Chapter 351: Alarm Blared·Protection Activated

Zhao Jianguo stared at that crack, his eyes unmoving. Outside, the sparrows flew, the sweeping sound in the courtyard still echoed, but he knew clearly that the fleeting shadow of the warship just now was no illusion. Before he could recover, a sharp "whine" rang in his ears, like a metal sheet scraping a pot bottom, stabbing his temples with pain.

The alarm sounded again.

This sound was even more urgent than before—three short, two long—it rang five times in a row, and the lid of the teapot on the kang table in the room trembled, making a "ka-ka" noise. Zhao Jianguo sucked in a breath, turned to look at the three children behind him—all crouched in the wall corner, faces pale but neither crying nor shouting. Su Qing had already pulled a black cloth curtain from the cabinet, her hand shaking as she tugged it over the window.

"Enter the protected zone!" Zhao Jianguo roared, his voice bursting his own ears, "North Room! Walk close to the wall! Don't look back!"

Hearing the command, Su Qing immediately reached out to pull the triplets. The three boys, usually mischievous enough to climb roofs and rip off tiles, were obedient now, shuffling one after another along the wall base, not daring to lift their toes. Zhao Jianguo was the last to withdraw; before leaving, he bent down and snatched the old copper coin pressed under the blue stone slab into his hand. The coin's edge had been worn smooth, stained with the blood he'd dripped last night, and it still felt a bit sticky to the touch.

A small groove had already been dug beneath the threshold of the North Room, its shape fitting the copper coin like a glove. Zhao Jianguo bit his finger, smeared a blood mark on the coin's face, squatted down, and set it into the groove. As he pressed it home, a soft "click" sounded, and a thin circle of pale gold line sprang from the brick seam, as if drawn with a brush, spreading along the wall corner and forming a square frame.

"Done." He gasped, his legs feeling weak.

Su Qing shoved the three children to the far end of the kang, sitting with their backs to the wall, one arm around each child and the third tucked under her arm. The triplets stared wide‑eyed at the doorway, silent. Zhao Jianguo sat cross‑legged on the inner side of the threshold, palms flat on the ground, his heels pressing exactly where the two gold lines crossed. A surge of heat shot up his arms, his head buzzed as if someone were tapping his skull with a small hammer.

He knew this feeling—the system was drawing resources, consuming his own vital essence.

"Don't move," he said low, looking back, "If the ground shakes later, don't get off the kang—hold tight to your mother."

No sooner had he spoken than the overhead lamp cord swayed.

It wasn't the wind; the windows were sealed. The ground trembled, a slight shake like a distant cart rolling by. Immediately, a "hiss" came from the direction of the crack, and a blade of blue light "whooshed" across, striking the gold line.

Zhao Jianguo clenched his jaw, pressing his palms firmly to the floor.

The light didn't breach the barrier, but it swirled outside it, sending ripples like water waves. The roof tiles rang with a "clink," dropping a few specks of dust. The teapot on the kang table clattered over, spilling water across the surface.

"Ouch!" Su Qing cried out, pulling the children tighter. One of the triplets tried to stand, lifting his bottom, but Su Qing shoved him back down. "Sit properly!" she snapped, her voice changing pitch, "Your father's holding the line!"

Zhao Jianguo had no time for this. He closed his eyes and silently recited a few words: "Protection mode… first‑level lockdown…" This wasn't a spell; it was a command from the system, uttering it once steadied the formation. Each repetition strengthened the heat in his palms but weighed down his mind. Having gone without a hot meal since last night, he was sustained only by sheer will.

Zhao Jianguo had no time to deal with these. He closed his eyes, silently muttering a few words: "Defense mode……first-level lockdown……" This wasn't a spell, but a password given by the system; reciting it once could steady his stance. Each time he recited it, the heat in his palm grew a bit stronger, but his head also felt a bit heavier. Having stayed up all night until now, he hadn't eaten a single bite of hot Meal Ticket, relying solely on sheer grit to keep going.

This time it was heavier than before; dust sifted down from the wall plaster. Beyond the rift, it was as if a gate had opened, blue light bursting out in waves, striking the barrier with a "crack‑crack" like a whip. The gold lines began to heat up, Zhao Jianguo's palms burning, threatening to slip.

