Steel torrents pioneering a different world

Chapter 166 Misunderstanding? Initial Completion of Industrialized Special Equipment! (Please Subscribe)

A black crow?
Aren't those things sent by the forest spirits to monitor their every move?
Su Mingjin recalled Deng Dakang's confident words during the previous defense conference!
"...The otherworldly spellcaster is full of malice, attempting to use mind-detection magic on me to probe the secrets of my heart, trying to intimidate me and make me submit...The otherworldly red maple tree, crows, beasts, and even some small animals could all be the spellcaster's eyes and ears..."

Thinking of this, Su Mingjin rubbed her temples again.

She exhaled before continuing, "I think it really was a misunderstanding. Our understanding of magic... is very limited."

She carefully recalled and confirmed that no reports mentioned any effective communication between the soldiers and the crows: "To be honest, we don't understand bird language!"

"Limited knowledge of magic? Can't understand bird language... Ha..."

When Lani heard this, she felt like she had heard the funniest lie of the century.

She raised her shackled hand and pointed with difficulty to the cold light source above her head, then to the heavy metal door, and the switch for the stun gun in Tang Huanzhu's hand.

"Are these ubiquitous magical devices just for show? You wield magic far superior to the humans of the South, and are far more powerful than the cave-dwelling half-humans of the West. You don't understand bird language? Stop making excuses! Apostles of evil gods! Incarnations of lies! Evil beings whose blood flows with wickedness!"

Su Mingjin gave a forced smile, trying her best to appear harmless, and said, "Prejudice in people's hearts is indeed a mountain, and the prejudice of the elves is even deeper!"

"On behalf of humanity, I would like to inform you once again that we truly do not understand bird language! Nor do we understand the bird language magic you speak of."

Seeing the disbelief on the other person's face, Su Mingjin poured another glass of water, waved her hand to signal the other person to be quiet, and then continued, "Instead of arguing about the misunderstandings that followed, let's talk about the facts that happened recently."

Her voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear, striking Lani's heart.

"First, in our view, you have never attempted any form of diplomacy. No warning, no communication, just direct action. Is this the behavior of a civilized race?"

"Perhaps you think you've taken action! You've contacted us! But why didn't you try sending envoys to communicate with us? Instead, you hid and used incredibly bloody forbidden magic, attacking us at the cost of countless lives?"

"Putting aside the communication failures and mistakes, the responsibility lies entirely with you!"

Lani looked coldly at Su Mingjin, wanting to refute her, saying that sending elves to find humans was like throwing sweet honey next to a hungry bear that had just woken up from hibernation.

Su Mingjin didn't allow the other party to speak and continued, "Secondly, we have never had any contact with the so-called ravens. But you used mind magic to manipulate our warriors, trying to make them kill each other. How do you intend to settle this score?"

"Third, you collaborated with evil necromancers, manipulating hordes of beasts and flocks of birds to repeatedly attack our camp, causing casualties among our warriors. How do you intend to settle this score?"

Lani's teeth and face underwent subtle changes as she suppressed her anger and pondered the other person's words.

Then, she had a sudden inspiration: "The Mother Goddess is right. You are very eloquent, but unfortunately, an invader is still an invader!"

Su Mingjin leaned forward again, crossed her hands on the table, and stared at Lani with a sharp, piercing gaze.

"Invaders? Ha! Things became irreconcilable when you attacked us for no reason. We were just carving out a small area to live in the forest, but you launched deadly attacks time and time again, refused to communicate with us, and were full of hostility... No wonder the savages said that you were also driven into the forest by other races."

"And you say evil flows in our bones and blood? What about you?"

"You say ravens are a bridge of communication, but haven't you noticed that we can't communicate with them? You've sent ravens to spy on us without our consent, haven't you?"

Lani closed her eyes and didn't say anything!

Su Mingjin was secretly pleased, then continued coldly, "You disregard the precious lives of countless forest creatures and manipulate them to attack us. You call those forest companions your allies?"

"Heh... I think those forest kingdom companions are nothing but your slaves under your magic, pathetic wretches, weapons in your hands to attack us, unfortunate expendables?"

She paused for a moment, each word carrying immense weight.

"Chief Lani, think about this carefully again. Who started this war that should never have happened?"

