The Magnetic Resonance Cannon

He Jiaqing fought a battle against Lüshui Beggar. For this clash, He Jiaqing had prepared thoroughly. He had found the right opportunity: recently, Lühuazi had been frequently leaving his residence to wander around Greenwater City. By the rules, Lühuazi was only allowed out once a year. In reality, he went out often. As long as he didn't launch indiscriminate massacres against commoners, the Peddler couldn't be bothered to interfere. Through their time around each other, He Jiaqing had gotten a handle on Lühuazi's movement patterns. This time, he seized the initiative with a surprise ambush and secured a considerable advantage in the early stages of the fight. But in the end, he still lost. The cost of that defeat was harrowing. The lesions on He Jiaqing's body flared up violently. Where there had once been only rashes, widespread festering sores now erupted across his skin. With Lüshui Beggar hot on his trail, He Jiaqing needed a place to hide. Duan Shuqun couldn't think of anywhere suitable on short notice either. Weighing his options, he ultimately brought He Jiaqing to the Night Fragrance Newspaper Office. To evade Lühuazi, one had to go where people gathered in crowds. In crowded places, Lüshui Beggar had to exercise restraint when striking. Duan Shuqun's stationery factory had plenty of workers too, but they had all clocked out and gone home. The factory had no dormitories, leaving the premises desolate. With just the two of them plus a few gatekeepers, they obviously couldn't stop Lüshui Beggar. A newspaper office was a special kind of business. Because they had to put out the morning edition, reporters, editors, and printing workers worked night shifts on rotation. Even at midnight, a major newspaper office was bustling with people. Moreover, Night Fragrance was the largest newspaper office in Black Rock Slope. With its grand scale, massive workforce, and sprawling grounds, hiding a person or two would hardly be difficult. It was also close by. Walking briskly, the two of them arrived at the front gates in under two minutes. He Jiaqing had plenty of ways to slip inside, but Duan Shuqun suggested walking straight through the main entrance. "Jiaqing, Boss Ye, the owner of the Night Fragrance Newspaper Office, is notorious for being ruthless. The place is packed with hidden traps. Injured as you are, rashly vaulting the courtyard walls might cost you dearly." He Jiaqing took Duan Shuqun's advice and accompanied him toward the front gates. Catching sight of Duan Shuqun, the gatekeeper shuddered. Standing nearly two meters tall and weighing well over two hundred and thirty jin, Duan Shuqun exuded immense intimidation in the dead of night. Just as the gatekeeper opened his mouth to shout for help, Duan Shuqun wrapped his arms across his chest, swayed his hips, and abruptly broke into a dance. Seeing such a hulking physique turn bewitchingly seductive in an instant, the gatekeeper fell utterly entranced. Without uttering a single word, he stood dazed and let Duan Shuqun and He Jiaqing stroll right into the newspaper compound. This was the Dance Cultivator third-tier technique: Charming Intoxicated Eyes. Duan Shuqun led He Jiaqing deeper inside. If nobody asked questions, they slipped by unnoticed; if anyone questioned them, he danced a brief routine. Step by step, the two reached the printing workshop. Typesetting for the morning paper wasn't finished yet, and work in the printing workshop wouldn't begin for another three hours. Most workers were resting in the dormitories. Duan Shuqun had He Jiaqing sit down inside a concrete drainage pipe first. They stayed like that for over half an hour. Lüshui Beggar hadn't caught up, and He Jiaqing used stolen Healing Cultivator techniques to temporarily keep his affliction under control. If they could just wait another half hour to let He Jiaqing treat his wounds properly, he would at least be able to hold his own even if he encountered Lüshui Beggar. Unfortunately, luck was not on his side. A moth fluttered its wings, flew up to the concrete pipe, and spotted He Jiaqing inside. With a flick of He Jiaqing's finger, a burst of flame reduced the moth to charred smoke. Yet it was already too late. A massive swarm of moths gathered in the courtyard, first coalescing into a sphere, then shifting into a human silhouette. Every moth then liquefied into