This time it was heavier than before; dust fell from the walls in a rustle. On the other side of the Rift, it was as if a gate had opened, blue light bursting out in waves, striking the barrier with a "papapa" sound, like a whip being lashed. The golden lines began to heat up, Zhao Jianguo's palm burning hot, almost making him lose his grip.

Suddenly, the triplets all cried out "ah" in unison.

It wasn't a scream, but a muffled sound of being frightened stiff. Zhao Jianguo didn't dare open his eyes, but he could tell they hadn't moved wildly. Su Qing patted the children's backs on the other side, murmuring, "Don't be scared, don't be scared, we're at home, the door is shut tight."

The blue light outside the barrier grew denser, striking the gold lines and spraying tiny sparks, like the fireworks of a New Year's "sky‑rocket" monkey. Zhao Jianguo felt a tightness in his chest, as if someone were pressing down on his shoulders. He gritted his teeth, funneling his last strength into his palms; his mind held only one thought: must not break, for if it did, all would be lost.

He didn't know how long it had lasted when the barrage of blue light abruptly ceased.

The room fell silent in an instant, even the lamp cord stilled. Zhao Jianguo slowly opened his eyes; the gold lines still glowed on the floor, dimmer but unbroken. The copper coin sat lodged in the threshold groove, its surface now bearing a fine nick, as if something had struck it.

Inside the room, everything fell silent all at once, even the lamp cord stopped swaying. Zhao Jianguo slowly opened his eyes and saw the golden lines still glowing on the ground, though dimmer, they remained unbroken. The copper coin was lodged in the threshold groove, its surface now bearing a fine slit, as if something had struck it.

"Is it over?" Su Qing asked cautiously.

Zhao Jianguo nodded, his throat dry and unable to speak. He lifted a hand to wipe his face, coming away sweaty. Only now did the triplets dare to speak, each huddled in the kang corner, whispering, "That light just now… did it come out again?"

"Don't mention it," Su Qing hurriedly interrupted, "All of you be quiet, let your father rest a bit."

Zhao Jianguo leaned against the wall, slowly regulating his breath. He knew this was only the first wave. The alarm still sounded, but slower, a "whine" every ten or so seconds, like an old wall clock chiming. Outside, the courtyard was hushed—Wang Shen had stopped sweeping, the chickens weren't crowing, as if the whole Siheyuan were holding its breath.

Zhao Jianguo leaned against the wall, slowly regulating his breath. He knew this was only the first wave. The alarm was still sounding, but it had slowed, emitting a "hum" every ten or so seconds, like an old wall clock chiming. Outside, the Courtyard was very still; Wang Shen had stopped sweeping, and the chickens weren't crowing, as if the entire Siheyuan were holding its breath.

Zhao Jianguo waved a hand: "Don't move yet. The copper coin's cracked—shows it's not taking this easily. If this thing fails, who knows what'll happen next time."

He lifted his gaze toward the doorway. The crack remained, standing still in the center of the East Room, its light patterns turning in circles, showing no sign of movement. But he knew whatever lay inside hadn't left; it was merely waiting for an opening.

The triplets huddled together, none daring to speak first. One quietly reached out, touched the palm of his brother beside him, they exchanged a glance, then quickly pulled back. Su Qing noticed, gave their legs a light pat, and said, "Don't be afraid—our family has your father; we fear nothing."

Hearing this, Zhao Jianguo's mouth twitched, but he didn't laugh. He had indeed held this wave, but could he withstand the next? He didn't know. All he knew was that he couldn't fall now; as long as he remained seated, the household could still stay steady.

He glanced again at the gold lines on the floor. Their light had faded but not gone out. The copper coin, though cracked, still sat in its groove. The alarm continued intermittently, as if reminding him: it's not over yet.

He drew a deep breath, placed his palms back on the ground. His fingertips touched the gold line, and the warmth returned—faint, but unmistakably there.

Sunlight streamed through the window slit onto the kang edge, casting a square patch of light. The triplets' shadows overlapped, small and pressed close together. Su Qing rested one hand on a child's shoulder, her eyes fixed on the doorway.

Zhao Jianguo closed his eyes and whispered, "Stay silent, I'll keep watch a little longer."

Zhao Jianguo closed his eyes and whispered, "Don't make a sound, I'll keep watch a little longer."