Chapter 2190: Dong Rui Goes on Assignment

So the two warring sides fought while negotiating, sometimes fighting, sometimes talking — today you send me a letter, tomorrow I send you a dispatch — and people kept dying on the battlefield; it can be said this war was fought in an extremely tangled manner.

But to say the negotiations made no progress would not be entirely true either, because sometimes consensus was reached — Mou State even gave up several strategic strongholds for the sake of the agreement, and Ya State also made concessions on the agreement terms more than once.

Both states showed sincerity, yet both were dissatisfied with the other's sincerity; negotiations failed again and again, and the war turned into overtime, dragging on until even onlookers were yawning incessantly.

How exactly did things evolve step by step into today's situation?

If there were a regret pill to take, Ya State would certainly never have attacked Bailie back then, would never have clamored to avenge the Third Prince.

If He Lingchuan were Mou State's Chief Minister, he would be quite satisfied with such war gains. After all, Mou State had also expended considerable energy and lives on Ya State's battlefields; it was time to pull back.

After all, on the west it was still at war with Between Between Between Beijia; when it injured others, it was also bleeding nonstop itself.

When He Lingchuan explained the Ya-Mou Great War to the assembled generals, he kept emphasizing that Mou State this time had effectively wrested victory from both opponents' grip — truly remarkable — because its opponents were Between Between Between Beijia plus Ya State, a genuine two-front war.

Ya State was also very clear on Mou State's predicament, and blindly believed Mou State could not bear Between Between Between Beijia's heavy burden and would be the first to lower its flags and withdraw; so it stubbornly persisted, until the enemy advanced deeper and deeper, occupied more and more territory, and finally the thought of softening arose.

He Lingchuan deduced that perhaps Between Between Between Beijia also would not allow Ya State to withdraw.

"Ya State misjudged Mou State's resolve," He Lingchuan told all the generals, as well as the strategists such as Du Shan who were present to observe, "Mou State has suffered two losses at our hands; in terms of face it can no longer afford to lose — it needs a complete, thorough, total victory to vindicate itself!"

Ya State failed to understand that only a thorough victory could let Mou State maintain a great power's dignity.

Most terrifying of all, it still hasn't discovered that Mou State's mindset has already completely transformed — it is no longer the feather-cherishing caution of a few months ago!

Du Shan also said: "Since Mou State changed its Chief Minister, its policy has changed entirely, yet Ya State never seriously studied You Huan — destined to suffer this loss to the fullest."

Right, the Mou Emperor temporarily dismissed the Chief Minister and appointed You Huan.

Mou State's strategic great turn began from this moment.

"Former Chief Minister Guo Shaoping's governance was usually conservative and passive, and in war overly speculative — unable to adapt to the war's intensity, also unable to adapt to the later-stage great-power game," He Lingchuan stroked his chin, "This You Huan — ruthless methods and steady nerves — is indeed a talent. Old Du, from now on you'll be the one dealing with him."

He is also very good at manufacturing enemies for people out of thin air.

Du Shan chuckled, the corner of his mouth lifting halfway: "We'll wait and see!"

After this meeting ended, He Lingchuan specially kept Dong Rui behind.

"You're going on a long-distance assignment." That was the employer's brook-no-refusal tone.

"Where to?" Dong Rui wasn't averse to business trips. He had already shut himself in doing experiments for more than half a year, and felt like mushrooms were about to start growing on him.

Going out for a move, getting some sun would be good too.

Only after everyone else had left did He Lingchuan go to the sand table and pull up a new map: "Half a year ago, Naluo Tian gave me an important tip — the Heavenly Palace has set up large-scale Yao-puppet testing grounds in two places: the Thousand-Eye Cave in the Nantao Archipelago, and the Bottomless Lake by Lingshan. So I sent quite a few spies to investigate."

Dong Rui's eyes instantly lit up: "I'm going to both places?"

"Only one." He Lingchuan shook his head, "Both places have very high classification levels; Naluo Tian also spent considerable effort to uncover them — showing how much the Heavenly Palace values them. The two places are very far apart; if you wreck one, the Heavenly Gods will get word quickly. By the time you go to the other testing ground, a dragnet might be waiting for you."

"Then which one do you recommend?" Dong Rui knew He Lingchuan most likely had made thorough preparations before telling him the news.

"Thousand-Eye Cave." He Lingchuan pointed at the terrain on the sand table, "Thousand-Eye Cave is not far from Mou State, and it's at sea — entry, exit, and escape are all relatively convenient."

"From the sand table, this Thousand-Eye Cave looks quite large — much bigger than Cao Wenda's Red Tower."

"It lies deep in the Nantao Archipelago, isolated from the world, rarely visited by strangers — an ideal experimental site. Red Tower is on land after all, and Shanjin isn't too peaceful; if it were too large it would easily attract attention. Didn't Red Tower's disciples also confess to you that Red Tower often attracts thieves?" It's just the thieves never met good ends. "Besides, Cao Wenda committed a fault; the Heavenly Palace exiling him to the Shanjin Plain was punitive in nature — its funding is nowhere near as ample as these two places."

"The Nantao Archipelago has natives — three tribes totaling over four thousand people — who daily provide logistical services for Thousand-Eye Cave, transporting food and supplies, sometimes also hauling out some strange and bizarre things."

Dong Rui perked up at the mention of strange and bizarre: "What?"

"Experimental materials and such, probably." He Lingchuan laughed, "If you were a bit thinner, and tanned yourself a bit darker, you might be able to pass as a native and sneak in."

Dong Rui had stayed indoors year-round; his skin was somewhat pale, unlike the island natives.

"Fine, I'll go check on the Heavenly Palace's experimental progress." Dong Rui rolled his eyes, "But the Heavenly Palace already wants to catch me — you won't make me go in at a net loss, right?"

"Mm, Madam, Blood Demon, and True Person Jieshui will accompany you; Zhongli Zheng will also bring fifty elite guards to protect your safety. But you must be careful yourself — most of the Thousand-Eye Cave testing ground is below sea level." In other words, the Wo Chan cannot easily enter.

Dong Rui frowned tightly: "Are both these testing grounds by water?"

"Yes."

"Red Tower is also by Dahu." Dong Rui stroked his chin, "I originally thought this was for convenient water access nearby."

"Thousand-Eye Cave's periphery has several formations, arranged quite ingeniously; high altitude also has bird sentries patrolling regularly; the water may also have sea yaos cruising."

The more he said this, the more Dong Rui's curiosity itched: "Looks like the Heavenly Palace has high hopes for that place! Huh wait, why is the big lizard going with me too?"

True Person Jieshui's true form is a giant fire salamander, who joined He Lingchuan in the Upside-Down Sea.

"You think it can't touch water?" He Lingchuan laughed, "Its former lava pool habitat was actually also by the sea. True Person Jieshui has several remarkable divine abilities — bring Him along; He might come in handy."

The current world environment is still not very suitable for immortals to operate; True Person Jieshui usually shrinks into a gecko, wraps Himself in a pouch, and hibernates.

Dong Rui can put Him in a bundle and bring Him along.