After the Disposal Bureau's armed convoy had driven deep into the subterranean tunnels, a fork appeared ahead, with three separate passages branching off in different directions.
According to the trail left behind, they should have taken the left tunnel.
Xu Chan, however, ordered them to take the right.
A staff member spoke up to remind him, "Supervisor Xu, according to the Lower City schematics, if we choose the right tunnel, we might have to make a wide detour that adds an extra hour to the trip. We could also miss crucial traces."
Xu Chan stated with certainty, "That trail was most likely left on purpose." Even if it had not been, he had no intention of following it. He would never take a path laid out for them by the enemy.
"Understood!"
The staff member saluted, and the entire convoy immediately veered into the right tunnel. Although it added some distance, the first stretch of the route was indeed free of obstruction. Only as they approached the tunnel's exit did they find the roadbed ahead artificially sabotaged, blocked by a massive fall of collapsed masonry.
It seemed impassable.
Xu Chan remained unperturbed. After a brief inspection, he saw the blockage was not particularly deep and promptly ordered a contingent of combat organisms carried on the vehicles to clear a path alongside the logistics crew.
He did not idle by while they worked. Stepping out of his vehicle, he deployed field information organisms to establish a strong signal link.
He had maintained this protocol at every intersection along the way, stationing a squad to stand guard. This countered jamming organisms from severing communications, ensured the dispersed teams maintained seamless contact with the surface, and precluded any chance of the enemy exploiting their rear.
All three Investigation Supervisors of the Disposal Bureau had mobilized for this operation. Xu Chan led the primary breach, while the other two supervisors advanced along two separate vectors, gradually compressing the pocket until the entire zone was completely sealed off.
By the following day, a narrow passage barely wide enough for vehicles had finally been cleared.
Xu Chan still chose to ride in the lead transport, personally blazing the trail ahead.
For this mission, in addition to two of his own trusted subordinates, he had Yuan Qiuyuan and Qin Qingque—sent by Chen Chuan as reinforcements.
With no fewer than five third limit fighters operating together, their lineup was formidable. Even during the Splitting of the Mother, such concentrated strength had rarely been assembled along a single front.
Behind them followed Wei Chang'an, Luo Kaiyuan, Feng Xiaoqi, and their supporting squad.
Though only at the Second Limit, they already formed the backbone of the Disposal Bureau. Brimming with confidence and rich in teamwork experience, and outfitted with cutting-edge equipment, calling them elites was by no means an exaggeration.
Truth be told, deploying such a team merely to deal with an ordinary street gang would have been an utter waste.
Yet this operation targeted what might be remnants of the Municipal Council, along with unknown entities.
A synthesized voice chimed in. "Collapse risk detected on the upcoming road section." It was the vehicle-mounted inactive conscious entity, scanning and monitoring road conditions in real time.
The convoy halted at once. Protected by the fighters, the engineering team following in the rear rushed forward to inspect the passage, shore up structural weak points, and sweep for explosives.
Subterranean operations differed inherently from those on the surface. A simple detonation was enough to bring down ceilings and block paths. Granted, the main tunnel structure could not be easily destroyed—it had been built with blast-resistant architecture in the past. But after decades without maintenance, the surface protective layers designed to ward off erosion and microbial infestation, along with old ornamental structures, had severely deteriorated. It was precisely that kind of debris which had blocked them earlier.
In the middle of the inspection, a low buzzing suddenly arose, drawing rapidly closer.
Xu Chan caught it first and barked, "Everyone back into the vehicles!"
The crew immediately dropped their work and retreated inside the armored transports. Xu Chan alone stood at the forefront. Within a minute, a dense, squirming sea of insects surged into view, carpeting the floor and creeping up the tunnel walls. The sight made the scalps of the onlookers tingle, goosebumps erupting over their skin.
Xu Chan did not yield an inch. Just as the vanguard of the swarm was about to crash over him, a series of dull thuds sounded. Bright searchlights flared behind him, followed by an invisible pulse of sonic waves radiating from the vehicles.
Because the Center City had been plagued by severe insect infestations in recent years, this repellent sonic frequency had been authorized and developed from a unique organism.
The results were immediate. The surging swarm seemed to lose all vigor at once, dropping from the walls and ceiling in massive sheets.
After about seven or eight minutes, the tunnel finally went quiet.
Xu Chan did not let down his guard. He took a few steps forward; the floor was blanketed with an accumulation of dead insects so thick his boots sank into it like carpet, and a foul stench rose into the air.
Frowning, he ordered everyone to put on protective masks and connect to oxygen tanks.
His precaution proved exceedingly prescient. Moments later, the dead insects spontaneously combusted. The entire tunnel was instantly engulfed in flames and dense smoke, releasing copious toxic fumes and rapidly burning up the already thin subterranean oxygen. Had they not prepared in advance, they would have suffered a devastating blow.
The insects made remarkably potent fuel, burning continuously for over an hour before the flames finally died down. The tunnel had been charred pitch-black, and a bizarre, pungent odor lingered in the haze.
