now, they could ride this roster straight up the ranks. Perhaps they could climb to fairly prominent positions. "Domain Lord," Unable to hold back any longer, Old Wang spoke up, "Are we truly making peace with this ghost tide?" "..." Chen Fan glanced at Old Wang, the outpost's commander, and said softly, "Don't be so rigid. If the Ghost Clan can plant spies among us, why can't we plant spies within the Ghost Clan? "A battle will have to be fought sooner or later. "But before total war erupts, planting a spy hardly means we've surrendered." "Understood." Old Wang nodded with lingering reluctance, still having trouble stomaching the idea of negotiating with ghost creatures. "Let's go." Chen Fan turned toward the flying boat docked on the ramparts. "I'm heading back first. Contact me immediately if there is any news." *** In the blink of an eye, several days slipped by. The rainy season came to an end. When the sun rose into the sky, it signaled that another rainy season had passed safely. Chen Fan looked up. Before long, just like last time, rain began to fall from the heavens. It was still emerald-green. However, this time it was not a torrential downpour, but sporadic pillars of rain showering down on select individuals—exceedingly sparse, nowhere near the scale of the previous occurrence. Nor did any interface panel appear. He merely felt his body become somewhat more comfortable. "..." Chen Fan looked up. He observed carefully this time; while his pillar of rain was indeed larger than the others, it contained no trace of golden aura. In other words, this blessing from the Heavenly Dao fell far short of the last. Could the previous blessing have been an accumulation built up by Jiangbei over many years, granted all at once? Or was there another cause? "No matter." He stretched his limbs, worked out the stiffness in his body, and walked toward the nearby Spirit Reservoir Pavilion, preparing to cultivate for a bit. In a few days, he needed to make a journey. He intended to investigate the Eternal Night hinterlands. All this time, he had never visited the hinterlands. Now that the rainy season had ended, he planned to see what the situation looked like and whether any opportunities awaited. Over these past few days, the sky rail above the Yellow Springs Mouth region had operated as usual. Jiuwu had indeed kept his word and refrained from attacking it. Jiuwu... Why had he chosen that name? Could he have read about the 'supreme of nine and five' in some ancient tome? Did he not know that without an exceptionally formidable destiny, one could never bear such a name? It was also worth noting that the Eternal Night Hall had dispatched personnel, intending to clear the ghost tides in the Yellow Springs Mouth region as usual and reclaim the Yellow Springs Coastal Defense Line. Yet the moment they laid eyes on the scale of the ghost tide, they turned back without a second thought. A ghost tide of such scale and strength was no longer something mere Nightwatchers and flying boats could purge. The region was considered completely lost. Fortunately, the only breach connecting this territory to other lands was the Yellow Springs Mouth Canyon. With Fan Domain's defense line guarding it, there was no fear of this ghost tide spilling into other regions. *** Eternal Night Western Black Tortoise Front No. 1. "Erdan!" A middle-aged man looked excitedly at the gaunt man before him. "Your appointment has arrived! Thanks to your outstanding performance, you've been granted exceptional admission into the Eternal Night Hall Western Operations Team! You're the very first non-special cultivator they've taken in. Word has it they brought you on specifically to hunt down spies. "Your opportunities to claim merit will only grow from here!" "...Eh?" Erdan froze on the spot. Huh? According to the plan, he was supposed to climb into the management of the Black Tortoise Front No. 1 through his merits. How had he ended up assigned to the Operations Team? He had only caught those spies because of intelligence sent from Fan Domain. Once inside the Operations Team, where was he supposed to get intelligence? He would be exposed in no time! Just then— A flying boat swiftly docked at the edge of the ramparts. Tian Yi, dressed in simple hemp robes, strode forward. His gaze settled quickly on Erdan, and he rasped as he approached, "You've received your appointment, I presume. "I am already aware of your background. You joined the front lines after last year's rainy season, your record is clean, and