Old Lou could probably never have imagined that while he enjoyed the quiet peace of the assembly line, someone else was out there bearing heavy burdens on his behalf.
As the consummate partner, Ji Jue had always contributed silently, never boasting of his meager achievements.
He merely brought out a burlap sack in silence, ruthlessly fleecing the place for all it was worth.
If you don't fleece a free sheep, you're a fool!
One could only sigh at the unpredictable turns of fate. Never in a million years would he have dreamed that after gutting the Imperial garrison warehouse, he would one day turn right around and fleece the Federation garrison warehouse in broad daylight...
This time, there was no need for sneaky infiltration. He walked straight through the front door.
They had even flirtatiously offered him sweet water!
While weapons of mass destruction weren't up for grabs, Ji Jue showed no mercy toward the vast collection of materials the garrison had scraped together across the Mid-Continent over the decades.
The military certainly knew how to throw its weight around. Loaded with cash! Utterly rolling in dough!
If it wasn't premium quality, it didn't even make it into the storehouse. Anything tucked away and meticulously preserved in dedicated vaults was the kind of rarity that commanded priceless market value at the Association and couldn't be bought for any bounty in the Wilderness Market.
A chunk of raw Fleeting Hydro-Jade the size of a human head—a precious material of the Desolate Ruins lineage—stuffed into the sack first to claim some space. Two arm-thick sticks of natural Light Condensation Crystals—superb natural spiritus conductors and carriers—tossed in to sample the flavor. A chunk of Resurgence Woodcore so massive it could be carved into a coffin for Fan Yun—an invaluable base for bio-alchemical transmutations—cut in half to take home for firewood.
What? A Skull of Bloodcurse? Such a wicked, heinous material had to be solemnly gathered and sealed to keep it from harming the mortal realm! Hmm, Barren Scourge Dust? A property mutation he hadn't seen before—he'd take half first, and if it worked well, come back for the rest!
Legitimate or illicit, aboveboard or contraband, whatever the material was, if it caught his eye, there was only one word: 'Fight!'
How dare it flaunt itself before his eyes? That wasn't just a regular provocation—it demanded a heavy-handed strike!
Like a rat slipping into a grain silo, Ji Jue dragged his burlap sack along, picking and choosing without an ounce of shame or restraint.
Money? When had he ever paid when eating at the Imperial garrison base?
Back when the Ring of Taiyi was founded, that old bastard Tianlu had already paid his tab!
Once one sack was full, he swapped to another, packing, packing, packing!
Watching Ji Jue tear through the place like a rabid dog, the supervising artisan broke into a cold sweat, trailing behind him like an ant on a hot pan.
"Bro, stop taking stuff, please stop..." he pleaded earnestly. "It's already way too much. Any more and I won't be able to account for it."
"It's not that I want to take it; the problem is I have to,"
Ji Jue sighed helplessly. "Think about it. It doesn't matter if I take a little less, but what if taking less delays the Federation's mission? If the Association finds out, they'll think our Federation can't afford to pay!"
As he spoke, he snatched a broken sword from a secure vault and shoved it toward his pocket. The artisan clamped his hands onto it with all his might, sweating bullets and shaking his head furiously. "Not this one, definitely not this one! Big brother, the Masterworks in the warehouse are all cataloged! Even if I give it to you, you won't make it out the door with it!"
"What? A Masterwork? Sorry, didn't recognize it."
Ji Jue reacted a beat too late, slapping his forehead. "Ah, sigh... just happened to grab it..."
No matter how remorsefully he sighed, his grip on the broken sword remained clamped like an iron vise, refusing to budge. Only after the supervising artisan strained with every ounce of strength did he finally pry it loose, only to see Ji Jue darting off in another direction.
Darkness washed over the artisan's vision.
*Take it, just take it, you living ancestor!*
*Let's see how you plan on walking out after this!*
*Once you trigger the alarms, you'll see how fun it gets!*
In the end, Ji Jue dragged an entire cart loaded with bulging burlap sacks, looking like a villager returning from a bustling market fair, and strutted right out of the warehouse in broad daylight with an arrogant swagger.
He even flashed a grinning thumbs-up at the surveillance camera.
"—Five stars! Definitely coming back next time!"
He hadn't touched a single Masterwork, nor had he bothered much with the blessed relics stored in the base.
He had taken raw materials, through and through.
And he specifically went for the viciously good stuff—either absurdly rare commodities impossible to buy on the open market, or outrageously expensive luxury goods with zero cost-performance ratio.
The deficit for Isis's upcoming maintenance and upgrades had mostly been bridged right here. What about the rest? Wasn't there still the Imperial garrison base from before?
That was how one practiced frugal homemaking!
Save where you must, spend where you should.
