Eunuch, do you really know these martial arts?

Inside the command center, there was a deathly silence.

On the screen, the light representing the mysterious man in black and his arrow-shaped vehicle had disappeared.

All that remains is the real-time footage of the rolling waves on the sea gradually calming down.

But that invisible sense of oppression weighed heavily on everyone's heart.

"The Mermaid One is in stable condition, and the simulated signal disturbance has subsided. The internal system self-test has been completed, and no hardware damage has been found."

Engineer Zhou's voice came through the communicator, trembling slightly as if he had survived a disaster.

"But that kind of interference method has absolutely no record in our database!"

"It's not a conventional electromagnetic pulse or sonic attack; it's more like a precise resonant interference targeting specific bioelectric frequencies!"

Precise resonance interference!

These words made all the technicians present gasp in shock.

This means that the other party not only possesses extremely advanced biosignal detection technology, but also has mastered a terrifying method that can target and influence the physiological state of specific targets!
The consequences of using this technology on real people would be unimaginable!
"He confirmed the anomaly of the key, but did not launch an attack."

Bai Yongxu muttered to himself, "Is it because he discovered that the key's state was unstable and that forcibly taking it was too risky? Or did he see through the fact that the merman was bait, but deliberately remained silent, instead conveying some kind of message to us?"

"Both possibilities exist."

General Zhao's expression was grave. "If it's the former, it means they value the key more than we imagined, and they're hesitant to act for fear of harming the innocent."

"If it's the latter, then this opponent is terrifying."

Jiang Nian remained silent throughout.

His gaze was fixed on the last spot on the screen before the man in black disappeared.

The other person's seemingly casual yet unpredictable finger-flicking gesture kept replaying in my mind.

Without relying on any visible devices, a single gesture almost triggered a complex sequence of simulated bioelectrical signals within the merman's body.

This cannot be explained by ordinary ancient martial arts or technology!
"He didn't do it by projecting his internal energy outwards."

Jiang Nian finally spoke, his voice low and firm.

"At its core, it may lie in the precise manipulation of the biophysical field of the living organism itself."

He looked at the technical lead.

"Immediately analyze all physical data of the environment surrounding Hope Star before and after the appearance of the men in black. Don't overlook any subtle anomalies!"

"Focus on investigating whether there is a resonant frequency field that we have not noticed before!"

"understand!"

The technical lead immediately accepted the order and rushed to the data analysis table.

“Old Bai,” Jiang Nian looked at Bai Yongxu again, “I think he is more likely to have seen through the merman’s disguise.”

"Oh? Why?" Bai Yongxu pressed.

“A feeling,” Jiang Nian pointed to his temple, “a master-level intuition.”

"His last look was less of confirmation of his target and more of a mockery."

"He saw through our trick, but didn't call us out on it."

"A trick..."

General Zhao chewed on the word, his face growing even uglier.

"But he didn't come away empty-handed," Jiang Nian continued, "He personally confirmed that we possessed highly realistic decoy technology and that we were actively investigating Guixu."

"Furthermore, it is possible that by interfering with the merfolk, they have been able to detect some parameters and limits of our simulation technology in reverse."

"This is a silent confrontation, with both sides testing each other's limits."

Just then, the intelligence department sent in new information.

"Report! Continuous monitoring of the target sea area has revealed that after the men in black appeared and left, the abnormal communication traffic in the area began to decrease significantly, and some previously active peripheral signal sources have become silent."

"At the same time, a covert hydrophone we deployed at the edge of a 50-kilometer radius detected an active sonar pulse, after which no further anomalous acoustic signals were detected in the area."

"They are shrinking, they are hiding."

Bai Yongxu immediately deduced, "The black-clad men's reconnaissance results led them to decide to temporarily go into hiding to avoid exposing more of their abilities."

"The defense level of Guixu has probably been raised to the highest level."

"In other words, we alerted the snake, but it retreated back into its hole and blocked the entrance even more tightly."

General Zhao sighed, "It will probably be even more difficult to find its traces again."

The plan appears to have reached a stalemate.

Using the mermaids to lure the snake out of its hole, they managed to attract an unprecedentedly large fish, confirming the existence and approximate area of ​​the Ruins of Return.