over the past year, your meticulous observation allowed you to catch three spies in succession. "Your eye for detail is extraordinary. "Now, observe me. Within three breaths, tell me what you discern." This was Tian Yi's test to rule out foul play. Tian Yi was now the acting head of the Eternal Night Hall Western Operations Team. Though only acting, everyone already treated him as the official head. His conduct had grown increasingly steady, shedding his past impetuousness. "..." Erdan remained silent for several breaths before speaking. "Just now, your neck felt itchy, and you instinctively slapped it with your palm. "When an ordinary person feels an itch, their first reaction is to scratch, not slap. "Slapping is a habitual movement of a Fire-Walker Sun, used to extinguish sparks bursting from the body. Therefore, I venture to guess you must be a special cultivator: a Fire-Walker Sun. "However, I see none of the characteristic scars of a Fire-Walker Sun on your person, which leads me to believe you were once a Fire-Walker Sun. "You either lost that special status later on, or you remedied the weaknesses inherent to a Fire-Walker Sun. "I lean toward the latter. "The rainy season has just passed, and winter is upon us." Erdan pointed to the others on the defense line. "Everyone else is wearing padded winter coats, yet you wear only thin hemp, indicating an abundance of internal fire. "And anyone capable of remedying the defects of a Fire-Walker Sun would hold no small standing within the Operations Team. I deduce you are at least at the level of a deputy head. "That is the extent of my observations." "Oh?" A flicker of surprise crossed Tian Yi's eyes. In recent years, the Operations Team had begun aggressively rooting out traitors, though it had not originally been established for counter-espionage. They required specialized talent, which led them to recruit capable individuals from various fronts. The man before him was genuinely impressive. With a mere glance, he had deduced so much, and his reasoning was grounded and persuasive. "Fascinating," Tian Yi chuckled. "To think that on the front lines, a cook could catch three spies. That observation of yours truly is remarkable." "I dare not accept such praise," Erdan replied with modest deference. He truly didn't dare. How could he not know who Tian Yi was? Working backward from the answer to deduce the steps made it easy to sound brilliant. "Come with me. "There are two others I need to bring along as well. Like you, their powers of observation are keen. "Tell me, how did you spot those spies while serving as a cook?" "It was actually simple," Erdan explained earnestly. "Because of Fan Domain's aid, the meals on the front line are quite good. Whenever it's time to eat, everyone digs in happily, but there were always a few who ate absently. At first, I thought the food wasn't to their liking. "So I watched them closely. "Gradually, I began to notice slips." "Impressive," Tian Yi laughed approvingly. Soon, he walked up to the next candidate, flipping through the cowhide sheet in his hands. "Zhang Fei, is it? You uncovered three spies in one go at the tail end of the rainy season. Your report also notes exceptional insight. "I give you three breaths to observe me. "Tell me what you see." "..." Erdan stared straight ahead, his eyes never meeting Zhang Fei's, though the corner of his mouth twitched internally. What were they to do now? Going to the Eternal Night Hall would surely blow their cover. After three breaths, Zhang Fei spoke briskly. "I deduce that you must be a Fire-Walker Sun, and..." He rattled off a lengthy breakdown almost identical to what Erdan had said. "..." Tian Yi looked at himself with suspicion. Was his identity as a Fire-Walker Sun really that obvious? "Erdan noticed my identity through my thin clothing and my instinctive neck slap. Where did you spot it?" "From the movement of your neck slap," Zhang Fei said evenly. "You weren't far from me just now, and I had already begun observing you from that moment. I instinctively pay attention to any unexpected development." "Good observation. "Come, there's one more." Tian Yi walked over to another candidate not far away and proactively introduced himself: "I am the acting head of the Eternal Night Hall Western Operations Team, the special cultivator Fire-Walker Sun. "Observe me for three breaths and tell me what you see." Having revealed his identity upfront this time, he wanted to see what else might be noticed. Three breaths later, the rather