After waving the banners of the Association and the military and repeatedly pushing Fan Yun's blood pressure and tolerance to their absolute limits, Ji Jue returned laden with spoils. He thumped his chest and guaranteed, "A mere vanguard mission is nothing to speak of, General. Taking down that tiny Kingdom of the Woods will be a walk in the park."
As the saying went: *In the hour of peril, entrusted by the Federation, plunging through boiling water and braving fierce fire, sparing not this body.*
As for where the peril came from or who brought the water and fire, don't ask!
Just say thank you.
"Then we shall trouble the Ring of Taiyi and Mr. Ji with the vanguard expedition's work."
Fan Yun pinched his nose, swallowing the rising disgust in his gut, and forced an amiable smile to his face, shaking hands and seeing Ji Jue off.
Once back inside, he spent half an hour washing his hands.
Foul luck!
How had he ever let such a creature in...?
He truly was the 'old turtle' Passarella had called him. His composure and patience were extraordinarily rare; even though inwardly he wanted nothing more than to tear this bastard to shreds, his expression remained genial and warm throughout. If Ji Jue's instincts hadn't constantly alerted him to Fan Yun's ever-mounting disgust, Ji Jue might have actually thought the old dog was quite decent.
To Fan Yun, someone like Ji Jue, used as chum to bait the waters, was practically half a dead man already, wasn't he?
Perhaps half the items taken today were considered advance condolence pay.
Whether it was a loss or a gain, that was life—endure it and it would pass.
If you can take it, then take some more!
This time, Tianyuan's speed was absurdly fast. Things decided yesterday were already prepped today; the six vanguard units across the Empire and Federation had completed their assembly.
At noon the next day, after a meal, the high-grade line-fillers—who couldn't tell whether they were a vanguard or live bait—officially set off.
A grand convoy wound its way into the distance.
Different units had different leaders. The three Federation vanguard teams were led by old acquaintances from the Security Bureau: Tong Shan, Xu Ranshuang, and Jin Wuyan.
Old Man Lin at least had some situational awareness; he hadn't shoved Ji Jue into Jin Wuyan's squad, saving them from having one of them end up dead the next morning with five bullets in the back.
His partner remained his old friend Tong Shan.
In addition to the Celestial Chosen of the Security Bureau, they were accompanied by a White Stag member as a guide.
"Yes, that's right, it's me!"
An Ning thumped her chest, standing proud with hands on her hips and a cheerful cackle. "Surprised? Shocked?!"
"Reporting, guide,"
Ji Jue raised his hand. "Can you swap out for your uncle?"
"No way."
An Ning crossed her arms, mimicking an entertainment show's buzzer noise. "My uncles are busy having fun killing wolves. Who has Federation time to waste on babysitting you?"
With that, she glared at him and asked, "Besides, I came specifically to provide close personal protection! What's with that autocannon of yours?!"
"Huh? What auto..."
Ji Jue looked back blankly, only to see that the autocannon mounted on Little Niuma's frame had already completed pre-heating and target acquisition on its own. He hastily canceled it.
Behind the cabin window, a delicate white blossom on the table swayed slightly.
*Isis, don't mess around...*
Ji Jue sighed, feeling that this expedition might be rather fraught with misadventures.
"A world of our own, just the two of us!"
An Ning was already humming as she squeezed into the cabin, swaggering right into the passenger seat. She snapped photos incessantly and leaned toward the vase, full of curiosity.
"Ji Jue, you keep flowers?"
"Ah, well... sort of." The corner of Ji Jue's eye twitched as he coughed twice. "I casually keep her, and she casually keeps me."
"Eh?"
An Ning rested her chin on the table, examining it without fully understanding. Used to Ji Jue saying things she couldn't parse, she paid it no mind and instead raised her hand enthusiastically. "I can keep you too, Ji Jue!
I'll go work in the Wilderness Market to provide for you!"
Ji Jue knocked her lightly on the forehead in exasperation. "Don't step on my sofa. Sit properly."
"Oh..."
Before departure, everyone was called in for a meeting.
The main purpose was to introduce Ji Jue to his upcoming teammates, and clarify the vanguard's specific objectives and precautions.
Besides the siblings Ji Liu and Ji Xue, there were quite a few new faces. After Ji Jue met them all, they exchanged business cards and contact information.
Those chosen for this team were essentially the backbone and elite of the Security Bureau, and several had patronized Ji Jue's business before.
They showed no hostility toward his presence; on the contrary, they welcomed him warmly.
After all, they were about to venture deep into the Kingdom of the Woods on a life-or-death mission, carrying their heads on their belts. To have a craftsman ready to service their gear at any moment, along with a White Stag guide—only an idiot would scowl at that.