Afterwards, Su Mingjin got up and left with Yu Qiwen.

Lani watched the two leave, a subtle change in her expression.

"Let's go, Chief Lani!"

Lani watched as the guard removed the shackles that bound her, then returned to her room, deep in thought.

This time, she was not wearing the shackles that separated the two parties.

It seems the guard forgot!

"Lani, are you alright?" Eileen asked worriedly.

"I...it's okay!"

"That's good!"

Eileen had just breathed a sigh of relief when suddenly the other person grabbed her arm.

"Eileen, I have a question, can you answer it for me?"

"Lani, you're hurting me!"

Lani lowered her hand: "Can you tell me in detail everything that happened from the failure of the operation to the time you were captured and brought here?"

"This...is good...!"

On the other side, after Su Mingjin and the others left the interrogation room, they went directly to the prisoner information processing, collection and monitoring room.

Here, dozens of people are analyzing Lani's micro-expressions and brainwave responses frame by frame.

"How is it?" Su Mingjin asked Gong Pengfei, whose face was serious, as soon as she arrived.

"The other person's brainwaves are very active, which means she's experiencing a mental oscillation. She can talk to others and then proceed with the next steps of the plan!"

"Alright, come on over! If it's suitable, let them go back directly. Hopefully, they can communicate." Remembering the other party's words, Su Mingjin took a sip of water and asked her assistant, "Where's Professor Deng?"

"Professor Deng seems to be staying in the special equipment research area!"

"Okay! You guys go ahead with your work, I'll go find Professor Deng!"

"it is good!"

Gong Pengfei nodded, and then the expert team began to divide into groups. According to the previously established plan, they began their first large-scale, human-controlled interaction with the dozens of elves.

Since Lani had told us about communicating with the crows at the beginning, nothing unexpected happened this time.

The elves were terrified, their hearts pounding with fear that they would be sent to a brothel and spend their miserable lives there.

However, after the initial panic, they found that the humans were gentle in their interrogation. Although their words sometimes contained disrespect for the Mother Goddess, they were at least very respectful to them.

The elves are not like Lani's warrior style; on the contrary, many of them are gentle and weak-willed.

For the first time, humans took the initiative to speak with the elven captives, and gained more important information than they thought.

At the same time, humans also instilled in the elves the idea that their diplomatic methods were crude and flawed. Their tactic of launching attacks immediately upon contact with humans was highly illogical!

A few hundred meters away from the room where Lani was being held, Annies was also taken out for questioning.

Also taken out was Loris, who shared the same cell.

After the two were taken back to the monitoring room, Annies asked, "What were you asked after you were taken out?"

"I simply asked why we attacked them, saying we violated..."

Listening to her companions' conversation, Annies's face showed a strange expression.

"Could there really be some oversight?" Annie asked Loris with a puzzled look.

"Negligence? You mean those apostles of evil gods have a misunderstanding with us? But the Mother Goddess's will can never be wrong!"

Anise scratched her head, then looked around at the indoor scenery, thinking that apart from the lack of freedom, the food, clothing, and shelter here were much better than in the Forest Kingdom.

"Loris, I'm very confused. Is there really some misunderstanding here?"

“Annis, those humans and the humans of the Southern Kingdom are not… no, or perhaps this is precisely the cunning wisdom the Mother Goddess spoke of.” Loris grabbed Anis’s arm. “Yes, it must be. They are trying to deceive us, attempting to turn us into fanatical converts, infecting us with the evil magic that worships humans!”

So-called convert magic is a kind of evil disease that spirits fear and which is planted in the roots of the soul.

Legend has it that long ago, elves were granted extraordinary perception and the ability to control nature by the Creator, but extraordinary perception also meant extremely high sensitivity.

If an elf is imprisoned by humans for a long period of time, humans can use various forbidden methods or mental magic to control the elf in reverse.

If this continues, the free spirits will become subservient servants, lose their sense of self, and be completely used by evil humans.

Some excessive elf converts even turned their guns on humans, helping to capture large numbers of their elf companions and becoming corrupted elves, hated by all elves.

With this complete distrust of humans, Lani, Irene, Anise, and all the elves who were questioned had a rather unsettling day.
-
In another world, there is a supernatural equipment research area filled with a bizarre mix of technology and metaphysics!

