Standing Firm in the Face of Peril

"This is..." Chen Chuan's gaze focused slightly. Those few brief words underscored the gravity of the situation. The urgent dispatch claimed to have come from the delegation, but he estimated that the General Affairs Bureau was almost certainly involved. It was very likely that the General Affairs Bureau had caught wind of critical intelligence and judged it to be a situation they couldn't possibly handle. Thus, they had messaged the delegation, prompting them to issue an immediate evacuation order under the delegation's name. However, this incoming wire was really just an advisory rather than an outright command; he had the authority to refuse. In truth, even Delegation Leader Xie had no power to issue direct orders to him. Although Xie held a higher bureaucratic rank, the two belonged to entirely different systems. The critical factor lay in his own judgment. He gave it some thought. If he left now, all their efforts here would come to naught, the Throat of the Star Spirit would be surrendered to others, and the original plan to establish another First People settlement in the south-central region would likely fall apart. Admittedly, he could take what he had already obtained and walk away. The First People could hardly complain; his team had escorted them all the way here and shielded them against multiple assaults, fulfilling their promise. He had done more than enough by them. Yet that was ultimately nothing more than an excuse to run. Even setting that aside and looking strictly at practical realities, they still had no idea what was actually happening. If they chose to withdraw now and leave the Throat of the Star Spirit, would they truly be safe? Not necessarily. It was entirely possible that they would fail to dodge the crisis anyway, while the Throat of the Star Spirit would fall into enemy hands in the process. Of course, if he looked out only for himself, broke away from the main group alone, and retreated through the wilderness, whatever danger was coming probably wouldn't find him anytime soon. But abandoning everyone was out of the question. Nor did he want to walk away like this. He was not the reckless sort whose blood boiled into rash decisions. If an insurmountable problem truly arose, he would not blindly throw himself against it. Weighing every factor, there were only a handful of things that could pose a genuine threat to him, and among them, the most probable... His gaze grew deep. This was something he might well be able to handle. In that case, it was worth a shot. He looked up and said, "Draft a telegram." The operator straightened with a solemn expression, instantly resting his hand on the telegraph machine. Chen Chuan said, "Upon careful consideration, our unit resolves not to withdraw. For all consequences arising from this," he paused briefly, "I shall bear personal responsibility." The operator tapped away at the telegraph key. Once the transmission was complete, he looked up and said, "Section Chief, the telegram has been sent." Chen Chuan nodded and waited. A short moment later, the operator stirred. "Reply incoming." He adjusted his headset, swiftly took up his pen to transcribe the cipher, then stood and handed the paper over. "Section Chief, a reply from Delegation Leader Xie." Chen Chuan took it and read: "Acknowledged. Exercise utmost caution. Delegation Leader, Xie Xinmin." He understood that Delegation Leader Xie signing off with his full title was not merely tacit approval; it was a declaration that, as leader of the delegation, he was willing to shoulder the responsibility alongside him. Putting away the telegram, Chen Chuan stepped outside. He had no intention of keeping his subordinates in the dark. Arriving before the tents, he immediately picked up the telephone, summoned everyone via the internal line, and called a meeting to lay out the situation plainly. He informed them candidly of the impending danger and stated that he intended to stay and hold the ground. If anyone wished to withdraw now, he would not stop them—especially the technical expert team and the esoteric ritual team, who were free to depart first and return later once the threat had passed. Both groups declined. Neither the esoteric ritual team nor the technical experts were willing to abandon the research they had just begun. On one hand, the artifacts and mysteries within the Throat of the Star Spirit held an irresistible allure for them. On the other hand, they knew full well that their technical expertise and competence were far from top-tier back home; if not for joining this delegation and having the fortune to end up here, an opportunity like this would never have fallen into their laps. If they walked away now, there would be no second chance. They genuinely refused to let it go. Besides, after everything they had witnessed along the journey, they had seen Chen Chuan's overwhelming martial prowess. They might not understand combat, but they possessed blind faith in him. Since he dared to stay, why should they run? As for the security personnel, that went without saying. Not a single one wanted to leave. Handpicked elites to begin with, every one of them had proven their mettle, and backing down now was simply not in their nature. Seeing that no one was willing to leave, Chen Chuan began making specific arrangements. First, they needed to inform Elder Gale and his people. They had a right to know, and the notice would also urge them to speed up their progress. If the sacrificial rite could be completed as quickly as possible, everyone could take shelter deep within the Throat of the Star Spirit, leaving nothing to fear. The power of a grand esoteric ritual was thoroughly dependable; short of mobilizing state-level forces, it was exceedingly difficult to breach. Still, there was no telling when the crisis would strike, so