foul pus, fusing together into Lühuazi, covered head to toe in festering ulcers. Lüshui Beggar gave the alms bowl in his hand a gentle rattle. Bending low and hunching over, he peered inside the concrete pipe at He Jiaqing. He had reached the newspaper office long ago and circled the perimeter wall several times without entering. Duan Shuqun's choice had been correct—in crowded areas, Lüshui Beggar was hesitant to act freely. But once he confirmed that He Jiaqing was indeed inside, Lüshui Beggar had pursued him in anyway. "Come on out," Lüshui Beggar chuckled. "Dying stuffed inside a concrete pipe... how unsightly would that be?" Duan Shuqun moved to charge out and fight him, but He Jiaqing held him back. With Duan Shuqun's level of cultivation, he wouldn't survive a single exchange before Lüshui Beggar. Stepping out of the pipe, He Jiaqing looked at Lüshui Beggar and said calmly, "The Imperial Jade Seal isn't with me, and neither is the Sage. The person you ran into at Wretch Mound wasn't me at all. I was framed. "If you refuse to believe me and insist on taking my life, I'll have no choice but to fight you to the death. When both of us end up crippled and bleeding, you'd better ask yourself if it's truly worth it." Lüshui Beggar laughed. "Whether we both end up crippled isn't for you to say. And even if we both get hurt, our injuries won't be in the same league. I might just scuff a finger, while you will be scattered to ash and smoke." Even as they spoke, He Jiaqing subtly shifted his stance, inching closer toward the workers' dormitory. The ulcers across Lüshui Beggar's face burst open, the pus transforming into tens of thousands of moths that sealed off He Jiaqing's escape routes. If He Jiaqing failed to break through the encirclement and was subdued directly by the moths, that would be the ideal outcome for Lüshui Beggar. If He Jiaqing managed to break through, then as long as a single moth laid an egg upon his body, that egg would instantly hatch and parasitize his flesh—an outcome Lüshui Beggar would find quite satisfactory as well. If parasitism failed, the moths would close in swiftly and detonate one by one, using their corrosive pus to attack He Jiaqing. Taking that approach made it difficult to completely subdue He Jiaqing. Getting drenched in pus would merely compound his injuries rather than deliver a fatal blow, and the attack could easily splash onto bystanders. That was the outcome Lüshui Beggar wanted least. Yet He Jiaqing's cultivation was formidable; even at a severe disadvantage, his nimble movements allowed him to slip past the encirclement without giving the moths an opening to lay eggs. Left with no alternative, Lüshui Beggar maneuvered the swarm to bar He Jiaqing's route. He Jiaqing vaulted onto the corridor of the workers' dormitory, closing the distance to the sleeping laborers as much as possible. Seeing his window, Lüshui Beggar prepared to detonate every moth. Just then, a fine-meshed fishing net dropped from the dormitory rooftop, sweeping up the entire swarm. Before Lüshui Beggar could trigger the explosions, the net burst into flames, reducing every moth to charred smoke. Who deployed an artifact? Was it Duan Shuqun? Duan Shuqun didn't possess such skill. Lüshui Beggar's pus-moths were exceptionally nimble, so much so that even He Jiaqing struggled to handle them. For this fishing net to sweep them clean in one fell swoop, it was an artifact beyond anything a local rogue cultivator could wield. Standing below, Lüshui Beggar glanced toward the dormitory roof. There was no movement up there. Instead, a middle-aged man stepped out into the hallway, wearing overalls and yellow rubber shoes, a white towel draped over his shoulder. In his hand, he held an enamel mug containing a toothbrush and toothpaste. At a glance, he looked like an ordinary worker getting up to wash his face and brush his teeth. Duan Shuqun poked his head out of the concrete pipe, took one look outside, and hastily yanked it back. He had seen this man before. Though they were not personally acquainted, he knew exactly who this was. This was the local spirit of Black Rock Slope—Tang Shijiang! Was Tang Shijiang's arrival a good thing for He Jiaqing? Duan Shuqun couldn't say for sure. But for Lüshui Beggar, it was undeniably bad news. Tang Shijiang asked Lüshui Beggar, "What are you doing here?" Lüshui Beggar pointed up