In the core area, an ancient-style octagonal table is adorned with statues of the Three Pure Ones, and incense smoke curls around the table.

Below, dozens of advisors dressed in various colors stood solemnly in the eight trigram positions.

The scriptures they chanted formed a deep, resonant sound that echoed throughout the vast space, giving the air a sense of solemnity and stillness.

Outside the ceremony, Deng Dakang was leading a group of researchers in white coats, who were acting like they were on steroids.

Su Mingjin's eyes twitched slightly as she watched, deciding that she shouldn't disturb the advisors' ceremony or this scientific madman for now.

She originally sought out Deng Dakang to inquire about his experiences in the illusion.

The new intelligence she had just extracted from the elves was still fresh in her mind, and she needed to meet with the research department immediately to confirm whether any important information had been overlooked.

But the scene before her made her unconsciously slow her pace.

She almost held her breath as she looked into the arena.

I heard from Attorney Ge last time that activating special equipment, especially the kind that uses a person's spiritual eye, is extremely dangerous. A slight mistake could lead to death.

Disturbing the advisors could easily cause the ceremony to go wrong.

The goal this time is simple: to create a piece of equipment engraved with the most basic and stable energy.

This consumable item is the easiest to craft for experienced special advisors and warriors, with the highest success rate. However, it has a single function: it is specifically designed to counter the undead of the north.

But once it can be mass-produced, the significance will be completely different.

They will be able to establish a truly effective security perimeter along the vast northern border, completely preventing the infiltration and attacks of the undead.

The main figures in this ceremony were Ge Wuyou, an advisor from Pigeon Mountain, and Zhang Chiyun and Zhang Chiyu, fellow disciples from Cat Mountain.

The lengthy and solemn ceremony reached its crucial point.

After the chanting of the 100 people ended, Zhang Chiyun and his disciple Zhang Chiyu stepped forward and gave a standard bow to the stern-faced consultant Ge Wuyou.

Ge Wuyou nodded: "The ceremony is complete, let's begin."

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhang Chiyun untied the belt of his Taoist robe, letting it slip down to reveal his strong back.

Ge Wuyou took a deep breath, and his entire aura changed.

He dipped his brush in cinnabar made from precious energy-containing materials from another world and began to inscribe a spirit-gathering talisman on Zhang Chiyun's back.

The movements were not fast, but they carried an indescribable rhythm, which, to Su Mingjin, who was nearsighted, seemed to be writing the most fundamental rules of the universe.

As he finished his last stroke, a clear shout rang out like a thunderclap!

"Fu Cheng!"

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Chiyun trembled violently; he clearly sensed something.

Zhang Chiyun immediately followed the method he had practiced countless times, silently reciting the Shangqing Shouyi Secret Method in his mind.

He began to imagine himself as a fish, breathing through every pore of his body, inhaling and exhaling the air forcibly gathered by the special props!

The Shangqing has four secrets, among which the Cunsi Secret Method is the method of concentrating the mind and purifying the spirit, the Xinzhai Secret Method and the Shouyi Secret Method are all methods of cultivating the mind and concentrating the spirit, and the Yuqi Secret Method is the most complex.

The secret method of "Guarding Oneness" being practiced by the advisor at this moment mainly emphasizes the importance of maintaining mental focus. Practitioners need to maintain mental concentration and focus through "Guarding Oneness".

By the way, the "one" that we guard here also refers to a specific concept, spiritual image, or a key point in cultivation, which helps to delve deeper into the true meaning of the Tao and improve the effectiveness of cultivation.

Seeing that Consultant Zhang was chanting the secret method faster, many of the other consultants became nervous.

Zhang Chiyun's body began to undergo drastic changes.

The first sensation is a burning heat.

The moment the runes took shape on his back, an indescribable heat exploded from the cinnabar outline on his spine, gradually spreading throughout his limbs and bones.

It wasn't just ordinary burning; it was torture where the temperature rose little by little, and the skin and flesh were roasted from the inside out, as if the whole person had been thrown into an alchemical furnace, with every inch of skin tightening and every bone burning.

Sweat had just begun to seep from Zhang Chiyun's pores... and he was soon drenched in sweat.

From the perspective of others, Consultant Zhang's brows were furrowed, his face gradually contorted, and sweat broke out on his back.