"Since everyone knows each other, let's get straight to it,"
Tong Shan said candidly inside the spacious cabin. "First, some news that might disappoint you: although all vanguard units are venturing into the Kingdom of the Woods to scout, our specific tasks differ.
"The true core is Supervisor Xu's convoy. They will serve as our strategic fulcrum, scouting a suitable position within the Kingdom of the Woods to establish a forward base. Supervisor Jin's unit will act as the mobile detachment, guarding our flanks and dealing with harassment. Our convoy's primary role is to serve as the point unit, blazing the trail.
"There's no need for me to explain how grim the situation is. I hope everyone is prepared."
Tong Shan paused, then said solemnly, "Although you've heard this before coming here, I will reiterate it once more: if anyone feels the mission is too arduous and beyond their capability, we haven't set off yet. There's still time to back out. But once we enter the Kingdom of the Woods, there is no turning back."
In the silent cabin, everyone's expressions shifted subtly, revealing nothing, yet in the end, not a single person stepped forward to withdraw.
"Very well. My thanks to everyone for standing by your duty."
Tong Shan nodded, his expression softening slightly. "Commendations, allowances, and pensions need not be reiterated; Director Lin has spoken of them many times.
"What I can promise is that all spoils acquired during this operation need not be turned in; you may dispose of them as you see fit. However, the prerequisite is that everything must undergo inspection—this is for your own safety. Everyone understands that, right?"
As soon as he spoke, following a brief silence, everyone exchanged glances and couldn't help showing hints of delight, immediately breaking into applause and cheers.
While keeping spoils on the side was something everyone had done to some degree, a leader who openly declared that all spoils could be kept without surrendering anything—and promised to shoulder the blame if anything went wrong—was genuinely rare!
He truly looked out for the brothers' welfare!
"Furthermore—"
Tong Shan paused and gestured toward Ji Jue. "You all know Mr. Ji. As a Tianyuan myself, I'm in no position to evaluate how high his craftsman skill reaches, but as this year's Chief Artisan with two Golden Ribbons to his name, you all know the weight he carries.
"For this mission, beyond necessary equipment maintenance, requisitions, and consumables covered by the Security Bureau, all official expenses incurred by anyone on this team along the way will be covered entirely by me. Consider it a modest subsidy from me to my brothers."
Instantly, thunderous roars of celebration erupted.
Eyes widened in sheer delight as everyone clapped and shouted enthusiastically, "Brother Shan is awesome! Brother Shan is generous!"
"Mr. Ji,"
Tong Shan looked over with a half-smile. "Care to say a few words?"
"What Brother Shan said goes for me too,"
Ji Jue smiled placidly. "Blessed relic maintenance and tuning, alchemical custom orders, and loot appraisal and salvage—feel free to come to me for all of it. Consumables like alchemy bullets will be provided free of charge.
"You can all flip through this service catalog later. We're all grasshoppers on the same rope, so don't be polite. There's only one favor I'd ask of you."
He paused, and under the peculiar gazes of his old acquaintances, let out a self-deprecating sigh. "A craftsman's self-defense capability is, after all, somewhat lacking. I'll have to rely on everyone's protection moving forward. I only hope you won't look down on me."
For a moment, vows and assurances rang without end: *Ji Jue is my brother; where I stand, my brother stands; as long as I draw breath, you won't lose a single hair.*
Impassioned, stirring declarations filled the air.
Only Tong Shan looked sideways at the weak, helpless, and pitiable craftsman, utterly at a loss for words.
*If this bastard lifted a finger, he could wipe out at least half the people here... and the only reason he'd leave the other half alive is to wait for them to say thank you!*
A responsible leader, a generous craftsman, discounted rates, and a bright financial horizon—stimulated from every angle, the team's somewhat subdued morale soared in an instant.
Soon, the fully prepped convoy entered the wasteland, pressing forward.
Along the way, one could occasionally spot convoys of varying sizes. They departed with soaring spirits, only to return battered and broken, their side plating spattered with gore.
Yet neither setbacks nor damage dampened the enthusiasm of those heading out.
If the prospect of ascension already had everyone champing at the bit, then the dual bounties posted by the Federation, Empire, and Wilderness Market against the White Nation Restoration Front and the wolves were like a ladle of boiling phlogiston poured over blazing flames...
Even on the playing cards used by vanguard members to pass the dull hours in the cabins, bounties from every faction were printed across the faces.
Ji Jue had several such decks in his possession.
Beyond money, the Federation, Empire, and Wilderness Market had put up massive reserves of resources and inheritances as rewards. Even if no one genuinely expected someone to resolve the crisis solely for these bounties, it was more than enough to drive all arriving Celestial Chosen to tear into the wolves without regard for their own lives.
The Jokers of the deck were none other than Ensul, the leader of the White Nation Restoration Front, and his confidant Shehri.