at He Jiaqing on the dormitory corridor and smiled. "I came for him. It has nothing to do with you." Tang Shijiang frowned. "What kind of nonsense is that? You came fighting all the way into my house, and you tell me it has nothing to do with me?" Lüshui Beggar replied, "I give you my word: I only want his life. I won't slaughter the innocent." Tang Shijiang squeezed some toothpaste onto his brush, brushing his teeth as he spoke: "How much is that guarantee of yours worth? Human lives in Black Rock Slope are precious. Can you afford the compensation?" Lüshui Beggar rubbed his nose, abruptly blew out a glob of snot, and hurled it straight toward Tang Shijiang. Still brushing, Tang Shijiang spat out a mouthful of white foam that enveloped the mucus, dissolving it completely so that it splashed onto the ground as a harmless puddle of water. "You're repulsive! Don't you know how to use paper to blow your nose?" Tang Shijiang hurled a stack of paper. The sheets fanned out mid-air, spinning and fluttering at varying speeds as they flew toward Lühuazi one after another. Unfazed, Lüshui Beggar sneezed on the spot. Flecks of spittle flew in all directions, knocking the sheets down one by one. Only a single sheet brushed past his cheek, leaving a thin cut across his face. Meanwhile, Tang Shijiang squatted by the water tap, rinsed his mouth, washed his face, and dried off with his towel. Lüshui Beggar smiled. He enjoyed clashing with Tang Shijiang—win or lose, it was truly exhilarating. Now, however, was not the time. His target was He Jiaqing. Engaging Tang Shijiang here would be handing He Jiaqing a massive favor on a silver platter. Lühuazi shook his begging bowl toward Tang Shijiang, and his figure vanished into thin air. Tang Shijiang turned back to He Jiaqing and waved, gesturing for him to come down from the dormitory. He Jiaqing walked up to Tang Shijiang and was just about to cup his hands in thanks when Tang Shijiang waved him off. "Save your gratitude. I had no intention of shielding you. Get out of here right now, and stop stirring up trouble on my turf." "Senior, I will depart after resting a brief moment." "Did you not understand me?" Tang Shijiang's expression turned cold. When pursued by Lüshui Beggar, He Jiaqing had deliberately bolted toward the workers' dormitory, intending to use the workers as human shields to hold off Lüshui Beggar. That action had thoroughly disgusted Tang Shijiang. Without another word, He Jiaqing promptly left the Night Fragrance Newspaper Office. Tang Shijiang tapped on the concrete pipe and addressed Duan Shuqun: "You were born and raised in Black Rock Slope, so I'll let you off this once. But mark my words: every life is a life, and no one is more precious than anyone else. Don't go using other people's lives as your shield. "Squat in this pipe for the night and reflect on what you did. You are not to come out until dawn." Duan Shuqun truly didn't dare to leave. He didn't dare come out before dawn, nor did he dare stir after sunrise. Not until noon, when the sun hung high overhead, did he cautiously crawl out of the concrete pipe. The printing workers had just finished lunch, reading newspapers and chatting over cigarettes. Spotting Duan Shuqun, the workers stared dumbfounded for a long time. None of them had ever seen this dark, burly giant before. Duan Shuqun gave an awkward chuckle, crossed his arms over his chest, and began swaying his hips once again. *** Deep in a forest within the newland, He Jiaqing hid amid the trees. The wounds across his body oozed foul fluid continuously, the festering areas spreading without pause. Worst of all, he had just coughed up a mouthful of blood laced with purulent fluid. This meant the infection had already invaded his internal organs. How much longer could he hold out in this state? Though he had bought more life from Zhang Gunli, in this condition he could likely only scrape by for a few days at best. If he had to trade blows with Lühuazi again, he would have zero chance of survival. If he wanted to live, only one path seemed left. He Jiaqing pinched his button and contacted Zhu Junlong. "Jiaqing, how are things on your end?" "Not good, Junlong. You can pay a visit to Kang Zhenchang now. If you can bring him here, all the better; if not, at least get a treatment method out of him." "Understood!" Just as Zhu Junlong agreed, He Jiaqing