Across the open terrain, the military strategists of the former imperial house, tracking the direction in which the descending rosy radiance advanced, swiftly calculated several possible routes the relic's possessor might take to return to his base, drawing up an operational plan based on their findings.
After central command reviewed and approved it, the plan was immediately transmitted to the various armies via telegraph. Artillery units dispersed across multiple positions were promptly mobilized, hauled into motion by large teams of mutated draft horses and mules.
In just a few hours, multiple artillery emplacements were established along key stretches of the routes, and hot-air balloons ascended into the sky one after another.
A total of more than four hundred pieces of light and heavy artillery were mobilized this time, though scattered across the vast wilderness, each individual position did not hold very many.
When the time came, the units would identify and pinpoint the target using observers in the hot-air balloons overhead and observation posts on airships. The moment he came within range, they would unleash blanket long-range artillery strikes upon the area.
At certain strategic chokepoints—especially along the unavoidable paths leading toward the Great Shun outpost—several fortified, deliberately concealed redoubts had been constructed, each housing several large-caliber heavy guns.
These positions had never been revealed before. If the bearer of the relic managed to break through the layers of interception ahead and pass through these pre-calibrated sectors, they would bombard those coordinates without hesitation.
Chen Chuan had already broken out of the uncharted zone and emerged onto the plains. In reality, this area was still dotted with woodlands of various sizes and crisscrossed by rivers, its terrain undulating rather than stretching out in endless, flat exposure.
Strictly speaking, though this territory was no longer uncharted on maps, aside from a few mapped-out fixed trails, vast swathes of the land remained exceedingly dangerous.
If he rode day and night along his current route without pause, he would be back in at most two days and one night.
Right then, with shocking suddenness, the sky abruptly darkened. The Confluence plunged into night in an instant. Yet beneath the sheltering rosy glow of the relic, he encountered no anomalies.
Earlier, while drawing the ritual, he had already allowed his mount to rest, so he had no intention of stopping now, continuing to gallop ahead.
About two hours later, the churn of propeller blades sounded from above as an airship appeared. Spotlights shone straight down from the craft. Though the relic gave off a rosy glow, the light cast onto the ground was not particularly bright—just a faint halo illuminating the silhouette of horse and rider.
The airship immediately wired back: "We have closed in on the target. He is currently moving from Sector B Grid 38 toward Sector C Grid 56. Current speed is between Mao Rank Two and Three."
An artillery position had been set up nearby. Although the terrain prevented them from seeing Chen Chuan directly, they immediately launched a barrage toward the area based on the coordinates and the descending point of the rosy radiance provided by the airship.
Sensing something, Chen Chuan looked up just in time to see a burst of fire erupt not far off, quickly followed by another. Flashes flickered near and far, accompanied by a rapid succession of deafening detonations.
Yet he remained unfazed. With external conditioning jin and his second self, artillery posed little threat to him so long as he was not struck directly by an artillery shell.
Across such an expansive area, the probability of a direct hit was vanishingly small. Even if a shell came close, his spirit would sound an advance warning, leaving him plenty of time to dodge.
In situations like this, the horse was far more prone to trouble. Fortunately, the dragon-nose horse was a mutated creature, bred specifically to survive on the battlefield. Hearing the sudden gunfire, it showed not the slightest panic, keeping up its galloping pace.
Even when stray shrapnel, shattered grass stems, and clumps of mud rained down upon its body, its tough hide deflected them.
Chen Chuan observed carefully. These shells likely were not intended to blow him to pieces outright, but rather to intercept him and force him into a detour. The areas untouched by artillery shells were far more likely to hold larger traps. Thus, while his immediate surroundings appeared dangerous, they were actually comparatively safe.
Still, he could not afford true carelessness. Leaning forward, he snapped the reins in rapid succession. Sensing his intent, the dragon-nose beneath him quickened its gallop, surging forward at an even greater speed.
Consequently, the packhorses trailing behind could no longer keep up.
Leaving those few horses behind mattered little. He already carried all his essentials on his person. With the relic, he had no need to worry about the night, meaning tents and gear, small field creatures, thunder cannons, and the like could all be discarded.
As for Chaoming, he had long since ordered it to trail far behind, so long as it remained within the embrace of the rosy glow. Across the vast Confluence, no one would pay any mind to a slightly unusual bird-lizard.
As he rode, he suddenly spotted a stretch of low woodland ahead. It was fairly expansive, appearing to be an ideal refuge from the shelling. Yet instead of plunging into it, he pulled the reins and skirted around it.
Concealed within, over a dozen machine guns sat positioned across various vantage points. Had Chen Chuan passed through—or even drawn close—they would have opened fire instantly. But seeing him veer off so decisively left them helpless.