However, when the beads of sweat encountered the still uncondensed spirit-gathering consumable item, calligraphy and painting behind him, they were actually blocked and scattered in all directions.

This incredible scene left many viewers both tense and expectant.

At the center of the vortex, Zhang Chiyun dared not be distracted in the slightest. He guarded his mind and silently recited the Shangqing Shouyi Secret Method, mobilizing the energy behind him...

He knew that the anomaly behind it was the first hurdle.

After an unknown amount of time, the scorching heat that could have cooked a person alive vanished without warning, replaced by a bone-chilling cold.

He was very familiar with this chill.

In that instant, he felt as if he had returned to that snowy winter.

To master the horse stance, the seven- or eight-year-old boy would stand in the yard for hours on end, wearing only a single layer of clothing and bare-chested.

Finally, exhausted, he collapsed onto the snow-covered ice. The excruciating pain from the cold seeping into his wound was as vivid as if it had happened yesterday.

"Useless! You can't even endure this little bit of hardship!"

My father's reprimands rang out like thunder in my ears.

"All you do is eat! You'll eat all the food we have at home sooner or later! What's the point of raising you?"

Her mother's sharp scolding followed immediately.

The indifferent and disdainful looks from his uncles were like needles piercing his heart.

Childhood memories that had been deliberately forgotten suddenly flooded back to my mind.

"Go and become a monk. If you become a monk, you won't waste food!"

The words that had driven him away from home now seemed like a vicious curse, echoing repeatedly in his mind.

"Hey, you guys were right! Not only have I become a monk, but I'm also doing something big today!"

Zhang Chiyun chuckled to himself, but his mind began to wander under the onslaught of these distracting thoughts.

The scene before my eyes became increasingly blurry, and countless distorted illusions began to grow in my mind.

"You freeloader!"

"A lazy bum who eats and does nothing!"

"Haha...useless trash..."

Countless familiar and unfamiliar illusions began to appear, just as he was about to completely succumb!
"clang--!"

A slightly sharp cymbal sound suddenly exploded on his mind.

The sound seemed to possess some kind of powerful force that could dispel evil, instantly shattering those chaotic thoughts and illusions.

It was Consultant Ge who noticed that Zhang Chiyun's expression was off, so he manipulated the cymbals to help him break through the fog of thought, crush his distracting ideas, and refocus his mind.

The sound of cymbals can calm the mind and spirit, welcome and send off deities, and drive away demons.

The sound of cymbals suddenly rang out, startling Zhang Chiyun and clearing his chaotic thoughts.

What am I doing?
who am I?
I am Zhang Chiyun! A disciple of the Shangqing School of Maoshan!

I...I am gathering spirits!

At that moment, he had a sudden inspiration and, without further hesitation, immediately focused all his mind and switched from the One-Guarding Secret Method to the Upper Purity Qi Control Secret Method, and began to try breathing exercises.

Over the past few decades, he has cultivated countless times, but he has never been able to sense that ethereal spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

This time, it's completely different!

As he circulated the cultivation technique, he clearly felt an unprecedented power surging into his body through the spirit-gathering talisman behind him!
It was an extremely complex aura.

In the beginning, it was balanced and gentle, like a spring breeze, nourishing his damaged meridians.

But in an instant, it became incredibly violent, like a wild horse that had broken free of its reins, rampaging through his meridians and mind, seemingly about to burst out of his body at any moment.

So this is... Qi!
This is the power that Master spoke of, connecting Heaven, Earth, and Humanity!
An indescribable surge of joy welled up in Zhang Chiyun's heart.

This energy surged through the meridians like a newborn dragon, bringing both excruciating pain and boundless vitality.

Zhang Chiyun knew very well that he had to act quickly.

This could even become his only chance in his life.

If the spiritual energy of heaven and earth that has been forcibly poured into one's body is not released immediately, it will at least cause injury, and at worst, one will burn up.

He suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of light in his pupils, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the seal on the offering table in front of him, made from a combination of various materials, including a red-leafed, white-barked tree with a human face.

Ignoring the sweat and grime covering his face, Zhang Chiyun staggered to his feet.

He had wanted to take a more cautious approach.

