Courtyard Check-in: Starting with a Small World of Cultivation

At 6 a.m. on July 22, the sky was overcast, as if it was about to rain.

Chen Yu stood in the secure conference room on the third floor of the 903 Factory's experimental building, a thick "Confidentiality Agreement for Special Materials Research Project" in front of him. Chief Engineer Zhao sat opposite him, with two men in military uniforms beside them—one was the head of the factory's security department, and the other was an unfamiliar middle-aged military officer whose shoulder insignia indicated he was a major.

"Comrade Chen Yu, there are some things I need to explain to you before signing the agreement." The major's voice was deep and crisp, carrying the crispness of a soldier. "'Project Xuanwu' is a key national defense research project, classified as top secret. The information you are about to access must not only not be leaked, but you are not even allowed to think about or record it outside the factory area. Understand?"

"Understood." Chen Yu nodded.

"Furthermore," the major stared into his eyes, "project team members have not only technical responsibilities but also safety responsibilities. Any suspicious persons or unusual situations must be reported immediately. This is not a suggestion, it's an order."

Chen Yu signed his name and pressed his fingerprint. Only after the formalities were completed did Chief Engineer Zhao breathe a sigh of relief: "Alright, now you can go see the samples."

The group passed through three coded doors and entered the underground laboratory. The security level here was significantly higher than that of the surface area; soldiers were stationed at each door, and warning signs stating "Electronic devices are strictly prohibited" were posted on the walls.

Inside the laboratory, several technicians in white lab coats were busy at work. On the central workbench, several black metal samples were placed, gleaming with a dark reddish luster under the light.

"This is 'basalt alloy'." Chief Engineer Zhao put on white gloves and carefully picked up a piece. "The main component is titanium alloy, but a special mineral has been added, which improves its performance at high temperatures by more than three times."

Chen Yu took the sample. It was heavy, slightly warmer than room temperature, and had a dark red texture on the surface resembling obsidian. Activating his spiritual eye, he could clearly see the microstructure inside the alloy—countless tiny red crystals embedded within the titanium alloy's lattice, which were indeed obsidian powder!

"We discovered that this mineral can perfectly fuse with titanium alloys under certain conditions," explained an older technician wearing glasses. "However, the process is extremely unstable, with a yield rate of less than 30%. Moreover... some finished products exhibit strange defects."

He pulled up a micrograph: "Look here, these 'energy nodes' form inside the alloy, causing localized overheating and stress concentration. Conventional testing methods can't detect the pattern, so we'd like to ask for your help."

Chen Yu examined the photos carefully. Those so-called "energy nodes" were actually clusters of obsidian crystals, containing such concentrated fire-elemental energy that they repelled the metallic matrix. Ordinary people don't understand spiritual energy; they can only observe physical phenomena.

"I need to inspect a batch of samples, including qualified and defective products," Chen Yu said.

"It's all ready." Chief Engineer Zhao pointed to the sample cabinet next to him. "There are fifty samples here. Samples numbered 1-25 are acceptable, while samples 26-50 have various defects. How long will it take you?"

"Three days."

"Okay, you'll stay at the factory for the next three days. We'll arrange your food and lodging," the major said. "Just let us know if you need anything."

Chen Yu was assigned to a guesthouse inside the factory area. The room was simple but clean, and the window faced the wall, allowing him to see the soldiers patrolling outside. He put down his luggage and immediately began working.

Inside the sample room, fifty alloy samples were neatly arranged. Chen Yu put on specially made observation glasses—devices manufactured by Factory 903, capable of adjusting various light modes and magnification. Of course, his real "eyes" were the Spirit Eye Technique.

The first sample is合格 (qualified/compliant). Under the Spiritual Eye Technique, the obsidian crystals are evenly distributed within the titanium alloy matrix, like stars in the night sky, spaced perfectly apart, with a smooth flow of spiritual energy.

The second one was also a qualified product.