hesitated. "Junlong, don't go yourself. Hand this to Han Mingqi. Little Han is clever. Before making a move, he'll definitely case the target first. Don't rush him—let him wait for the right moment. If anything feels off, tell him to let me know immediately." "What's wrong?" Zhu Junlong couldn't follow He Jiaqing's reasoning. "Could it be that you don't trust Big Head?" "I trust Big Head, but I can't put my mind at ease about this matter." *** "Rest easy, leave this to me," Luo Zhengnan said, looking over the itemized list. "Procuring the goods won't be hard, but some of the materials don't exist as finished products. We'll have to machine them ourselves." Li Banfeng had summoned Luo Zhengnan over from Puluo Province, handing him a large sum of cash to help purchase electromagnetic equipment. Scanning the list once more, Luo Zhengnan found it rather peculiar. "Seventh Master, whoever drafted this list looks like someone from Puluo Province. Very few people in Puluo Province study electromagnetism, and someone capable of writing specifications with such professional expertise is rarer still." Ordinarily, Luo Zhengnan never pried into things Li Qi didn't bring up himself. But he held a deep passion for electromagnetism, and seeing work from a fellow traveler stoked his curiosity. "An expert wrote it. He prefers not to disclose his identity." Li Banfeng was equally intrigued as to why the companion dwelling possessed knowledge of electromagnetism. Was the material Big Head delivered to He Jiaqing also related to the Boundary? If so, there was no telling whether He Jiaqing might uncover a way to dismantle the Boundary before he did. Luo Zhengnan quickly gathered all the required components, leaving the remaining assembly to the companion dwelling. Arriving at the Dark Star Bureau, Li Banfeng made a special trip to the Security Team to check on Big Head's situation. Big Head was swamped—busy catching bugs. Not just him, but the entire Security Team was hunting bugs. They turned all the captured insects over to Team Leader Tangkuai, who intended to screen out the hardiest specimen to serve as a test subject. Li Banfeng asked Tangkuai, "What kind of experiment are you running?" Tangkuai explained, "The testing lab just issued a new batch of pesticide. We need to evaluate its efficacy." Li Banfeng said, "Catching bugs by hand just to spray them with pesticide? Are you kidding me?" Tangkuai shook his head. "This is a very specialized experiment. We feed poison-laced bait to the hardiest bug, and through that specimen, spread the toxin throughout the colony to wipe them all out in one swoop, ridding the office building of pests once and for all." Li Banfeng looked at the bustling team members and asked, "Why is the Security Team doing this? The testing lab developed the pesticide; why aren't they running the experiment themselves?" Tangkuai replied, "These are Director Shen's instructions: testing lab work must step out of the laboratory and take root on the front lines, grounded in the battlefield." Li Banfeng didn't know what to make of that. Insect Cultivator He Bensheng was standing right beside them, so Li Banfeng said, "Why have them scramble around catching bugs? Wouldn't this take you just a wave of your hand?" An Insect Cultivator only needed a slight nudge of their technique to summon all the insects in the vicinity. He Bensheng shook his head. "The team leader told me not to intervene. He said this is a matter of attitude and mindset—we can't foster the habit of cutting corners." Returning to his office, Zhong'er came by to report on his work. The investigation into Chu Zikai had made some progress. "Director Li, Chu Zikai is caught in a debt crisis. The entertainment agency under him went bankrupt, and he might end up blacklisted as a dishonest debtor." Li Banfeng opened his phone and checked the trending searches. "His name is still on the rankings, and he released a new single recently. Logically, he shouldn't be in such dire straits." To look into Chu Zikai, Zhong'er had put in serious effort. "I wasn't familiar with this industry, so I specifically brought in industry insiders to help me investigate. "Chu Zikai's new song has unimpressive streaming numbers across major platforms. Many people say the vocal performance is exceptional, but the song itself isn't catchy or memorable." By Li Banfeng's understanding, the Sound