However, this also exposed some of our own intentions and capabilities, causing the other side to strengthen its vigilance.

"not necessarily."

A sharp glint flashed in Jiang Nian's eyes. "The snake retreated back into its hole because it sensed a threat."

"This proves precisely that we've found the right direction and made them feel the pain!"

"The capture of the Butcher, the loss of the underwater fleet, coupled with the anomaly of the key confirmed by the man in black himself and our counterfeiting technology, this series of blows is enough to cause shock within the organization."

He walked up to the electronic nautical chart and pointed to the core area with a radius of fifty kilometers.

"They are like a frightened hedgehog now, curled up, with their sharp quills pointing outwards."

"If we launch a direct attack, we will pay a heavy price, and we may not even be able to break through its hard shell."

"what do you mean?"

Bai Yongxu seemed to have grasped Jiang Nian's train of thought.

“It is impossible for Guixu to be completely isolated from the world.”

Jiang Nian stated confidently, "It needs energy, supplies, information exchange, and the transmission of experimental data or something else."

"Especially during sensitive periods when they believe the key is malfunctioning and the plan may change."

"This demand will only become stronger, but it must also be more concealed."

“They used to use shell companies like Northern Lights Logistics for supplies, but now that channel is likely under our surveillance or even disrupted.”

"They must activate new channels."

The intelligence officer replied, his eyes lighting up.

"That's right!"

Jiang Nian nodded emphatically, "Finding the Ruins of Return is difficult in itself, but finding a capillary leading to the Ruins of Return might be relatively easier. Once we find this capillary, we can follow the clues and reach the heart!"

My mind went blank instantly!

The previous search focused on the various physical signals that the Ruins entity might generate.

But now the other side has clearly strengthened its signal jamming and concealment, making this path extremely difficult.

So, let's change direction and search for the lifelines necessary to keep this massive deep-sea base running!

"Immediately adjust the reconnaissance direction!"

Bai Yongxu made a decisive decision: "Suspend the large-scale active sonar scan of the core area to avoid further provoking the enemy. Shift our main focus to the following:"

"Expand the search to all targets within a 500-nautical-mile radius of the target area!" "Utilize all resources to thoroughly investigate unidentified transactions and transportation records globally, searching for clues that may be related to the organization and Guixu!"

"Intensify the interrogation of captured organization members, and don't let any fragmented information they overhear slip by!"

"Technical department, focus your efforts on analyzing all the data obtained from the Butcher Armor, the Siren Ship wreckage, and this brief encounter with the Men in Black!"

Instructions were quickly issued, and the command center became busy again.

But the atmosphere has quietly changed, and the previous sense of frustration has been replaced by a renewed fighting spirit with a clear goal.

"Jiang Nian, we owe you a lot this time. You have once again shown us the way."

Bai Yongxu walked over to Jiang Nian, patted him on the shoulder, and spoke with a touch of emotion.

This young man not only possesses terrifying personal strength, but his keen insight and strategic thinking are also key to turning the tide time and time again.

"It's your job."

Jiang Nian shook his head slightly, his gaze remaining calm. "However, that man in black is a huge variable."

"I suspect he holds a very high position within the organization."

The thought of the man in black's unfathomable strength and bizarre methods cast a shadow over Bai Yongxu and General Zhao's hearts.

With such an enemy in existence, any plan is fraught with uncertainty.

"How is your recovery going?"

Bai Yongxu asked with concern.

He knew that Jiang Nian had suffered heavy losses in Greenland and in subsequent operations.

"It's no longer a major problem, and there's even been some improvement."

Jiang Nian, feeling the surging and increasingly refined internal energy within his body, replied.

Extreme battles and pressure are also whetstones for honing one's skills.

Although he never actually fought the man in black, that eye contact with him from a distance was a test of his mental perception.

"That's good." Bai Yongxu breathed a sigh of relief. "Next, the search for the Guixu Lifeline will be mainly handled by the intelligence and technology departments."

"You need to stay alert and be ready to handle any unexpected situations. Also, regarding Zero..."

“I understand, I will visit him regularly.”

Jiang Nian knew Bai Yongxu's concerns.

Zero is at the heart of all this; its security and stability are of paramount importance.