The third... When Chen Yu saw the eighth sample, he noticed something unusual. Inside this sample, there were three areas where obsidian crystals gathered, forming three tiny "spiritual energy vortexes." At high temperatures, these vortexes would interfere with each other, causing localized overheating of the alloy.

He noted down the number: 008, defect type: crystal aggregation.

The work lasted all day. By 8 p.m., Chen Yu had examined 30 samples and found seven different types of defects: crystal aggregation, lattice distortion, spiritual energy leakage, matrix repulsion... Each defect had its unique manifestation of spiritual energy.

These discoveries gave him a deeper understanding of the fusion of obsidian and metal. As a fire-elemental material, obsidian is inherently active and requires specific "soothing" or "guiding" to coexist harmoniously with ordinary iron. The ancients used rune arrays, and modern people use process parameters; essentially, they are all doing the same thing—controlling the distribution and flow of spiritual energy.

Dinner was at the factory canteen, a simple meal: two steamed buns, one meat dish, one vegetable dish, and a bowl of soup. Chen Yu noticed several familiar faces in the canteen—the technicians he had seen in the lab during the day, and also Engineer Liu.

Liu sat alone in the corner, eating quickly with a wary look in his eyes. Chen Yu quietly probed with his spiritual sense and found something on his waist—not a gun, but a jade pendant, emitting a faint spiritual energy fluctuation, probably some kind of defensive or warning artifact.

"It seems there are indeed cultivators stationed at Factory 903," Chen Yu thought to himself. This wasn't surprising; it was impossible for the national government to be completely unaware of a project involving spiritual materials like fire obsidian alloy.

After returning to his room after dinner, Chen Yu did not rest immediately. He sat cross-legged on the bed, seemingly resting with his eyes closed, but in reality, he quietly released his spiritual sense to explore the entire factory area.

Factory 903 occupies a large area, divided into above-ground and underground sections. The above-ground section contains ordinary workshops and office buildings, while the underground section houses classified project areas. Chen Yu's spiritual sense can only cover the above-ground portion; underground, there is some kind of barrier that prevents him from probing.

However, the above-ground area already provided him with a great deal of information. The factory was surrounded by walls and sentry posts, with patrolling soldiers rotating every half hour. Several key buildings had hidden sentries, including the experimental building where he was located. In addition, he sensed three other faint fluctuations of spiritual energy—besides Engineer Liu, there were at least three other cultivators in the factory.

"The defenses are tight," Chen Yu thought. It would be extremely difficult for Scarface to infiltrate and steal the alloy. Unless… they have an inside man.

Just as I was thinking, there was a knock on the door.

"Engineer Chen, are you asleep?" It was Chief Engineer Zhao's voice.

Chen Yu opened the door, and Chief Engineer Zhao came in carrying a thermos: "I brought you some hot water. How are you, getting used to it?"

"fine."

"Did you find anything today?"

"There are some," Chen Yu said carefully. "The types of defects are more complex than expected, but they seem to follow a pattern. I need more time."

Chief Engineer Zhao nodded, sat down in a chair, and looked somewhat tired: "Chen Yu, this project is very important to us. To be honest, this batch of alloy is intended for use in the latest fighter jets. If successful, our air force's strength will be significantly enhanced."

"I see."

"So..." Chief Engineer Zhao lowered his voice, "there have been some unusual things happening at the factory recently, you need to pay close attention."

Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat: "What's unusual?"

"Last week, someone attempted to hack the access control system in the underground warehouse. Although they were unsuccessful, it triggered an alarm," said Chief Engineer Zhao. "The security department checked and found no signs of unauthorized entry. It could have been an insider, or it could have been... a more sophisticated infiltration method."

More sophisticated infiltration methods? The magic of cultivators?

"Are the alloy samples safe?"

"It's safe for now, but I can't guarantee it," Chief Engineer Zhao sighed. "These samples are too precious. There are only a handful of obsidian mines in the whole country, and the output is extremely low. If they are stolen, the losses will be incalculable."

Chen Yu paused for a moment, then said, "Chief Engineer Zhao, I have a suggestion."