However, the power within him had a significant impact on him. His legs felt like they were filled with lead, or as if he were walking on cotton; every step he took was unsteady, and he almost fell headlong. The other advisors looked worried upon seeing this.

Not far away, a team of scientists was also closely monitoring all of this.

"The energy fluctuation curve has been generated."

"Professor Deng, a strong electromagnetic aggregation reaction has occurred in the training ground, and the peak value is still rising!"

"That's where Consultant Zhang is standing! The passive detection equipment must have been activated."

"It's started!" the assistant whispered in response.

Deng Dakang stared intently at the constantly changing curves on the screen, his eyes shining, before looking at the ceremony ahead.

He bit his lip tightly, as if what he saw inside the door was not a scientific instrument, but a nuclear fusion experiment that was about to succeed.

……

On the other side, Zhang Chiyun staggered as he walked.

"Hey, you're hopeless! Keep it up!"

He cursed self-deprecatingly, took a deep breath, forcibly stabilized his lower body, and made a hand seal with an awkward yet instinctive gesture.

Over the past few decades, he has rehearsed every step of the activation ceremony countless times, and he can complete the process with his eyes closed.

But those are just empty shells, mere tricks to deceive worshippers into eating.

Today, this empty shell, which has been empty for decades, has finally been infused with a true soul!

He picked up the magic sword on the table, the copper coin sword that had been with him for many years, but now it felt as heavy as a mountain in his hand.

When he guided a wisp of his inner energy to the sword, the dozens of copper coins strung together on the blade emitted a soft buzzing sound, as if they had come to life.

It works! It really works!
Zhang Chiyun was overjoyed and, without having time to savor the moment, immediately focused all his attention on the ceremony.

Stepping on the Dipper and Tasting the Stars!

His steps were clumsy, yet each step landed precisely on the right spot.

Recite the true words!

His voice was hoarse and dry, but every syllable contained an indescribable rhythm that resonated within his body.

He felt like he was being torn apart, half of him burning with intense fire and the other half freezing with icy cold, clinging to life only by his unwavering belief that he "cannot fail," "will restore the glory of Cat Mountain," and "Cat Mountain will definitely be number one."

Finally, he completed the Seven Star Steps and arrived at the offering table. He raised his magic sword high and pointed it at the unremarkable seal.

At this moment, all the raging energy within him seemed to find an outlet, flowing wildly down his arm and converging towards the tip of the magic sword!
"Edict!"

A loud shout came from Zhang Chiyun's mouth. Because the sound was distorted, it didn't sound like a human voice, but rather like the clash of metal!
"Om-!"

A faint ray of light, almost invisible to the naked eye, shot out from the tip of the magic sword and struck the seal with perfect precision.

In an instant, the seal shone brightly!

The seal seemed to come alive, and the previously drawn blue runes began to light up, forming a mysterious runic diagram.

Then, a warm and profound aura emanated from it.

The light lasted for a few moments before receding completely into the seal, leaving no trace of anything unusual.

The seal is still the same seal, but its color has become deeper, like a fine antique, warm and understated.

"It's done..."

Zhang Chiyun muttered to himself, but before he could finish speaking, everything went black.

The breath that had been supporting him was completely drained away, and his body felt hollowed out. Boundless weakness and exhaustion overwhelmed him like a tidal wave.

His legs buckled, and he fell straight backward.

With a muffled thud, he fell to the ground and lost consciousness completely.

In the final moments before his consciousness sank into darkness, only one thought remained in his mind.

Worth it!

"master!"

"consultant!"

The crowd immediately gathered around.

The doctors pushed through the crowd and confirmed that Zhang Chiyun's breathing was even and his heartbeat was steady, indicating that his coma was caused by exhaustion.

"No major problem, similar to the situation with Consultant Ge before."

Upon hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Activating equipment always comes with significant side effects!"

"We have to do it even if the side effects are severe. The problem is that our equipment is too weak. If it can adapt to the spiritual energy of this world, we might be able to activate it easily."

"Want to try that?"

Consultant Chen, along with many other consultants, Deng Dakang, Su Mingjin, and others, all turned their attention to the stamp that could print special consumable paper props.

"It's an ingenious piece of equipment after all; whether it works or not, we'll have to try."

"I believe this special equipment has just been successfully activated and needs to continuously absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. It would be best to wait until seven days later!"