In the following days, the base operated like a highly efficient and precise instrument, going full speed ahead in the new direction.

Active reconnaissance of target sea areas has decreased, but a larger and more detailed surveillance network has quietly been established.

Satellite cameras were pointed at every suspicious spot on the vast ocean.

The hydrophone array acts like a silent ear, listening to every unusual rhythm of the deep sea.

Supercomputers work day and night to process massive amounts of data from all over the world, trying to sift out even the faintest clues from the complex torrent of information.

Jiang Nian spent most of his time in the gravity training room to continue consolidating his cultivation.

Adapting to the new power perspective brought about by the Grandmaster realm.

At the same time, he also spent more time with Zero.

The state of zero seems to be becoming more and more stable, and the control over its own internal energy is becoming more and more proficient. It can even simulate some simple environmental changes.

For example, he could slightly raise or lower the temperature of the surrounding air. This progress amazed the experts who studied him and further convinced them that he possessed unimaginable potential.

"Father, you seem to have something on your mind lately?"

Ling sensitively noticed the occasional somber mood that Jiang Nian revealed.

Jiang Nian looked into Ling's pure and innocent eyes and sighed inwardly.

This child is unaware of the heavy secrets and destiny he carries on his shoulders.

"I'm just thinking about some things."

Jiang Nian smiled gently and ruffled Ling's hair. "How have you been feeling lately? Have you noticed anything unusual? Or... heard any strange noises?"

He was trying to use this method to subtly inquire whether Zero was responding to the key or the resonance.

Zero shook her head blankly: "No. I just feel like there's something inside my body, and I'm sleeping more soundly?"

He tilted his head, trying to find the right adjective, "I used to feel it move occasionally, but now it's very quiet."

Is she sleeping even more soundly?
Jiang Nian's heart stirred.

Is this related to the interference by the men in black?
Or is it some kind of periodic change in zero itself?
He silently noted this detail, intending to inform the research team.

Three days later, a turning point finally appeared in an unexpected direction.

In the intelligence analysis center, a young analyst excitedly rushed up to his supervisor, waving a freshly printed report in his hand.

"Manager! We've found it! We might have found it!"

Everyone's attention was instantly drawn over.

"Calm down, speak slowly!"

The supervisor took the report and quickly skimmed through it, his expression gradually shifting from confusion to shock.

"What is it?"

Bai Yongxu and Jiang Nian, who rushed over upon hearing the news, asked.

"It's a marine biotechnology company registered in a small country in the southern seas, called Blue Hole Resources!"

The supervisor excitedly pointed to the information on the report, "This company's surface business is collecting deep-sea microorganisms and genetic resources, and it owns two research vessels with the ability to dive to depths of 6,000 meters."

"What's so special about this?" General Zhao asked.

"What's special is that we conducted a retrospective analysis of the sailing trajectory of one of its research vessels, named Poseidon, over the past year and found that it has more than ten sailing records."

"The area where it eventually disappeared from our radar and satellite monitoring range was infinitely close to the edge of the fifty-kilometer radius we had defined!"

The supervisor pulled up the electronic nautical chart and marked out the Poseidon's sailing path.

As you can see, these trajectories extend from different directions like tentacles.

They all mysteriously disappeared near the boundary of that mysterious sea area.

“What’s even more suspicious,” the supervisor continued, “is that we retrieved the cargo loading lists of the Poseidon at the ports of departure and return for these voyages.”

"It was discovered that the amount of scientific research equipment and living supplies it carried on each voyage far exceeded normal scientific research needs."

"In particular, the quantity of special pressure-resistant steel, large sealing components, and certain materials marked as special refrigerants is even sufficient to support the construction and maintenance of a small outpost!"

"Moreover, when it returned, the amount of biological samples it supposedly collected was pitifully small, completely disproportionate to its resource consumption!"

"And there's one more crucial point!"

Another analyst added, "We obtained information through special channels regarding changes to the crew list of the Poseidon prior to its most recent voyage."

"It was discovered that three crew members in key positions had been temporarily replaced."

"The replacement's identity information was falsified, but their physical characteristics closely match those of several missing technicians in our database who are suspected of having ties to the organization!" (End of Chapter)