Elder Gale and the others could only do their best, and Chen Chuan was not pinning all his hopes on it anyway. Martial strength was the foundation of everything. It was certainly too late to raise his strength in the short term, but he could make some useful preparations. For instance, setting up esoteric rituals. Although training resources here were limited, esoteric ritual materials were in abundant supply. When they had inspected earlier, they found the storerooms practically overflowing with them, more than enough for them to use freely. Moreover, he happened to possess that relic, which could provide stabilization and amplification. Whether the ritual ended up being useful or not, extra preparations could never hurt. After he quickly assigned everyone their duties, the group divided into several teams and set to work, swift and efficient. *** Gaoshi City, a small town situated in Serranocha State. Tao Huiya and her husband, accompanied by her assistant, had arrived here to visit a well-known journalist and biographer. In truth, this biographer had long been an informant for the General Affairs Bureau, leveraging his occupation to supply them with all manner of intelligence. Yet he had no idea whom he actually served—or rather, he was willing to serve anyone. After their visit concluded and they emerged, while her husband stepped aside to buy fruit, the female assistant spoke up: "Section Chief Chen refused to withdraw." Tao Huiya nodded. After a moment of thought, she said, "Activate the contingency plan." The assistant looked at her. "Team Leader, our emergency signal can only be used once. That is reserved for our own survival and transmitting final intelligence. Is it necessary?" "It is." Tao Huiya said with utter certainty, "Section Chief Chen's importance far exceeds yours and mine. Intelligence can always be gathered again, but with every person like Section Chief Chen, there is that much more hope for the future. Go. Time is short, don't delay." The assistant nodded. "I'll go right away." Tao Huiya nodded. After the assistant departed, she remained seated, though she knew it was also time for her to prepare to meet that person. A moment later, she saw her husband walking over carrying two bags of local red zhi fruit, calling to her from a distance, "Huiya, come, give me a hand with these." Tao Huiya went over with a smile and took them. Feeling their weight, she let out an exclamation. "So heavy?" she chided. "Lao Li, you bought too much again." Lao Li chuckled. "They were cheap! Don't you love them? If we can't finish them, we can give some away. Aren't we going to visit what's-his-name later? We can't show up empty-handed." Tao Huiya took his arm and said, "Lao Li, don't do this next time. On your modest salary, you can't afford to throw money around. You need to save." "I know, I know. Hey, where did Xiao Zhen go?" "Don't fuss so much over young people's business." "True enough. But I hear there are plenty of ill-intentioned people around here in the Federation. Will she be all right on her own?" Tao Huiya said, "What, worried she'll get lost? Xiao Zhen is a fighter; she won't let anyone push her around. Let's go. She'll meet up with us tonight." "All right, all right. Wouldn't do to keep people waiting—that's poor manners." *** Two days later, at the entrance to the Throat of the Star Spirit. Ever since learning of the situation, the esoteric ritual team had been working continuously at the mouth of the cavern to set up rituals. Elder Gale had taken the initiative to send people over as well, who even offered some of their blood. This was because the grand esoteric ritual was already active; if their blood was combined with the ritual, it could draw upon the grand ritual's power to some degree. Chen Chuan tested and verified this, finding that it indeed worked. This could not help but remind him of that fat man from the other day; for someone to set up an esoteric ritual inside a grand esoteric ritual, his background was likely far from ordinary. Perhaps Elder Gale knew, but that was not pressing. It could wait until this matter was settled. Chen Chuan had moved his tent outside, to the very spot where he had fought Master Shiraishi. It occupied high ground, allowing him to observe any movement below at all times and react instantly to whatever occurred. He himself sat by a hot spring, regulating his breathing and settling his energy. The Xuejun Saber stood driven into the ground beside him, a strip of red cloth fluttering upon it. Another day passed. In the afternoon, he suddenly felt a prickle of intuition. Looking up at the sky, he saw a streak of light flash past and disappear, appearing to crash down into the mountains ahead. After a short while, he felt a faint tremor beneath his feet, accompanied by a sound like rumbling thunder echoing outward. He rose to his feet, standing firmly on the earth, and gazed into the distance. After waiting a short while, he saw a silhouette emerge at the foot of the mountain, striding step by step toward him. The figure had short black hair and sharp, chiseled features, standing a full three meters tall. What was especially striking was his nearly flawless bodily proportions. He wore a dark gray, tight-fitting protective membrane suit that sharply outlined the defined contours of his musculature. Just laying eyes on this person, Chen Chuan felt an overwhelming sense of threat. Looking into those indifferent eyes, he could distinctly sense that this man had come specifically for him. In that case... A fierce fighting spirit surged in his eyes. As though sensing it, the mutated tissues throughout his body showed not the slightest trace of hesitation or cowering; instead, they surged and howled like crashing waves. A platinum flame erupted from his body, soaring into the sky and instantly illuminating the entire mountain peak.