Cultivator technique had been applied flawlessly, but the underlying song was simply mediocre. Zhong'er continued, "In fact, quite a few insiders have brought this up. Aside from 'I Am Your Guokui,' Chu Zikai has no other compelling signature works. The new songs rolled out lately have very limited organic interest. "His sustained high ranking on the trending searches is entirely manufactured through marketing. The astronomical promotional costs caused his spending to vastly outstrip his earnings, plunging him into this debt crisis." Spending outstripping earnings! That was a crucial keyword. Chu Zikai was desperate for cash, which was why he had been willing to get his own hands dirty in black-market deals. Yet that raised a contradiction. "How is the investigation into Snowflake Shoal coming along?" Zhong'er opened his notebook and said, "Information on Snowflake Shoal is exceedingly scarce. So far, the only reliable data comes from a Garrison Office investigation report. It indicates that Snowflake Shoal is the economic backbone of Puluo Province, possessing extraordinary financial clout." Extraordinary financial clout. Red Lotus had also mentioned that Snowflake Shoal usually only concerned itself with two things: minting silver coins and selecting appropriate locations to circulate them. An organization like that couldn't possibly lack funds, yet Chu Zikai was flat broke. Were Chu Zikai's Ferry Gang and the Snowflake Shoal represented by An Zongding truly the same organization? Judging by what the girl in green, Feng Yuqiu, and the others had suffered, they had first been kidnapped by An Zongding and then shipped to the Outer States for Chu Zikai to sell off. That entire seamless pipeline looked entirely like the work of a single outfit. Could there be an overlooked link in between? Li Banfeng tucked away Zhong'er's investigative materials. Once he resolved the matter of the Boundary, he would settle scores with Chu Zikai and An Zongding together. That evening, the companion dwelling bore fruit: it had constructed a handcart. Resting upon the cart was an iron pipe over a meter long, reminding Li Banfeng of how he had pretended handcarts were tanks when he was a kid. "Can this thing really tear open the Boundary?" The old man said, "That's what the records you brought back said. The Outer States call this device a magnetic resonance cannon. Whether it works or not, I can't say for sure. You can give it a test." So this contraption really was called a cannon. Beside the barrel ran numerous wires, switches, dials, and knobs. With no clue what their functions were, Li Banfeng scratched his head. "How do you use this thing?" The companion dwelling said, "See the battery underneath? Charge it up first before anything else." *** "Where on earth are we going to find electricity?" Daboynes was at his wit's end. Following Xiao Zhenggong's instructions, he had hired craftsmen to manufacture the parts in separate batches, successfully completing the assembly of the magnetic resonance cannon in Greenwater City. Yet when it came to charging it, Daboynes couldn't locate a suitable power source. The concept of an electrical grid barely existed in Puluo Province. Xiao Zhenggong offered a suggestion: "Take the magnetic resonance cannon to the Outer States. There are plenty of facilities and skilled technicians out there. Once everything is prepped, we can bring it back." Daboynes shook his head. "Easy for you to say. How do we get it out—take the train? Hauling a cannon this massive onto a train is practically turning ourselves in to the Garrison Office!" Xiao Zhenggong raised an eyebrow. "Then think of another way." "What other way could there be? Aside from the train, there is no way to cross Santoucha. We can't reach the Outer States at all." Xiao Zhenggong pondered for a moment and said, "Actually, there are things capable of generating power within Puluo Province. To look no further, Greenwater City has some—right at the Miaosheng Gramophone Shop." Daboynes considered this. "You mean those solar-powered gramophones? Would that measly amount of electricity even be enough?" Xiao Zhenggong checked his notes and said, "That depends on how much you intend to use. If you want to wipe out ten li of Boundary, that tiny trickle certainly won't suffice. But if you only want to dismantle a meter or two, it should be just about