"you say."

"Set a trap," Chen Yu said. "Use a batch of marked defective samples as bait to lure the snake out of its hole."

Chief Engineer Zhao's eyes lit up: "How exactly do we do it?"

"I can prepare a few special samples tomorrow, with markings inside that only I can identify. I'll place them in a prominent position in the warehouse so I can track them down if they're stolen."

"Will you track it?"

"I have my own methods," Chen Yu said without explicitly stating it.

Chief Engineer Zhao stared at him for a few seconds, then finally nodded: "Okay, do as you say. What kind of cooperation is needed?"

"Give me three medium-quality samples, some special marking materials, and... a floor plan of the warehouse."

The next day, Chen Yu "processed" the three bait samples in the sample room. The marking method he used was very simple—he engraved tiny spiritual energy imprints inside the samples. Ordinary people could not detect these imprints, but cultivators could clearly sense them with their spiritual sense, and each imprint had a unique "fingerprint".

Engraving requires precise control of spiritual energy. Chen Yu condensed his spiritual energy into a needle-sized amount and, through the alloy surface, engraved runes onto the obsidian crystals inside. Three marks were engraved on each sample, forming a simple tracking array.

Halfway through the work, Engineer Liu came in.

"Mr. Chen, are you busy?" Mr. Liu asked casually.

"Yes, study the samples." Chen Yu said calmly.

Engineer Liu walked to the sample table, picked up a processed bait sample, and examined it carefully: "Is there anything special about this one?"

"The crystal distribution is relatively uniform, and I'm studying its molding process," Chen Yu said casually.

Liu nodded and put down the sample, but Chen Yu noticed that when his fingers lightly brushed across the sample's surface, there was a faint trace of spiritual energy probing it—he was using his spiritual sense to examine it!

Sure enough, Engineer Liu was a cultivator and very sensitive to alloys.

"Does Engineer Liu also have expertise in materials science?" Chen Yu asked tentatively.

"I know a little bit," Liu smiled. "I've worked on other projects before. Chen, your method is quite unique; is it your own creation?"

"It incorporates some traditional experience."

The two chatted for a few more minutes before Liu left. Chen Yu watched his retreating figure, his vigilance growing even stronger. This Liu was probably not someone to be trifled with.

In the afternoon, Chief Engineer Zhao delivered the warehouse floor plan and access cards. The warehouse is on the second basement level and has two access control systems: the first is a combination lock, and the second is a fingerprint lock. The interior is equipped with 24-hour surveillance and vibration sensors.

"I have people in the monitoring room who will cooperate with you," Chief Engineer Zhao said. "When will the samples be put in?"

"Tonight," Chen Yu glanced at his watch, "two in the morning, when people are most sleepy."

Late at night, accompanied by two security officers, Chen Yu entered the underground warehouse. The warehouse was large, with rows of shelves filled with various materials and parts. In the middle of the third shelf, he placed three bait samples, a conspicuous but not overly obtrusive placement.

"That's it?" one of the staff members asked.

"Okay." Chen Yu nodded. "Let's go out."

It was 3 a.m. when Chen Yu returned to the ground. Instead of going back to his room, he went to the rooftop of the laboratory building. The view from there was expansive, overlooking most of the factory area.

His spiritual sense spread out, covering an area of ​​twenty feet in radius. He could "see" the location of the warehouse and sense the faint spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from the three bait samples. If someone touched the samples, the fluctuations would change.

Time passed by, minute by minute. At four in the morning, the factory area was silent, with only the occasional sound of patrolling soldiers' footsteps.

Suddenly, Chen Yu sensed something unusual—a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy was approaching from the direction of the warehouse! It wasn't coming from the main entrance, but from the ventilation duct!

A chill ran down his spine as he locked onto the fluctuation with his spiritual sense. It was a figure, small and thin, wearing a black bodysuit, crawling inside the ventilation duct. The movements were agile, clearly indicating special training, and… it was a cultivator!

