NIP Chapter 317 Let's go see Xuanwu!
Chapter 317 Let's go see Xuanwu!
Qin Xiao arrived at the base promptly at 2 PM.
Zhang Yan was already waiting for him in the command room on the third basement level, where the holographic projection table was covered with light spots.
Pollution data for six cities—Jinghai, Huhai, Pengcheng, Rongcheng, Donghai, and Longcheng—is updated in real time.
"From today onwards, we're not doing this alone."
Zhang Yan briefly explained the situation.
The report made no mention of the former commander or the specific organizational structure, only stating that the military would provide satellite intelligence and strategic contingency support, codenamed "Great Wall".
After listening, Qin Xiao remained silent for three seconds.
"...You've been carrying all this on your own all this time?"
"Even if you're not alone, aren't you here too?"
Qin Xiao's lips moved, but he didn't say anything.
He's followed Zhang Yan for so long, working his way up from an empty shell at Tianji Security. He's seen the White Tiger crush hordes of monsters and witnessed Zhang Yan's countless unscathed journeys from the Golden Triangle, Siberia, and the depths of the ocean.
He always assumed that at least someone "above" him knew about these things.
It wasn't there originally.
"Alright, stop being so sentimental." Zhang Yan leaned back in his chair. "Let's get down to business."
"The military's satellite data interface will be operational tonight. I've written a secondary screening program; you need to arrange for someone to monitor it 24/7."
"The screening dimensions are four: magnetic field distortion, electronic equipment cluster failure, regional animal deaths, and abnormal population fluctuations."
"Report any red light to me immediately."
Qin Xiao quickly wrote it down.
"The second thing."
Zhang Yan switched the holographic projection to the East China Sea, where dense blue contour lines were visible.
"I want to go to the East China Sea again."
Qin Xiao looked up.
"When I retrieved the fragment of the Heart of Heavenly Craftsmanship from the underwater ruins last time, I used reverse energy injection to send Xuanwu into a deep dormant state."
"But it didn't die, nor was it subdued."
"The polluting energy of the Ruins had already seeped into the interior of the ruins, and the state of Xuanwu was unknown."
Zhang Yan tapped his finger on the nautical chart, and the cursor landed on the entrance to the superdimensional space below the seabed of the East China Sea.
"I need to confirm for myself whether it is still dormant or has been contaminated by the residual energy of the Ruins."
"If it's the former, I need to find a way to subdue it. Among the four spirits, Xuanwu is the defensive core. With it, the integrity of the Heavenly Craftsmanship Heart can be further improved."
"If it's the latter..."
Zhang Yan didn't continue.
Qin Xiao continued, "Then it's not about subjugating, it's about eliminating."
"Um."
Qin Xiao hesitated for a moment: "Does your sister-in-law know?"
Zhang Yan glanced at him.
"...I'll tell you in a bit."
……
At 7:30 p.m., Zhang Yan brought the last plate of sweet and sour pork to the table.
Nie Qingcheng was already seated at the dining table, chopsticks set out, water poured into glasses, and her phone placed face down on the table—this was her complete ritual for "preparing to eat seriously."
Zhang Yan took off his apron and hung it up.
Pink, cartoon pig.
"Speak." Nie Qingcheng picked up a piece of pork tenderloin without looking at him.
"What do you mean?"
"You checked your phone three times while cooking in the kitchen. The second time you frowned, something's wrong."
Zhang Yan sat down.
"I'm going to the East China Sea the day after tomorrow."
Nie Qingcheng paused for half a second with her chopsticks, then continued to put the piece of pork tenderloin into her mouth.
He finished chewing before speaking.
How deep?
"It's even deeper than last time. We need to go into the ruins."
"Where are you going?"
"Let's go see Xuanwu."
Nie Qingcheng put down her chopsticks.
Of course she remembered Xuanwu.
During his last trip to the East China Sea, Zhang Yan injected a reverse energy wave into Xuanwu, causing it to fall into a deep dormancy, and stole the fragments of the Heart of Heaven from the energy hub on the side.
That time, she was in the passenger seat of the mechanical shark, watching the sleeping bronze behemoth with her own eyes.
"It's awake?"
"It's uncertain, but it can't remain an uncontrollable factor forever."
Zhang Yan said, "The ruins contained residual energy from the previous one. If Xuanwu is contaminated, it will be a bomb buried at the bottom of the sea."
"What if it's not contaminated?"
"Then we definitely have to go."
"Of the four spirits, only the Black Tortoise has not yet been subdued by me. It is the core of defense, and the Heart of Heavenly Craft has a low-level connection protocol with it..."
"I didn't ask about the technical details," Nie Qingcheng interrupted him.
"I'm asking you, will you be able to come back after you go?"
Zhang Yan looked at her.
"able."
Nie Qingcheng stared at him for five seconds.
"You always say yes."
"Because they always come back."
Nie Qingcheng lowered her eyes.
The beauty mark at the corner of her eye was particularly noticeable under the light.
She picked up her chopsticks again and took a piece of hot and sour shredded potato.
"I want to go too."
"no."
"I went to the East China Sea with you last time too."
"Last time it was about retrieving fragments; the objective was clear, and the risks were manageable."
"This time is different. The state of Xuanwu is completely unknown. If it has been corrupted by the Void..."
"Then it's even more impossible for you to go alone."
"I'll bring a mecha."
"Mechs won't make you rice balls."
Zhang Yan did not respond.
Nie Qingcheng ate a couple of bites of shredded potatoes, lowered her voice, and avoided looking at him.
"Zhang Yan".
"Um."
"You can stop me from going, but you have to promise me two things."
"explain."
"First, contact me every three hours. If there's no signal in the deep sea, surface and send a message."
"It's impossible; the ruins are in a hyperdimensional space where communication is completely cut off."
"Then contact me once before you go in and once after you come out. The interval cannot exceed 24 hours."
Zhang Yan thought about it.
"It will be completed within twelve hours, and will not exceed twenty-four."
"second."
Nie Qingcheng looked up, her eyes serious.
"I'll pick you up at the dock the day you come back."
"You are not allowed to sneak back beforehand, you are not allowed to let Qin Xiao pick you up, and you are not allowed to drive yourself—walk over from the dock so that I can see that you are alright."
"OK."
Nie Qingcheng lowered her head and continued eating.
There was a moment of silence.
"Sweet and sour pork is delicious," she said.
"Um."
"You made fried rice too?"
"It's in the pot, but not yet served."
Nie Qingcheng stood up, walked to his side, bent down and wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder.
"I told you, I'll eat everything you make."
Zhang Yan's hand covered her fingers that were wrapped around her chest.
"Know."
Nie Qingcheng nuzzled his neck.
How many days are left?
"Seven months and twenty-four days."
"That's enough," she said. "Enough for you to cook many meals."
Zhang Yan's lips twitched slightly.
What he didn't tell her was that there was another line of text on the system panel—
"Warning: An abnormal energy fluctuation has been detected in the East China Sea Relics Area, with an intensity 340% higher than the last one."
……
The following morning.
Qin Changfeng's adjutant called and spent forty minutes completing the docking of the military's satellite data interface with the Tianji security system.
The secondary screening program written by Zhang Yan was immediately launched, improving the accuracy of abnormal event monitoring by three orders of magnitude globally.
In the afternoon, the first batch of screening results came out.
In Southeast Asia, the pollution south of Aung Tun in northern Myanmar is spreading twice as fast as predicted.