Driven forward by the East and West Coast factions, Operation Cornerstone stirred up forces on every side. Far in the northwestern corner, however, Kawatua enjoyed a rare period of calm.
Although Arcana State's Center City had been restored, the troops and martial artists previously heralded to take up garrison there were still nowhere to be seen.
Kawatua's leadership had come to believe the Great Shun delegation's assessment: for the rest of this year at least, they would face no threat from the Federation.
The technical personnel Great Shun had sent in support of Kawatua arrived one after another over the following days. Working against the clock, they trained locals and began constructing various factories. Although a population of merely a million was nowhere near enough to achieve a full-scale technological revolution, they could at least assemble rudimentary teams for repair, processing, and equipment maintenance.
Chen Chuan paid no mind to outside affairs, spending these days constantly refining his martial arts skills.
At the same time, he received more and more intelligence regarding the Primitive Sect, most of it supplied by the covert department.
The specific information detailed the movements of key figures within the sect, as well as the whereabouts of government officials suspected of having joined its ranks. This neatly complemented the intelligence provided by Wansong Company.
The covert department's reports were mostly centered within Federation borders, focusing primarily on interactions and dealings across the country. Such information was far from useless; through it, one could accurately track the sect's concrete activities.
Combining both sources gave him a comprehensive understanding of the sect.
In truth, if the intelligence he requested had crossed the line too far, the covert department might not have cooperated so proactively, perhaps offering only superficial information.
Yet both he and his team had been targeted and attacked by the Primitive Sect, giving him ample justification to scrutinize them.
No ordinary observer would ever suspect that he intended to strike directly at the Primitive Sect, let alone stage a raid on its headquarters.
Delegation Leader Xie had previously told him that the Federation would not attack the Tianji Sect in its own name as a nation, but would instead rally other countries, corporations, and various sects to act together. Chen Chuan had guessed early on that this coalition was highly likely to include the Primitive Sect.
Judging from recent intelligence, there were signs of private communication between the Primitive Sect and the New Light Cult. Previously, the two had rarely interacted, so this situation seemed to confirm his earlier deduction.
When the time came, the high-ranking leaders of these sects would very likely emerge from their headquarters to participate in the siege against the Tianji Sect. It was, in a sense, a mixed blessing.
The downside was that their main forces might be concentrated in the Federation mainland; the upside was the potential to encounter the Primitive Sect's entire core strength all at once, saving him the trouble of hunting them down one by one.
Time flew by. Nearly a month passed, bringing the calendar to early August.
Outside the manor, purple coneflowers and white hydrangeas were in full bloom, presenting a delightful sight.
Chen Chuan and Delegation Leader Xie sat on an elevated terrace in the courtyard, sipping tea and admiring the flowers to the sound of water gurgling down the stone channels.
Delegation Leader Xie said, "Our diplomatic mission is essentially complete, and the homeland has approved our request to return. The First Delegation set out yesterday and should reach Serranocha State in about five days.
"For safety's sake, we agreed by telegram that we will return to Great Shun together, departing two days from now. Is there anything left on your end, Section Chief Chen?"
Chen Chuan said, "Nothing on my end."
As for the matter with the Primitive Sect, he could easily take action after leaving the Federation, ensuring it would not be linked to the delegation.
More importantly, the binding agreement had not yet been signed. His combat capability was under no formal restriction, allowing him to move freely—the perfect window to seek a breakthrough before then.
Delegation Leader Xie said, "Good. Then I will pass the word down."
Chen Chuan nodded.
Once the news of their imminent return spread through the delegation, most of the members were overjoyed.
They had been away for nearly a year. Although they maintained contact with their families via telegram, they still deeply missed the people and comforts of home. They had spent the previous New Year in the Federation, separated from their loved ones by vast distances. Now, they could finally return for a reunion.
Two days later, all members of the Second Delegation packed their luggage and boarded carriages bound for the mooring tower.
The First People of Kawatua turned out in droves to see them off. The roads were lined with people scattering farewell flower petals, and some bolder individuals ran alongside the carriages, tossing parting gifts inside.
Kawatua's leadership still felt a touch of reluctance and anxiety over their departure. Without the Great Shun delegation present, they would have to face future pressure from the Federation entirely on their own.
Fortunately, Arcana State had been all thunder and no rain. Over these days, Ikus had recovered considerably in spirit and strength. If the current trend continued, he might return to his peak within a few more months.
Xin Hongtu, the High Priestess, Akhtawa, and others personally arrived at the mooring tower to see them off. Xin Hongtu had even prepared suitable gifts for every member of the team. After shaking hands with Delegation Leader Xie, he stepped back, and amid waves of cheering farewells, all the delegation members boarded their respective airships.
As the airships rose, they gradually drifted away under the wistful gazes of the Kawatua populace.