The figure stopped at the ventilation opening above the warehouse, not immediately entering, but waiting quietly. Chen Yu could sense that he was using some kind of detection spell to scan the interior of the warehouse.

Five minutes later, the figure moved. He silently opened the ventilation vent gate, slipped into the warehouse like a cat, and landed without a sound.

Chen Yu immediately whispered into the walkie-talkie given to him by Chief Engineer Zhao: "Target enters the warehouse, towards the ventilation vent."

"Received, the surveillance has been switched, we've spotted him," a hushed voice came from the other end.

With his spiritual sense locked on, Chen Yu could clearly "see" the man's movements. He moved quickly between the shelves, his target clear, heading straight for the third shelf—the location of the decoy samples!

The man picked up a sample, weighed it in his hand, and then probed it with his spiritual sense. Chen Yu sensed that he was examining the spiritual energy imprint within the sample, but seemed to find nothing unusual.

Just as the man was about to take the second sample, the warehouse lights suddenly blared on! An alarm went off!

"Don't move!" Security personnel rushed out from the shadows.

The man reacted incredibly quickly, shoving the sample into his coat and turning to run towards the ventilation vent. But just as he leaped into the air, a figure pounced from the side—it was Engineer Liu!

Engineer Liu's speed was astonishing; he struck the man in black on the back with a palm strike. The man in black hastily turned around, blocking the blow with both hands, and the two clashed head-on.

"Bang!" The force of the impact sent shockwaves through the air, shaking the shelves.

The man in black used the momentum to retreat, but Engineer Liu pursued relentlessly. The two exchanged several blows inside the warehouse, their movements as fast as lightning, leaving the ordinary security guards no chance to intervene.

Chen Yu could see clearly from the rooftop that both men were cultivators, with strength around the sixth level of the Qi Refining stage. Liu Gong's moves were fierce and powerful, while the man in black was agile and nimble, making it difficult to determine a winner for the time being.

But this is Factory 903, and delaying will be disadvantageous for the men in black. Sure enough, more footsteps came from outside—reinforcements had arrived.

The man in black feinted, then flung out a handful of white powder. The powder exploded in the air, turning into thick smoke that obscured visibility. When the smoke cleared, the man in black had vanished, and the grille at the ventilation duct was destroyed.

"Chase!" Engineer Liu was the first to give chase.

Chen Yu did not move. His spiritual sense was locked onto the decoy sample that had been taken away—the spiritual energy imprint within the sample was moving, heading towards the western wall of the factory area.

"Chief Engineer Zhao, the target has moved toward the west wall," Chen Yu reported.

"Received, surveillance has been deployed."

However, when the group arrived at the west wall, they only found a discarded black bodysuit; the sample was gone. There were signs of someone climbing over the wall, but outside was a forest, making it difficult to track them in the darkness.

"He got away." Engineer Liu's face was grim.

"But he left this behind." Chen Yu picked up the bodysuit and took out a small cloth bag from the inner pocket. Opening it, he found several black stone fragments inside—obsidian! There was also a note with two words written on it: "Warning."

"What does this mean?" Chief Engineer Zhao asked.

"It's a provocation, and also a demonstration," Liu said in a deep voice. "They knew we were on guard, but they still came, and almost succeeded."

Chen Yu remained silent. He sensed that the bait sample that had been taken away was now stationary three miles outside the factory area. It seemed the men in black had hidden the sample somewhere, intending to retrieve it later.

This suited him perfectly. With the spiritual imprint present, the sample was the best tracker.

When he returned to his room, it was almost dawn. Chen Yu didn't sleep; he took out paper and pen and began to draw—based on the sensations from the spiritual energy imprint, he marked the approximate location where the sample was hidden. It was deep in the Western Mountains, in a very remote place.

"The Scarface team has a base in Xishan," Chen Yu thought to himself. This would explain why they could operate so frequently in Beijing without being detected.

He carefully put away the blueprints, preparing to investigate the place after leaving Factory 903.

Outside the window, the sky was gradually brightening.

And this battle to protect the alloy has only just begun.