ryethenovel Chapter 38 Grandfather's Belongings
Chapter 38 Grandfather's Belongings
"Vermilion Bird Feather." She carefully placed it on the table. "It's the guardian treasure of the array's core. When I left, the core was noticeably dimmer, but it should last until the full moon."
At three o'clock in the afternoon, Xu Qingqing and Liu Wei also returned, bringing back a piece of silvery-white metal fragment, irregularly shaped, with sharp edges like a knife.
"Fragments of the White Tiger Blade," Liu Wei explained. "The guardian of the Dui position is severely injured, but he can still speak. He told us that the Gen position may have completely fallen, but the Zhen position... there is still hope. He received a distress signal from the Zhen position, but he was unable to respond due to his injuries."
"Where is the epicenter?" Li Shancheng asked.
"West Mountain Lightning Strike Peak." Xu Qingqing pointed to a point on the map. "It's a place where thunderstorms are frequent, and it's a natural cover for the Zhen position array's core. But it's also a forbidden area; ordinary people can't get close."
Li Shancheng calculated the time: It's 3 PM now, and there are still 33 hours until the full moon. If he sets off for Xishan now, the round trip will take at least six hours, plus the time needed to find the array's core and the fragments...
"It's too late." Jiang Han shook his head. "We need at least twelve hours to prepare the final plan for implanting the fragments, and then we need to rest and recover our strength. We have to abandon the earthquake site."
"But if one of the seven fragments is missing, how much will the success rate decrease?" Li Shancheng asked Cheng Xu.
Cheng Xu recalculated: "From 73% to 61%, it's still over half, but the risk has increased significantly. Moreover, what's lacking is the 'creative' attribute of the earthquake location, which may lead to energy imbalance, causing chain reactions to occur earlier or later, making it difficult to control precisely."
A 61% probability, less than two-thirds, is still the best choice.
"Let's do it this way." Li Shancheng made the decision. "We now have five fragments: three pieces of Tianquan, the Vermilion Bird Feather, and the White Tiger Blade fragment. We'll move at midnight tonight, infiltrate Shuanglong Bridge, and destroy the altar."
"How do we infiltrate?" Su Yan asked. "Last time we scouted the area, the defenses were so tight that even a fly couldn't get in."
Li Shancheng looked at Liu Wei: "How's your preparation for impersonating Chen Ya going?"
"It's done," Liu Wei said. "Xu Qingqing's disguise was very successful. With Engineer Chen's credentials and my imitation, it should be able to fool most people."
"Then use this identity," Li Shancheng said. "Liu Wei will apply to enter Shuanglong Bridge under the identity of Chen Ya to 'inspect the project progress.' According to proper procedures, she has the right to bring two assistants. Qingqing will be the technical assistant, and Sister Su will be the security consultant. The three of you can enter openly and legitimately."
"And what about you?" Xu Qingqing asked.
"I'll take another route." Li Shancheng pointed to the Yongding River on the map. "We'll dive underwater. The Shuanglong Bridge spans the Yongding River, with its piers directly in contact with the water. Hanshan Technology will be on the shore, but they might be negligent underwater."
"It's too dangerous," Jiang Han objected. "Underwater visibility is low, there might be hidden detection equipment, and you can't breathe underwater..."
"The power of the Kan position can help me," Li Shancheng said. "I can control the water flow, breathe underwater, and even simulate the energy characteristics of aquatic animals to avoid detection."
He looked at Cheng Xu: "You'll be in charge of remote support, monitoring the entire area and providing real-time intelligence. Once we begin our operation, you'll activate the previously prepared jamming equipment to create chaos."
"Mr. Jiang, you stay here and take care of Editor-in-Chief Qin," Li Shancheng said finally. "If we succeed, Editor-in-Chief Qin's curse might be weakened by the destruction of the altar. If we fail..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood what he meant.
In the following time, everyone made final preparations. Liu Wei put on the business attire that Chen Ya often wore, Xu Qingqing checked the details of the disguise again, Su Yan adjusted the equipment, Cheng Xu established a communication network, and Li Shancheng meditated alone in his room to adjust his state.
At six o'clock in the evening, during dinner, everyone ate their simple food in silence. This was probably the last meal before the decisive battle, and everyone was preoccupied with their own thoughts.
Li Shancheng gazed at the setting sun outside the window, its golden rays bathing the entire city in a crimson glow. He thought of his parents, his friends from university, the afternoon he first met Xu Qingqing in the library, the purple dragonwood trees of Qingyun Lane, and the moment Bishop Qin first revealed the truth of this world to him...
"Mountain City." Jiang Han's voice interrupted his thoughts, "There's something I think I should tell you now."
"What is it?"
Jiang Han took out an antique wooden box from his pocket. When he opened it, there was a thin booklet inside, with the title "The Record of the Inheritance of Wen Shu" on the cover.
"This is a record of the guardians of the literary institution throughout the ages," Jiang Han said. "The last page has your grandfather's name on it."
Li Shancheng was stunned: "My grandfather?"
"Li Mingxuan, the seventy-second generation guardian of the literary realm," Jiang Han said slowly. "Thirty years ago, he disappeared during an investigation mission, and we all thought he was dead. But now it seems... he may have just retired to protect his family."
"Why...why has no one ever told me?"
"Because that's the rule," Jiang Han said. "If a guardian chooses to retire, they must completely sever ties with the metaphysical world, including their family. Your father was a completely ordinary person, and that's proof—your grandfather used a special method to seal the family's bloodline, allowing your father to live the life of an ordinary person."
"Then why..."
"The seal will weaken over time," Jiang Han said. "Especially when the array's core faces a crisis, the bloodline will instinctively awaken and seek a new guardian. When you entered Kyoto City and approached the Wen Shu array's core, the seal naturally loosened. Qin Yunfeng's discovery of your spiritual sense was not accidental, but inevitable."
Li Shancheng processed this information. It turned out that nothing was accidental, but a call from his bloodline. His grandfather had been a guardian, choosing to retire to protect his family, but fate still led his grandson back to this path.
"This is his keepsake." Jiang Han took out a silver ring from the bottom of the wooden box. The ring was engraved with the symbol of the Wen Shu Array Eye. "He entrusted it to me, saying that if his descendants were to awaken again one day, it should be given to that person. Now, it belongs to you."
Li Shancheng accepted the ring. It felt warm to the touch, as if still carrying the warmth of its former owner. When he put it on, the ring automatically adjusted its size, fitting his finger perfectly. A familiar energy surged within him—older and more intimate than the Wen Shu bloodline, like a family embrace.
"Grandpa..." he whispered. His eyes were filled with memories of the past; he had been held by his grandfather, but sadly, those were now his last childhood memories.
Outside the window, the last rays of the setting sun sank below the horizon, and night fell.
Li Shancheng clenched his hand, which wore the ring, feeling the power emanating from the depths of his bloodline. This was not a burden, but an inheritance. Not a curse, but a choice.
And he has already made his choice.