The Aces, Kings, Queens, and Jacks depicted senior figures like Burhush and Razzaz, as well as veteran wolves whose presence in the Kingdom of the Woods had been confirmed.
Yet, this pouring of fuel on the fire... was it fueling the Celestial Chosen, or the Kingdom of the Woods?
Even if slaughter was inevitable, ramping up the intensity at this moment—whether to quickly prune down the scale of the White Nation wolf pack or to accelerate the gestation of the third Wolf Sin—was truly hard to say.
Regardless, Ji Jue never expected the Federation to hatch any clean schemes.
Did either of these two superpowers possess any bottom line to speak of?
Besides, a weakened White Stag truly benefited Tianyuan, didn't it?
To indulge in malicious speculation: if he were the Federation, he might also seize this opportunity to suppress the White Stag further, fragmenting the Wilderness Market even more.
It would prevent the White Stag from regaining full strength and re-enacting another Tianyuan White Stag Turmoil.
After the last confrontation between Tianyuan and the White Stag, the Wilderness Market had ended its civil strife by establishing the Twelve Leaders system. While this made the organization far more nimble and expansive, buffering many internal conflicts—and presenting a hydra where severing one head sprouted two, leaving enemies nowhere to strike—it also prevented internal unification. Yet if another fierce round of infighting erupted and produced an extraordinary hero capable of subjugating all the leaders, it might catalyze a White Stag Monarch and achieve unification once more.
Faced with such an old rival, Tianyuan had every reason to stay guarded.
Moreover, after their clash last time, Tianyuan's victory could only be described as a stroke of luck.
The White Stag hadn't lost on numbers or battle formations; they had lost to the tide of history. Not long after the fall of the Eternal Dynasty, numerous calamities began to sprout, and the populace yearned for stability and peace, leaving the White Stag naturally half a step behind Tianyuan.
In today's world, though the White Stag appeared silent and low-profile, how terrifying they would be once they bared their fangs was something nobody could say for sure.
Whether this was kicking a dog while it was down or adding flowers to a brocade would remain impossible to discern until the dust settled.
The Federation and the Empire weren't fools, and the Wilderness Market held no idiots either.
What the higher-ups on either side truly thought was beyond Ji Jue's sight, so he simply stopped dwelling on it.
Amid these fragmented thoughts, the Kingdom of the Woods finally came into view.
In the void, a pillar of golden light spanning heaven and earth flickered faintly, clamping tightly around the ever-expanding giant tree.
The colossal tree manifested by Shangri-La, initially pale gray, had gradually taken on a crimson hue. Along its boughs, clusters of scarlet flowers had sprouted, poised like buds awaiting bloom.
The closer they drew, the more palpable the abnormal aura became... along with a faint thread of hunger stirring within his lungs.
An Ning sat in the passenger seat, silent.
Yet her demeanor clearly signaled a stress response; otherwise, she would have seized the opportunity to pester Ji Jue relentlessly.
Finally, after a brief rest and realignment, confirming their positions via spiritus communication, Tong Shan's squad took the lead and plunged into the shackled Kingdom of the Woods!
*Snap!*
Amid a faint click that felt like a hallucination, Ji Jue felt darkness fall before his eyes. The cloudless blue sky abruptly turned into a tangible gloom.
Even though the blazing sun shone right behind them, it could not pierce the dark clouds and shadows of the Kingdom of the Woods.
It hadn't reached the point where one couldn't see one's own fingers, but such pure darkness and oppression caused everyone's breath to hitch, tension coiling tight.
Deeper within the shadows, thunder rumbled across the firmament.
The tempest howled.
The barren wilderness was void of life.
In Little Niuma's driver's seat, Ji Jue subconsciously adjusted his grip on the steering wheel, maintaining a solemn expression... to conceal the fish-in-water lightness coursing through him.
His breathing was as smooth as if shed from shackles, his body impossibly light.
The solemnity in his heart gave way to ease; he almost wanted to hum a tune.
In a word: invigoratingly refreshing!
Within the soul reflection of Chunjun, in its corrupted posture, waves of black flames surged.
Over the hollow in his chest, the long-dormant Wolfblood Thorn unfurled its presence slightly, thirstily drinking in the shifts within the Kingdom of the Woods. As if preparing to take root, its perception continuously expanded and reached outward, echoing the colossal tree high in the heavens.
What he felt was the resonance between the Kingdom of the Woods and the wolves!
He could even faintly sense that right upon the giant tree manifested by Shangri-La, at the spot closest to the main trunk, a new sprout representing himself had quietly emerged!
With just a slip of carelessness, he had logged right in!
*Damn it...*
Ji Jue's expression froze.
*How did I end up becoming a local again?!*
Chapter 628