enough." Daboynes thought it over and decided it was worth a shot. That morning, he headed to the Miaosheng Gramophone Shop. The Spider Detective's luck was remarkably good. Had he arrived two days earlier, he might well have run right into Li Qi picking up grease. He bought two electric gramophones and carried them back to his lodgings. Xiao Zhenggong stripped off the photovoltaic panels and wired them directly to the magnetic resonance cannon. After inspecting the gauges, Xiao Zhenggong said to Daboynes, "Once the charge is full, it should be ready to fire. Let's find a spot to test it first." Daboynes had already picked a location: "We'll go to Mazhu Village. That place is quiet." Mazhu Village lay right on the border between Greenwater City and Yaowanggou. Daboynes readied a horse carriage and departed Greenwater City, with Xiao Zhenggong mounting the battery externally to charge as they traveled. *** On Li Banfeng's end, the magnetic resonance cannon was nearly fully charged, and he also needed a place to test it. For Li Banfeng, traveling anywhere was effortless. He didn't need to lug the heavy cannon across rough terrain; he only had to keep it inside the companion dwelling and let it follow him. Heading out from the Huahu Park newland, he could reach Iron Gate Fort first, then locate a stretch of Boundary around Iron Gate Fort to carry out the test smoothly. Li Banfeng was currently scanning the map to select a Boundary line, searching for an isolated, undisturbed spot. Just as he was about to finalize the location, the companion dwelling became somewhat uneasy. "Ah Qi, let me take another look at that magnetic resonance cannon. Something about it feels off compared to what I wanted. It's also possible you made mistakes while transcribing the notes." The latter half of the notes had been transcribed by the Judge's Brush, which was certain it hadn't made any errors. But the first half was hard to guarantee. Too many people had taken part, making minor oversights almost inevitable. Li Banfeng brought the magnetic resonance cannon into the third room so the companion dwelling could inspect it thoroughly. The next morning, Li Banfeng arrived at the Dark Star Bureau, originally planning to hear Zhong'er's report, only to learn that Zhong'er and Lightbulb had been called away on a classified assignment. "What kind of classified assignment?" Tangyuan shook her head. "A special mission personally organized by Director Shen. Not even our team captain knows the details. The operatives were selected in advance and placed under closed management. You probably won't see Zhong'er or Lightbulb for the next couple of days." "Keeping this from your captain is one thing, but keeping it from me? His attitude toward work still needs serious straightening out!" Li Banfeng wanted to talk with Shen Jingye, but Shen Jingye was completely unreachable; it truly was a classified operation, and he had severed all external communications. With nothing to do all day, Li Banfeng returned early to his residence to discuss matters with the companion dwelling. "Old Master, have you finished inspecting the cannon? If you're worried about errors, I can take out the original documents for you to check again." The companion dwelling deliberated for a long time before replying, "No need. The core essentials should be correct. I'm just worried minor issues slipped into the fine details." Li Banfeng asked, "What kind of consequences could those minor issues cause?" The companion dwelling said, "Hard to say. Maybe nothing serious, or maybe halfway through firing, the cannon explodes. "Pick the most secure, reliable place to test it. That way, even if something goes wrong, we'll have a way out." The most secure place was definitely Qiqiu City. Li Banfeng said, "Qiqiu City is our own territory, right next to the Ink Fragrance Shop. If we test it along that border, even if the cannon blows up and injures me, there will be people to save me. "Besides, Qiqiu City has a train station. You can transport me directly there and back without wasting any time." The companion dwelling pondered for a long while. "Is Qiqiu City really appropriate? What if it blows up the entire city?" Li Banfeng was startled. That much firepower? "Old Master, you're joking, right?" The companion dwelling thought carefully and answered in all seriousness, "I truly think it might blow up all