To avoid detection at a glance, this machine-gun position had not been built on high ground, limiting its effective range. Firing now would accomplish nothing, leaving them with no choice but to watch helplessly as Chen Chuan galloped away.
Though he evaded this ambush, attacks from elsewhere did not cease. Aside from the rumbling artillery still thundering behind him, a rustling uproar surged from the woods on both flanks as a vast swarm of mutated birds came swooping toward him.
Chen Chuan's eyes flickered slightly. Were it not for the need to lure that martial artist in while conserving stamina, he would have unleashed his full speed long ago. But he still had to endure. Looking up at the incoming birds, he released his spiritual power outward!
In an instant, the swarming flock seemed frozen in place for a heartbeat, then plummeted from the sky in unison.
Back in the fortifications, the officers observing the rosy radiance through binoculars gasped in unison. When they saw the data reported by the observers, their shock deepened even further.
Based on the radius where the birds had dropped, the observers estimated that the spread of Chen Chuan's spiritual power exceeded an astonishing seven hundred meters. Considering that he was still galloping and surely conserving his strength, this might not even be the full extent of his power.
The knowledgeable officers exchanged glances, seeing unvarnished astonishment in each other's eyes. The spiritual shockwave range of a typical powerhouse fighter was only three to four hundred meters; reaching five hundred meters or more was enough to claim a place on the world stage. But seven hundred meters... that belonged to an entirely different realm.
Small wonder this man had emerged as the ultimate victor in claiming the relic.
It even gave them a sense of grim relief. Rumor had it that the elite strike squads sent earlier had suffered near-total annihilation, surely at the hands of the man before them. Because they themselves were not elite enough, they had been excluded from those units—and now, they were spared having to face him up close in a desperate fight.
At almost the exact same time, reports of the activity across the Confluence reached the rear base and the Great Shun Defense Department through their internal channels.
On the Defense Department's field screen, a communications officer at command reported with palpable excitement: "Commissioner Liang, intelligence from our plants inside the former imperial house has confirmed that the one breaking through the encirclement with the relic is Supervisor Chen! He is currently charging toward our station!"
Hearing this news, Commissioner Liang maintained an outward calm, but his heart surged with turmoil. He knew full well just how difficult securing the relic would be, yet even against those odds, his side had managed to seize it.
In a low voice, he asked, "What of the others? Old Xu and his team? Any word?"
The communications officer replied with regret, "No news of Captain Xu's group as of yet."
Commissioner Liang paused in silence for a moment before speaking. "In any case, we cannot allow the relic to fall into the hands of the former imperial house."
Turning immediately to the officer, he commanded, "In my name, convene an emergency meeting of all outpost command-level military supervisors. Everyone must report within five minutes."
Straightening with a solemn salute, the officer called out, "Yes, sir!"
In less than three minutes, commanders from across the frontline appeared on the screen.
Commissioner Liang said gravely, "You should all understand the situation by now. I need an operational plan from you to ensure the secure reception of the relic. But I have one requirement: the safety of the escort personnel must be guaranteed at the same time!"
After a brief silence, one commander responded, "I believe that at first light, our main force should push forward immediately, posturing for an assault to provide covering pressure for Supervisor Chen's return. However, imperial forces directly confront us. We cannot bypass them to accomplish this; we would have to divide our forces, which could leave our rear exposed. Commissioner, to be safe, we need to requisition another unit from the Center City garrison."
The other officers voiced their agreement. Having faced off against the former imperial house for so long, both sides knew each other intimately. Feints and surprise maneuvers were out of the question; it ultimately came down to numbers. Only by massing double the enemy's strength could they hope to punch through.
Just as Commissioner Liang was about to respond, a prompt chimed from his boundary credential, followed by the voice of his female assistant: "Commissioner, a special envoy from headquarters is here on urgent official business. He requests to see you immediately."
Commissioner Liang was taken aback. At a time like this...? But reflecting on it for a moment, he seemed to realize something. Pausing the conference, he stepped out and walked straight to the reception room.
Inside stood an average-looking man of medium build wearing glasses. Upon seeing Liang, he gave a salute, produced a document from his briefcase, and presented it with both hands. "Greetings, Commissioner Liang. This dispatch is from headquarters for your eyes. Please review it."
Commissioner Liang took it. Scanning the pages, an unusual glint flashed across his eyes. After a moment, he drew in a breath and nodded to the envoy. "Understood. I have pressing business to attend to, so please excuse me for a moment."
Directing his female assistant to attend to the envoy in his stead, he returned to the conference room. This time, however, his strides were noticeably firmer, brimming with resolve.
Looking up at the assembled commanders, he declared, "I will requisition reinforcements shortly. This mission is of utmost importance. I grant you full authority permitted under Defense Department regulations. Provided the safety of the escort personnel is secured, you may fight with no holds barred."
Chapter 763