"I think Consultant Sun's suggestion makes a lot of sense. Let's wait until the auspicious time arrives before making the rest of the equipment!"

"I think so too."

The advisor from Cat Mountain spoke up directly: "The Pure Heart Jade Token had miraculous effects after it was activated last time. Why don't we test it now? The front lines are getting impatient. Currently, many of our disciples and grand-disciples are involved in the production of various basic consumable items, so the shortage of these items is not so great."

The advisors wanted to create other special equipment, partly because they didn't have much hope that this ingenious seal would be successful.

The other one...

They want to achieve a new ranking.

While the many advisors were still arguing, Advisor Zhang Chiyu had already performed the Taoist salute.

"Fellow disciples and senior uncles, my senior brother gave instructions before the ceremony. He instructed that if the special equipment is successfully activated, it should be tested first, as it is for the soldiers. The safety of the soldiers is paramount!"

Upon hearing this, the advisors displayed varying expressions, while Su Mingjin and Deng Dakang, among others, nodded in satisfaction.

"We won't steal their thunder. Let's wait until Advisor Zhang recovers before testing the special equipment."

Since Su Mingjin had spoken, no one had many objections. The advisors then began to discuss the situation when they activated the special equipment.

Consultant Ge Wuyou said that she has recovered very well and can draw new spirit-gathering talismans.

The others were saying who would be the first to activate the new special equipment!
Now that disciples and grand-disciples of various sects are involved in making consumable items, it not only trains the junior advisors' talisman-making skills and facilitates their inheritance, but also ensures that the pioneering teams will not lack special consumable items.

Many highly respected advisors are involved in frontline research and development.

During the exchange among the advisors, Su Mingjin gave Deng Dakang a look, signaling him to leave.

Once outside, Su Mingjin immediately told Deng Dakang about the interrogation of the elf Lani.

"The ravens are trying to communicate? Ha, that's impossible, those ravens...!" Deng Dakang pondered the fact that some team members had mentioned ravens frequently circling overhead after they arrived in this world, and his face immediately darkened.

"Perhaps it really is a misunderstanding!?"

Su Mingjin closed her eyes in anguish: "I told them we don't understand bird language!"

"President Su, there's really no need to worry. The memories in my illusion can't be faked. After the other party pulled me into the illusion, their malice was intense. They tried to use magic to probe my memories and even attempted to control my body! At that time, I thought I was going to die!"

"Moreover, I now believe that their behavior doesn't resemble that of a party advocating for order, but rather that of more evil, chaotic spellcasters. As for the god they speak of... ha, a god lurking in the shadows?"

"Professor Deng, during that time, did the spellcaster... did God reveal any important information to you that you overlooked or forgot?"

Deng Dakang had a detailed report on how he recovered from the hallucinations, which Su Mingjin had read several times, but upon hearing the news about the elves, she still wanted to confirm it again.

She needs to confirm whether the University of Tokyo will be in a strategically passive position.

A famous teacher!
Fight for justice!
Even if this notion of justice and righteousness is a bit far-fetched, it must still be presented in the proper manner.

The University of Tokyo is not the kind of domineering country that would wage war against others over a bag of laundry detergent.

When exploring other worlds, procedural justice is essential and absolutely necessary.

Otherwise, how is this any different from a feudal empire or a militaristic state?
Once the military deviates from the most basic principles of justice, it will quickly descend into darkness.

Fighting for justice, for protection, and for all humanity in another world.

If the core principles are not upheld, the military will face endless disasters.

“No, absolutely not! They say they can see the future through magic.” Deng Dakang quickly denied that he had made any mistakes or omissions in the information.

After saying that, Deng Dakang slapped his forehead: "Right, magic, isn't magic unreliable?"

"The god I encountered in the illusion... well, the spellcasters said they could see the future, but the future they saw didn't seem to be very comprehensive."

"I think their magic is full of flaws. Or maybe we really will end up fighting them in the future!"

"Professor Deng, the information you provided is very important!" Su Mingjin rubbed her temples and nodded, "Thank you for your hard work."

"Mr. Su, you're welcome." Deng Dakang touched his nose. "Mr. Su, are you planning to release the elves back?"

