Forge a path to success.

Chapter 367 Abundant Harvest (7)

Ji Huaisu flew through the long queue in the dark and arrived at the dock. The people waiting to board the ship were talking amongst themselves, and there were occasional disturbances and protests. The guards maintaining order were already exhausted, and one of the kobold guards was almost closing his eyes when he shouted.

"The ferry has limited capacity! Please go back first, there will be another ferry tomorrow!"

This had been said countless times, yet the people in the long queue remained. Everyone knew perfectly well that it was impossible to get on a boat tonight, but they also knew that tomorrow's queue would only be longer than today's.

If I go back tonight, who knows when it will be my turn again? And what outsider would dare to stay long in this city-state that is about to become independent?
But those at the front of the procession, about to board the ship, showed no joy; instead, they carried an even heavier sense of melancholy and sorrow. For the city-states would eventually be lost, and if the battle lines fell, those from nearby Dust Island would be the first to perish. They did not want to imagine the scene of the heretics ravaging the land a month from now; they could only hope that the other major powers would step forward, that new strongmen would emerge to defend the front lines for all living beings.

They weren't even local citizens, and had no right to participate in politics. What could the creatures of this small, dusty island do besides pray?
As a child was about to board the boat, he turned back longingly, gazing at the dazzling amusement park in the distance. He tugged at his mother's sleeve and whispered, "Mom, let's go tomorrow! I want to play at the amusement park for a few more days!"

The mother smiled reluctantly: "There will be another chance, we'll come again next time."

"But what should we do when we get home?"

The mother was on the verge of a breakdown. Holding her child, she whispered, "At least our family can be together..."

What happens after we get together?

The children seemed to sense something and didn't ask any more questions. They huddled together in the cold wind, like tumbleweeds swaying in the wind.

Ji Huaisu felt a sudden, suffocating pressure. Chu Hengkong caught up and patted her shoulder. Just then, they heard a slightly familiar voice: "Oh! Aren't you two planning to leave?"

She was a young woman wearing large round glasses and holding a large notebook. Chu Hengkong remembered her; she was a new writer, Miss 987, who wrote "Guardian Spirit".

“We still have work to do,” Chu Hengkong smiled. “Are you leaving the city-state too?”

987 blushed again and shook her head: "I came here to gather material. My next book is about opposing Parrimanism. But..."

Looking at the long queue, she whispered, "I can't write anything down, I feel so upset that I can't write anything down."

"You should have thought of this day long ago, otherwise you wouldn't have been able to write the story of the guardian spirit."

“That’s a different matter…” 987 said dejectedly. “Novelists and artists are very good at discovering problems around them and making pessimistic predictions based on them. But we have no way to solve problems. When our pessimistic predictions come true, we have no choice but to lament and run away.”

She smiled wryly and said, "At this point, all we can do is pray—"

"No, we just need to wait."

Ji Huaisu forcefully interrupted her, patted the young writer, and said loudly, "Let's wait with hope! When we change the situation, let's do something for this city-state with our own strength!"

She pulled Chu Hengkong away, leaving the young writer standing there dumbfounded, instinctively adjusting his glasses that had been knocked askew. Chu Hengkong chuckled as he walked away, "Weren't you out for a walk to clear your head?"

"Where would I find the time to be leisurely and depressed?!"

"Both sides in the dispute are right, and I just can't muster the energy to do anything."

"This is not a reason to stand still."

Chu Hengkong pressed further, "Why? Is it because Parriman used underhanded tactics? Or do you believe that the safety of 10 billion people is more important than that of 1.7 billion people?"

"No, it's because I want to stand on the side of the Allies."

She strode forward, unwavering: "The strength of both sides, the legitimacy of their methods, the significance of their actions—all these are secondary. What truly matters is the choice I make. If the enemy is also right, then I will carry their wishes forward after victory. If there will be sacrifices ahead, then I will bear the pain of the dead and wounded and continue fighting!"
We live in chaotic times, leaving no room for confusion. How can we make the world a better place if we don't even have the awareness to bear the consequences of our own lives?

Chu Hengkong spread his death wings and took flight: "I've finally figured it out. Can I fly now?"

"I don't need your help with something as trivial as getting somewhere quickly!"

Ji Huaisu rose with the wind, and they flashed across the sky like comets, returning to the underground of the fourth vein.

During their rest period, the base camp had been transformed into a production workshop. Farmers came to the hastily constructed greenhouses to carry out mass sowing in conjunction with Wilbert's automated machinery, while senior gardeners such as Gulibo gathered in the research room, chattering about improvement plans for a certain new plant.

After a simple modification, the stone became the central hub of the workshop. Its vines were responsible for providing energy to the greenhouse area, while its spiritual power was used to set up an assembly line to help mass-produce more Millennium Bugs.

"That young lady is really rude to people," it said in a mild tone.

“I’m afraid now is the time for efficiency over etiquette.” Vilbert strode over, still as decisive as ever. “New bad news: I’ve tracked down Fifed’s logistics route. It has recently transported a large number of war plants to the Second Pulse. I’m afraid Parriman will also make some moves in the military camp, and we can’t place all our hopes on the Second Captain.”

"That bastard moved fast enough," Ji Huaisu cursed. "They split up?"

“The military camp is where the Jing Sha's fighting force is most concentrated; we need capable individuals to keep things under control.” Vilbert hesitated for a moment, “Perhaps we could draw upon the fighting force of the Third Lineage…”

"No, the stability of the third vein sequence is equally important. I don't want to see all that trouble back home go wrong." Chu Hengkong shrugged. "How so, partner?"

Ji Huaisu patted his chest confidently: "Go ahead and rest assured, leave this to me!"