of Qiqiu City. Gunpowder doesn't work in Puluo Province, but there's no telling whether this contraption will obey those rules." Looking down at the handcart before him, Li Banfeng suddenly felt the solemn weight of wheeling around a tactical nuke. The companion dwelling added, "I'm not saying it's guaranteed to explode; other mishaps could occur as well. In short, caution is best. I'm getting old, and I honestly can't vouch for the craftsmanship of this build." With the device carrying such potential for destruction, where would be suitable for a test? After pondering for a long time, Li Banfeng settled on an ideal location. The newland. An ordinary piece of newland might not withstand it, so Li Banfeng chose Bei Wushuang's newland. In Bei Wushuang's territory, even the anomalies had been pried loose and cleared out by Li Banfeng. It was now an utter wasteland—the perfect proving ground. Yet the newland had no Boundary. Without a Boundary, what would he test it on? Li Banfeng had a plan. He ran from Huahu Park to Iron Gate Fort, and from Iron Gate Fort, crossed through the newland into Bei Wushuang's domain. He actually had a shortcut he could have taken: Bei Wushuang's territory bordered Li Banfeng's own newland, which contained a major train station. Li Banfeng could easily have used the station as a shortcut. Yet he didn't do so, because the upcoming test required the companion dwelling to stay at his side, rather than remain behind at the station. Selecting an open clearing in Bei Wushuang's domain, Li Banfeng wheeled out the magnetic resonance cannon, spilled blood onto the ground, and executed Close the Doors and Bar the Gates. With the companion dwelling right beside him, Close the Doors and Bar the Gates took effect, causing a ring of light to flare up around Li Banfeng. Did this ring of light count as a Boundary? Li Banfeng believed it did—it was just less potent. If the magnetic resonance cannon could extinguish the halo he produced, it would prove that it was indeed effective against Boundaries. The exact extent of its power would need further testing to determine. If the cannon failed to extinguish his halo, that wouldn't necessarily mean it was useless against actual Boundaries either; the Boundary and the light generated by a Dwelling Cultivator might simply be fundamentally different concepts. Li Banfeng had previously tried the Boundary switch modified by the old man. That switch could open a breach in an actual Boundary, but it had no effect on Li Banfeng's halo. Of course, the mechanism of that switch differed from the cannon. The cannon relied on its own output to nullify the Boundary, whereas the switch functioned more like a remote control, triggering some Outer State apparatus to open a gap. Whatever the outcome, he would only know the answer once he tested it. Li Banfeng first produced a ring of light using Close the Doors and Bar the Gates. Then, following the instructions in the dossier, he powered on the magnetic resonance cannon. Electrical energy surged, and indicator lights flicked on one by one from bottom to top. The companion dwelling's handiwork was remarkably rustic. There were ten lights in total, each representing ten percent of the accumulated charge. If all ten lit up, the battery was fully primed. Did he have to wait until it reached full charge to fire? The companion dwelling had cautioned Li Banfeng never to wait for a full charge—fifty or sixty percent was more than enough. The old spirit genuinely worried the cannon might detonate. Once the charge reached sixty percent, Li Banfeng pressed the fire button. *Hum—* Following a low drone, the halo at Li Banfeng's feet shifted. The light didn't vanish. Instead, it grew blindingly radiant. Bei Wushuang's territory had been pitch-black, but an area dozens of meters around him was suddenly illuminated as bright as day. Li Banfeng was alarmed and hurriedly retracted his technique. The brilliant halo vanished, and Li Banfeng swiftly stowed the magnetic resonance cannon back inside the companion dwelling. The gramophone asked, "My dear husband, did that contraption work?" Li Banfeng didn't know how to answer. "Let me ask the Old Master first." He went into the third room, but the companion dwelling was equally baffled. "Just what is this thing actually supposed to do?" Li Banfeng didn't linger. Stepping out of the companion dwelling