"Yes, we're about to release them. We just had a discussion, and the other side is willing to negotiate peacefully. The troops are facing quite a few problems right now," Su Mingjin said, her face filled with worry. "We've received news of battle from the far north. The undead Scourge is causing trouble again, interfering with our oil extraction plans. We've also learned through surveillance that a large force of elves is attacking. We have to negotiate quickly!"

After saying that, Su Mingjin unscrewed the teacup and took a sip of strong Pu'er tea: "I see the seal equipment is finished. Can you directly print the new props according to your ideas later?"

"This..." Deng Dakang wasn't confident either. He thought for a moment before saying, "President Su, we still need to verify it carefully before we know! The Pure Heart Jade Token has a very good effect, but mass-producing consumable items like seal equipment is a first for both us and the consultant."

Su Mingjin nodded, and was about to continue asking questions when she suddenly heard cheers from inside.

"It seems Consultant Zhang has woken up! Let's go check on him!"

When they arrived, they saw many consultants with happy expressions on their faces, and consultant Zhang Chiyun was lying on a soft recliner.

The other person was pale and weak, but their eyes were full of joy.

"President Su! Professor Deng!"

"Mr. Su!"

"Advisor Zhang, how are you feeling?" Su Mingjin leaned closer to Zhang Chiyun and asked with a smile.

"I'm quite weak, but I feel good. Although the process of gathering magic power to activate special equipment was painful, this is better than ever before!"

At this moment, Zhang Chiyun, who had just awakened, felt a sense of "If I hear the Way in the morning, I can die content in the evening".

After joining the group and studying the scriptures for many years, I couldn't feel any clues about the Qi at all. Now, I can easily feel the changes in my body.

The path to extraordinary achievement is within reach!
“That’s very good…” Su Mingjin asked a series of questions, confirmed with the doctor that Consultant Zhang was in good health, and then looked at Deng Dakang.

"Ahem, Consultant Zhang, now that the activation of the special equipment with the seal has been successfully completed, would you like to choose Liangchen to activate other new special equipment, or test the function of the seal equipment we just tested?"

"Of course, we'll test it immediately! But I'm a bit weak right now, so let my junior brother do it!"

Zhang Chiyun was quite satisfied with the special equipment he had activated. This activation of the special equipment was also an experiment.

Failure would be very troublesome; they would become mediocre.

If it succeeds, the rewards will be plentiful.

Upon hearing Zhang Chiyun's words, the advisors nodded and then began preparing for the next round of ceremonies.

When the auspicious time arrived, Consultant Zhang Chiyu recited various incantations, then raised the special equipment of seals and pressed them one by one quickly.

Normal painting requires a series of rituals, including choosing an auspicious day, purifying the mind and body, chanting mantras, visualizing, spreading Qi, and consecrating the brush, ink, paper, and water. Finally, it needs to be activated and consecrated with a talisman.

However, once they arrived in the other world, the pressure from the strange and wonderful creatures was too great. After discussing it, the advisors reported to the ancestral master, hoping to adjust the process.

For example, in the crafting of consumable items, one first gathers materials, gathers spiritual energy, then spreads Qi, consecrates the brush, consecrates the ink, and finally consecrates the talisman.

This time, the main purpose is to verify that the special equipment with the seal can successfully make consumable items work.

Consultant Zhang Chiyu stopped what he was doing after covering more than thirty consumable equipment items.

"Junior brother? How are you feeling?" Zhang Chiyun asked worriedly, still feeling weak.

Fine beads of sweat trickled down Zhang Chiyu's face, but his eyes shone with an astonishing brightness.

"It's a bit strange, just like the feeling of exhaustion from drawing talismans!" He let out a long sigh, his voice carrying a strange excitement, "But I clearly didn't draw any."

Deng Dakang left, frowning as he inquired, "Advisor Zhang, does using seals consume your own energy and spirit? What is the consumption rate? Does it have any advantages compared to hand-drawing?"

Zhang Chiyu shook his head: "Professor Deng, please wait a moment, I'll try again!"

After saying that, he took a deep breath and picked up the heavy jade seal again.

He focused his mind, lowered his wrist, and with a soft shout, steadily stamped the seal onto a blank talisman paper.

Imperial edict, stamp with seal!
The movements are smooth and smooth, done in one go.