chubby, simple-looking man spoke. "Sir, you are a virgin who has never experienced carnal pleasures." "..." Tian Yi's face darkened slightly. "Accurate. Explain your deduction." "Scent," The chubby man chuckled naively. "I can smell the pristine scent of a virgin on a human body. Back then, it was because I smelled that scent on a man who frequently slipped into brothels that I grew suspicious." "Remarkable ability." Tian Yi lowered his head reflexively to sniff his own arm, then looked back at the man. "The world truly holds all manner of wonders. Come with me. "From this day forth, the three of you are special members of the Eternal Night Hall Western Operations Team, tasked with purging all traitors throughout the western region." With that, Tian Yi turned and walked toward the flying boat. The three exchanged subtle, fleeting glances. Erdan and Zhang Fei, looking at the chubby man, couldn't help twitching their lips. This chubby man was named Wang Xu. Like them, he was an operative of Fan Domain's Shadow Pavilion. The two of them could still blag their way through things once they reached the Eternal Night Hall. But as for Wang Xu, fabricating an ability like that—how on earth was he going to back it up? He couldn't genuinely smell anything; the intelligence had come straight from Fan Domain! More importantly... They didn't even know if the Domain Lord had extended signal towers into the Eternal Night hinterlands. If they lost contact with Fan Domain, they would be completely doomed. Yet Wang Xu showed no sign of worry. He simply grinned amiably, even putting on the appearance of trying to bond with his new colleagues as he chimed in, "You two are virgins too." "Heh, heh." The other two gave dry laughs. Oh Domain Lord, was having all of them infiltrate the Operations Team part of your master plan too? If it was, couldn't you have assigned a more reliable partner? This guy was bound to blow his cover at any moment! *** "Blow their cover?" "Blowing open is good! When a few dumplings burst open in the pot, the broth only tastes richer." Fan Domain, Nameless Mountain. Chen Fan stood beside the stove, personally supervising the cook boiling dumplings. The rainy season had ended, and by tradition, a meal of dumplings was in order. Thus, everyone in Fan Domain was eating dumplings today. Even those who disliked them had to eat them. After all, he was the Domain Lord, and this was the meal of the day—eat it or go hungry. "Domain Lord," Just then, Wang Kui walked over to report, "The personnel for this covert inspection have all been arranged. Qi Yue will be responsible for close protection, while Shao Qiu will lead a detachment of Shadow Pavilion members to travel alongside us and deploy along the way. "Weiwei will accompany us as well. "The storage rings have been filled with high-grade ghost stones, approximately one hundred million in total." "Good." Chen Fan nodded, his gaze remaining fixed on the dumplings floating up in the pot. This journey would take him quite far, so to maintain communication with Fan Domain, signal towers had to be erected along the route. Far from Fan Domain, surface towers would lack maintenance, so he had to bring Weiwei along to bury the signal towers underground. Having stepped beyond Fan Domain territory, he could no longer draw upon ghost stones directly from Fan Domain's warehouses through copper pipes, necessitating an ample supply on hand. On this journey, he would not use his identity as the Jiangbei Fan Domain lord, keeping as low a profile as possible. His primary goal was to see the conditions in the Eternal Night hinterlands. Compared to the coastal regions, the hinterlands were considerably safer. One hundred million ghost stones. Should any unexpected situation arise, that ought to be plenty. Outside of full-scale warfare, squandering one hundred million ghost stones on daily expenses would last virtually a lifetime. War was different; war burned through wealth. "Right," Chen Fan recalled something and asked casually, "Any word from the New Continent Commerce Pavilion yet?" "None for the moment." "Alright, let's eat first." Looking at the dumplings bobbing in the boiling water, he grinned. "Everything else can wait until our bellies are full." He had few hobbies in this life. Dumplings were one. A person had to have some hobby, an indulgence, or even a peculiar habit. Even if it were an unrefined preference like an obsession with delicate feet, opera listening, or sleeping in. Otherwise... Life would simply be far too dull.