·
The sooner the better, and Chu Hengkong had already set off with Vande in tow. Velbert led her to a room filled with strange equipment, seemingly a makeshift research lab. Harlequin's projection was drawing and writing inside, and greeted them warmly upon their arrival.

“Considering I’m not suited for combat on the surface of the fourth pulse sequence, I’m afraid you’ll need to evolve quickly to deal with the situation in the fields.” Velbert closed the door. “I’ll assume you can evolve successfully for now. What abilities will you gain after becoming Free Wind?”

“The ability to control the wind, the ability to seal elemental power, and a mount with strong combat capabilities.” Ji Huaisu gestured, “Our…faction’s cultivation method is rather special, we don’t follow the path of physical elementalization. I will seal most of the power of the free wind within the mount’s body, and only unleash its strongest power when fighting alongside it.”

What is your mount?

"After searching for a long time without finding a suitable mythical beast, my best friend and I made one together." Ji Huaisu created a miniature ice sculpture. "It looks something like this."

Haliroya took two exaggerated steps back: "It doesn't look very righteous~~"

"But it has momentum! So it's strong!" "That's enough. The most important thing in the Supreme Path is mindset. What you like is the most reasonable design."

Using the ice sculpture as a base, Velbert added information to create a model, producing a knight riding on the back of a ferocious and monstrous beast. She then added a long staff to Ji Huaisu's hand and asked, "Like this?"

“Almost…” Ji Huaisu bit her nails, “but it still feels a bit awkward, the target is a little too big.”

“This is because the path of the Discipline Knights has grown and expanded in war. Your legacy is more like a ‘military unit,’ with the form of each particle corresponding to the corresponding war situation,” Vilbert said. “Your particle 4 is designed to inflict massive casualties on the battlefield. Its hypothetical enemies are the Imperial fleet and the berserk magic storms. Naturally, it would appear bloated in urban combat.”

"I see..." Ji Huaisu nodded. "Hey, that can't be right. How do you know all about my family background?"

Vilbert ignored her question: "And your opponent, Lingfeng, is a highly mobile unit skilled in assassination, and has a large number of war plants to support him. If you don't have a countermeasure, you may easily fall into a disadvantageous position."

“Teleporting onto a mount’s back will put you in a disadvantageous close-quarters battle,” Haliroya agreed.

"Wait, wait, wait! Answer my question first! Why do you know about knights?!"

"Because I have been to the Plain of No Life Blood."

"real or fake?!"

“Don’t tell Akong.” Vilbette pulled up a design drawing. “During my investigation of the Blood Plains, I exchanged intelligence with the local Discipline Knights and designed a system based on their sealing techniques. Due to time constraints, this system only exists in theory and has not yet been tested in practice…”

Ji Huaisu was furious: "You want to use me as a guinea pig, don't you! Do you want me to step on a landmine?!"

Vilbert continued, "Therefore, its design is risky; it may disintegrate during actual operation, and its operation requires appropriate force restriction..."

"Isn't this all bad news?! What good is this lousy system anyway?!"

"In return, it can provide broader combat adaptability and increase the theoretical maximum output of the current particle."

"Let's do it!" Ji Huaisu slammed his hand on the table. "Who cares about the risks? Let's try it first!"

With a tap of her hand, Velbert caused the wall to flip, revealing dozens of sets of gleaming protective gear, ranging from retro-style knight's gauntlets to near-futuristic semi-transparent goggles, offering a comprehensive and thoughtful selection of styles.

Harley Luoya smiled and introduced, "Let's start with catalysts. Do you prefer traditional or modern?"

"Don't be too old-fashioned."

Haliroya picked up a pair of psychic gloves: "Lightweight?"

"Make it even sturdier."

"Offense or defense?"

"Guardianship first."

Harley Luoya turned around and took out a gauntlet, its texture as clear as jade, with a dragon's head carved in gold thread.

"Produced in Longquan Township, with Soul Banyan Jade as the main material, it can be paired with existing equipment and supports custom fine-tuning."

Ji Huaisu summoned her existing Azure Armor and added the dragon-head gauntlets. After minor adjustments, the new armor blended seamlessly into the Azure Armor, and she nodded in satisfaction: "Not bad."

“The combat support system will be built starting with this gauntlet. Don’t worry about efficiency; the most important thing for you is the design,” Vilbert said. “The core of the system is your Discipline Seal. You need to build a large, constantly operating seal around it to use energy more efficiently and ensure exceptional performance in critical moments.”

“Each Discipline Knight has their own preferred sealing method. What suggestions do you have for the sealing method we will be using?”

“No magic array,” Ji Huaisu said. “It’s too big and troublesome to construct.”

“Unconventional construction,” Wilbert noted. “Material medium?”

"I'm afraid of losing it. Ideally, it should be easy to use immediately, so that even if I become mentally challenged, I can still take pictures."

"Trigger-based fixed technique".

"That sounds good."

“Then, setting it as a dual catalyst of elemental power and mental energy, I will install a mental energy printer within your system, allowing you to activate the seal even in extreme situations where you cannot use your physical power.” Velvet modified the design. “What form do you want?”

"Convenient. Doesn't interfere with combat. Light and fast enough."

"Longquan Township-style talismans?"

"It's a bit soft, make it firmer..."

Harley Luo Ya revealed a card: "Like this?"

Ji Huaisu snapped his fingers: "This is excellent!"

“The requirements have been collected. We can discuss the fine-tuning as we go.” Vilbert glanced at her watch. “Captain Harley Luoya and I will immediately begin the practical development of the combat support system, and the Gardeners will prepare for the official operation. How long is your upgrade expected to take?”

"Three days at most."

“All the work will be completed in three days,” Wilbert said briskly. “There’s plenty of time, but we can’t waste any. Let’s begin now.”

(End of this chapter)