As the seal was lifted, a barely perceptible glimmer of light flashed across the talisman paper.

He stamped over a hundred more sheets until he felt as if all his strength had been drained, then he gently put down the special equipment for stamping.

"Phew... I knew it!"

"Advisor Zhang? How is he?" Su Mingjin's voice was calm, but her eyes showed concern.

"Reporting to General Su, fellow colleagues!" Zhang Chiyu's voice was filled with barely concealed excitement. "The method has succeeded! The method of using seals to imprint consumable items has worked. However, it will consume one's own essence, energy, and spirit, but the damage to physical strength and mental energy is minimal! I feel that I only need to meditate for a short while to recover my essence, energy, and spirit, and then continue imprinting talismans!"

He made a rough estimate: "At my current rate, I can produce at least five hundred copies a day without any problem!"

"Five hundred sheets?!" Deng Dakang adjusted his glasses. "Efficiency has increased tenfold! But..."

He brought the consumable items close to his eyes and carefully stroked them with his fingers.

The feel of touch doesn't lie.

The lifeless talisman paper only has the dryness and hardness of paper, but this consumable item has a faint warmth to it, as if it contains a flowing power.

"At least the idea has been realized, and the seal has been successfully verified! It's a pity that the efficiency of talisman making still has an upper limit. It would be even better if we could seal talismans without intervals."

"Professor Deng, you're being greedy," Su Mingjin chuckled, interrupting his reverie.

Deng Dakang adjusted his glasses, somewhat unconvinced, and argued, "President Su, this is called the ultimate pursuit of science! Although compared to before when we drew dozens of pictures a day with a decreasing success rate, this is certainly a significant improvement. But we can't be satisfied with that; our goal is the stars and the sea!"

His words amused the advisors around him.

An elderly advisor stroked his beard and chuckled, “President Su is right, and Professor Deng’s words are quite interesting. However, Junior Brother Zhang’s successful activation of the special equipment has truly boosted our morale! Congratulations!”

Everyone's faces were beaming with genuine smiles, sweeping away the previous gloom.

Deng Dakang laughed too, thinking that the exploration of special equipment was still in its early stages, so he didn't think too much about it.

A tall building rises from the ground; haste makes waste. They are not in a hurry.

Su Mingjin then asked, "Now that the seal is complete, what are the plans for activating the other special equipment, esteemed advisors?"

The atmosphere changed instantly as soon as he finished speaking.

Consultant Zhang from Longshan immediately stepped forward, his voice booming: "President Su, Professor Deng, today is an auspicious day! Longshan is duty-bound to activate the batch of protective special equipment we forged earlier!"

Before he could finish speaking, someone from Qingshan immediately chimed in: "Senior brother, you are mistaken! Protective equipment is important, but protective equipment for the home is the foundation of everything! How can we go on an expedition if the camp is not secure? This time, Qingshan will activate the protective equipment for the home!"

“I’m Pigeon Mountain…”

Listening to the ongoing debates, Su Mingjin did not intervene to mediate, but simply let the advisors argue over the tasks among themselves.

After a heated debate, the Aoyama advisors, who were better prepared and had more convincing reasons, ultimately won the mission to activate the special equipment for the house at the auspicious time of the apocalypse.

Although Longshan's advisors were unwilling, they had no choice but to accept it.

The only thing that surprised Su Mingjin was that Wu Shan's advisor, Chen, was not very actively involved in the task of activating the special equipment.

Seeing that everyone had a clear division of labor and were busy with the ceremony, Su Mingjin said a few words of encouragement before turning around and leaving the bustling scene.

The needs list for the pioneering team has already been issued, including a wide variety of items such as exorcism, purification, guardianship, and healing, in huge quantities.

Their faction is inherently complicated by rituals and emphasizes tradition, so it cannot be rushed.

Now that the advisors from various factions have taken the initiative to accept their tasks, we'll see how they perform once they're put to the test.

A sharp glint flashed in Su Mingjin's eyes.

Whoever completes their project first, and whose method is superior, will gain the upper hand in subsequent resource allocation and receive more official attention and support.

What she wanted was not harmony, but elite troops capable of winning battles.

This horse racing event within the Xuanmen sect has only just begun.

Only time will tell who is truly superior!
(End of this chapter)