Standing by a porthole, Chen Chuan saw Ikus poke his head above the clouds, hissing toward them as if he, too, had come to bid them farewell. Chen Chuan looked up and nodded to him.
Ikus let out another call, and a beam of light descended upon every person aboard.
Many in the delegation instantly felt their bodies grow much lighter and their vitality greatly restored, looks of astonishment crossing their faces.
Chen Chuan knew this was Ikus's blessing. He returned to the table and sat down across from Delegation Leader Xie. Just then, an orderly stepped in and laid two telegrams on the desk. "Delegation Leader Xie, Section Chief, a telegram arrived from the Throat of the Star Spirit. They sent it to bid us farewell."
Chen Chuan picked it up and glanced through it. The message contained simple words of blessing. Though accompanied by no material gifts, the sentiment was remarkably sincere.
Delegation Leader Xie remarked, "I had another radio set sent to the Throat of the Star Spirit and left two technicians stationed there. If they can rise to prominence, it will be all the more advantageous to Great Shun in the future."
They had originally supported the Throat of the Star Spirit merely as an alternative when the situation in Kawatua was bleak. Yet both fronts had yielded gains, and this mission had not only achieved its objectives, but vastly exceeded expectations.
He had not forgotten that Chen Chuan had played the most pivotal role in all of this, and he intended to state and emphasize this clearly in his upcoming report.
Chen Chuan set down the telegram and said, "The Federation should be getting ready to move against the Tianji Sect soon, right?"
Delegation Leader Xie said, "From the information I've received, it's about time. It should be within the next few days. News will likely come back soon."
After descending from the Life Plateau, the airships did not linger near Arcana Center City, heading straight toward Serranocha State, only stopping briefly at a border airship mooring and maintenance checkpoint along the way.
According to their prior arrangement, several individuals—including Tao Huiya—were to rendezvous with the delegation here.
Chen Chuan knew that Tao Huiya and her companions had been operating independently under the guise of private scholars. Although she had briefly returned to the delegation earlier, she seemed to have departed again afterward; it was unclear whether their ultimate mission had succeeded.
Yet after waiting through the night, while several operatives returned one after another, there was still no sign of Tao Huiya and her husband.
Delegation Leader Xie said in a heavy voice, "We wait until noon. If they haven't arrived by then, we leave."
Chen Chuan nodded. If they failed to show by that point, it meant they had run into something unusual.
The most optimistic assessment was that their journey had simply been delayed, in which case they could leave the Federation later on their own. The worst-case scenario was that they had been exposed—though Great Shun would never officially acknowledge them.
Right around noon, a sedan drove up through the swirling wind and sand, pulling to a stop before the mooring tower under the watchful eyes of Chen Chuan and Delegation Leader Xie.
The car door opened, and a stylishly dressed young woman stepped out.
Chen Chuan recognized her as the assistant who had accompanied Tao Huiya. Two female security officers stepped forward to inspect her, then allowed her through.
The young woman walked up to the two men, greeted them first, and said, "The team leader is tied up with our mission and cannot make it back for now." She reached into her bag and retrieved a storage sheath. "The team leader asked me to deliver this to you, Section Chief Chen, and requested that you bring it back to the homeland on our behalf."
Chen Chuan took it. "I will see that it arrives."
"Thank you."
Delegation Leader Xie asked, "You aren't planning to return with us?"
The young woman replied calmly, "Delegation Leader Xie, the team leader still needs me on her side."
Delegation Leader Xie nodded. "May your mission go smoothly."
"Thank you."
The young woman waved to the two men, turned back to her car, and vanished into the swirling yellow sand under their watchful gaze.
Delegation Leader Xie said, "Let us depart."
Chen Chuan nodded.
They returned to the airship, and after another half-day's journey, they finally arrived back at the first stop Chen Chuan had visited upon entering the Federation: Serranocha Central State.
The First Delegation happened to arrive at the same time. The two teams met outside the city, exchanging handshakes amid an atmosphere of joy. After all, they had smoothly completed their mission and were finally going home.
Chen Chuan spotted Gao Ming, who had returned with the First Delegation, and clapped him on the shoulder. "Gao Ming, thank you for your hard work all this time."
Gao Ming smiled. "Cousin, everything I did was within my scope of duties. It was nothing."
Just as the two were preparing to return to the quarters for a detailed chat, a group of people walked over. The two leading figures wore identical uniforms, followed by a substantial security detail.
"Are you Section Chief Chen?"
The man in the lead extended a hand and said with a smile, "We are from the International Martial Artists Council. We have been commissioned by the Great Shun government and the Martial Artists Council to discuss the binding agreement with you, Section Chief Chen. Do you happen to have a moment?"
Gao Ming pushed up his glasses and moved to speak, but Chen Chuan raised a hand to stop him. Looking at the two representatives, he said, "Certainly. I happen to be free right now."
Chapter 1286