Xu Chan did not rush forward. Instead, he walked back to his vehicle, tapped his boundary credential, and transmitted a routine progress report back to the bureau.
Once the smoke had mostly dissipated, he led the convoy deeper into the underground expanse.
Because they frequently encountered obstructions and sabotaged road surfaces that forced them to halt for repairs, their advance was exceedingly slow. It took five full days to cover two-thirds of the journey.
Yet Xu Chan remained patient. He preferred a steady, cautious pace to ensure his subordinates' safety. Besides, as long as they continued advancing, the pressure rested entirely on the enemy, not on them.
***
Inside the private meditation room, Chen Chuan hovered cross-legged in midair. The faint luminescence shifting around his body had once surged and rippled erratically, but at some point, as if soothed by an invisible force, it had begun to gather inward.
Wave-like ripples still passed over its surface from time to time.
Yet even the rhythm of those ripples gradually calmed, growing increasingly still until, at last, they condensed into a luminous membrane clinging tightly to his skin.
He slowly opened his eyes.
After six consecutive days and nights of uninterrupted cultivation, he had finally subdued his fluctuating qi.
This barrier had proved easier than anticipated. The tedious part was smoothing and ordering his breath. After all, the sheer volume of power within his body far surpassed that of martial artists at the same level; ordering it required immense patience.
The next step would be "Bridging the Heavenly Bridge." If he could accomplish that, he would attain the realm of the Longevity View.
He drifted down to the floor, tapped open his boundary credential, and checked the progress in the Lower City. A massive zone near the northwestern corner had already been sealed off from three directions by the Disposal Bureau's investigative teams.
This area overlapped heavily with the Plague Gang's known territory, confirming that the figures behind the scenes were tied to the gang to some degree.
Yet he had not forgotten that the primary objective of this operation was to locate that specific entity. Casting out a lure had merely provided a convenient pretext to act.
After observing the tactical map for a moment, he stepped out of the meditation room, accessed his boundary credential, and asked, "Andun, has there been any unusual movement from Green Source Ecology?"
Andun replied, "No abnormal signs detected from Green Source Ecology. All monitoring data remains normal. Andun will continue to observe."
Chen Chuan gave a low grunt of acknowledgment. If Green Source was lying low now, they clearly intended to keep their hands clean.
The corporation remained as cautious as ever, never directly entangling itself in operations that might turn against it. For them to show such restraint meant they harbored far deeper ambitions.
After a brief contemplation, he tapped his credential and contacted Xu Chan. A moment later, the line connected. "Old Xu, what's the situation on your end?"
Xu Chan's voice came through. "Chief, we'll begin pushing through the final stretch tomorrow. Based on our intelligence, we're likely to encounter fierce resistance.
"The terrain here is complicated. All the sunlight trees were deliberately cleared away, leaving almost no light. We've also detected pervasive toxins in the air, which has severely degraded the condition of our vehicle-mounted field organisms. We're requesting more combat organisms and a fresh supply of equipment."
Chen Chuan said, "I'll approve the requisitions immediately. I will also request a biology expert team from the Confluence to assist your operation."
"Thank you, Chief."
"The Plague Cult has a complicated makeup, and esoteric cultists might be among them," Chen Chuan added. "According to our prior arrangement, personnel from the Esoteric Cult Bureau will join your force tomorrow to prevent unexpected complications. Be careful, Old Xu. Keep me updated on any developments."
"Understood, Chief."
After concluding the call, Xu Chan led his force deeper into the subterranean dark. A day later, suspicious patterns resembling esoteric rituals began appearing along the passage walls.
Upon learning of this, Bureau Director Lei personally led a team to inspect the site. Once he had evaluated the markings, he contacted Chen Chuan immediately.
"Chief Chen, I've examined them. Supervisor Xu has run into rituals belonging to the former state religion. I can dismantle them, but I need capable hands to assist me. Some colleagues in the bureau have the ability, but I don't trust them. If I do it alone, it will take far too long. I suspect stalling us might be their exact intention."
Chen Chuan asked, "What about requesting personnel from higher up?"
Director Lei said, "We could, but I'm afraid someone might obstruct the transfer. We cannot afford the delay."
Chen Chuan nodded. "Director Lei, begin the unraveling process first. I'll find a way to secure the personnel."
After ending the call, he considered his options. If he intervened personally, unraveling the rituals with the Great Bright Illumination Stance would be trivial. Yet doing so would create far too much commotion. If that entity was lurking there, it would instantly put it on high alert. Before locating it, he could not show his hand.
Fortunately, he had anticipated this hurdle and accounted for it when drafting the initial plan. Stepping over to the desk, he lifted the receiver and dialed a number. Before long, Liao Donghai's voice came through: "Chief Chen?"
Chen Chuan said, "Mr. Liao, please invite Mr. Lan to come over."
"Understood. I will arrange an airship to bring Mr. Lan and his companion right away."
Chapter 925