and pocketing the key, he hurried back. Before he had gone far, he ran into Meng Yuchun. "Li Qi, why are you dressed like that?" Li Banfeng was wearing a jacket and no fedora; Meng Yuchun had almost failed to recognize him. "It's nothing, just changing up my clothes once in a while," Li Banfeng brushed off, then asked in turn, "What brought you here?" Meng Yuchun said, "I was strolling through my territory just now when I suddenly saw a flash of intense light over here. I came to see if something went wrong." Li Banfeng said, "I saw a bright flash too. Quite blinding." Meng Yuchun could see it even from her own territory? Li Banfeng seemed to grasp the true function of the magnetic resonance cannon. *** On a desolate hill outside Mazhu Village, Xiao Zhenggong aimed the barrel at the Boundary, preparing to commence the test. The magnetic resonance cannon he and Daboynes had constructed was even more crude, lacking any mechanism to regulate energy accumulation. Whatever charge it held, it discharged all at once. Xiao Zhenggong offered a reminder: "If anything goes wrong with this thing, you'd better find a way to pull me out." Feeling uneasy, Daboynes stepped back twenty meters. He knew nothing about the Boundary, and nothing about electromagnetism. Standing further away couldn't hurt. "No need to be terrified like that." Xiao Zhenggong smirked and pressed the fire button. If the magnetic resonance cannon worked and the Boundary extinguished, Xiao Zhenggong planned to bolt immediately, putting distance between himself and Daboynes at top speed. If it failed, he would remain safe for now and figure out how to modify it later. *Hum—* The magnetic resonance cannon discharged. The previously invisible Boundary abruptly blazed to life. Amidst the flashing radiance, a ribbon of light branched out from the Boundary, encircling both Xiao Zhenggong and the cannon inside. Xiao Zhenggong cried out in shock, "What's happening?!" Standing in the distance, Daboynes had avoided the encirclement, but he was left completely bewildered. After a long silence, Daboynes shouted, "Quick, shut the Boundary down! A glare this bright is going to draw people here!" Shut it down? How? Xiao Zhenggong only knew there was a firing switch; he had no idea how to turn off the surrounding light. Seeing Xiao Zhenggong's blank face, Daboynes yelled, "Run! Get out of there!" Xiao Zhenggong moved to run, but hesitated as he looked at the ring of light around him. He had no idea whether he could step through it safely. He ripped a part off the cannon and tossed it outward. The instant the component passed through the light, it was instantly incinerated into ash. "I can't get out..." Xiao Zhenggong was trapped by the Boundary. If he dared to force his way through, only total annihilation awaited him. Trembling all over, he looked toward Daboynes. Daboynes remained silent for a moment, then turned and vanished into the darkness of the night. "Don't leave!" Xiao Zhenggong shouted. "You can't just leave me here!" Daboynes glanced back once. Xiao Zhenggong stood inside the circle, utterly helpless. Under the cover of night, Xiao Zhenggong's position shone with dazzling brilliance, looking exactly like a performer pinned under a spotlight on a pitch-black stage. That very night, constables stationed near Mazhu Village surrounded Xiao Zhenggong. With such a glaring beacon shining over him, even the slackest constables couldn't help but notice. By noon the following day, Liao Zihui arrived at the Boundary accompanied by his men. Looking at Xiao Zhenggong standing inside the glowing ring, he smiled. "Sect Master Xiao, I never expected to run into you here." Xiao Zhenggong stared at Liao Zihui, lowering his head in silence. Liao Zihui glanced at the magnetic resonance cannon beside him and asked, "What sort of fine toy is this? Sect Master Xiao, who ordered you to build this contraption?" *** Li Banfeng returned to Yuezhou. Arriving at the Dark Star Bureau, he was immediately approached by Zhong'er to deliver a report. "The classified mission is over?" Zhong'er nodded. He wasn't supposed to speak freely of it, but since Li Qi asked, he didn't hold back: "The special mission was to apprehend someone—a man surnamed Han." Li Banfeng asked, "What does this man surnamed Han do?" Zhong'er shook his head. "That, I don't know. The exact reason is known only to Director Shen."