Chapter 406: Reflections on the Return Journey

The darkness before dawn is the deepest.

Chen Wen and Qian Gui avoided the official road, weaving between country lanes and sparse woods, heading toward the point where they had entered the passage.

The night wind brought a chill, brushing their faces, but it could not dispel the heaviness in their hearts.

They traveled in silence until they could see in the distance the barren slope that served as a marker; after confirming the surroundings were safe, Qian Gui finally could not help but speak.

"Lord, the Iron Crow Army's 'substitute' method is truly shocking to hear."

His voice sounded especially clear in the silence.

"If he really succeeds, wouldn't it mean... many people who ought to shine in the world could be silently replaced, like puppets, walking along the lines they have drawn?"

Chen Wen did not stop his steps, his gaze fixed on the hazy night ahead, and he nodded slowly.

"I fear it is not just Kou Zhun alone."

His voice was low.

"Anyone who occupies a place in the Iron Crow Army's so-called 'historical script,' and whose growth trajectory might deviate from their expectations for various reasons, could face such a fate."

"Either monitor or guide; if guidance fails and the deviation is too great, they will carry out this 'replace the peach with the apricot' scheme."

He paused for a moment, his tone carrying a hint of coldness.

"Thus, what the Iron Crow Army maintains is certainly not the vibrant, full-of-possibility true history we wish to see."

"What they maintain is merely a meticulously designed, cold and rigid 'script.'"

"Living people, in their eyes, are merely 'characters' to ensure the plot proceeds smoothly."

"If a character does not obey or performs poorly, they simply replace them."

Qian Gui drew a sharp breath of cold air, feeling a chill rise from his spine.

He had originally thought the Iron Crow Army was merely a powerful enemy, a stumbling block for the lord and Great Chen.

Now it seems its logic has transcended ordinary hostility, approaching a desecration and control of life and fate itself.

"Then what about us..."

Qian Gui momentarily did not know how to continue.

"We must press on all the more."

Chen Wen took up his words, his tone firm.

"Precisely because they act this way, we must not let them succeed."

"Today we can save one Kou Zhun; perhaps someday we can save many more whom they regard as 'pieces.'"

"The significance lies in such microscopic intervention."

He glanced back toward the direction of Kou Family Bay, though it was long out of sight.

"It is not merely to delay the Iron Crow Army's steps and disrupt its plans."

"But also to protect those lives that ought to have their own trajectories, opposing the cold force that tries to force everything onto a fixed track."

As they spoke, the two had already arrived at that barren slope.

Zhao Lao Nian's simple passage marker remained in place, with nothing unusual around.

Chen Wen stopped, closed his eyes again, and sensed carefully.

The energy fluctuations at the passage entrance were relatively stable, feeling almost the same as when they came.

The repelling force aimed at their origin still existed, like a lurking undercurrent.

"Prepare to return."

Chen Wen said in a deep voice.

Qian Gui nodded, gathered his focus, and stood with Chen Wen at the marker.

Chen Wen aroused his internal power, guiding the resonance with the passage.

That shimmering rippling entrance once again slowly surfaced, spreading like a water curtain.

Just as before, when Chen Wen stepped in, that powerful repelling force surged forth from all directions!

Viscous, icy, carrying an impact of dignified will.

The chaotic hissing and warnings in his ears rang out again.

Chen Wen had long been prepared; the fourfold effect operated at full strength, steadying his mind as he resisted the force, moving forward step by step.

Qian Gui followed closely behind, his face turning pale again, but his eyes resolute.

This time, thanks to experience, their passage seemed slightly smoother than before, yet it remained arduous.

When that immense pressure suddenly vanished and their feet once again stood on the solid ground of the mountain villa workshop, Chen Wen could not help but draw a slight breath.

Qian Gui staggered a step, leaning against the nearby rock wall to steady himself.

"Lord! Envoy Qian!"

Zhao Lao Nian, who had been anxiously waiting, immediately came forward; seeing the two return safely, he visibly relaxed.

"All is well."

Chen Wen waved a hand, quickly regulating his breath and the surging qi and blood in his body.

He glanced at the water clock inside the workshop; this round trip took far longer than expected, mainly consumed by the struggle to pass through the passage.

"The passage remains relatively stable, but the difficulty of crossing far exceeds expectations."

Chen Wen said to Zhao Lao Nian.

"Especially for us, that repelling force is almost substantive."

Zhao Lao Nian recorded with a solemn expression.

"I, the subordinate, understand; I will continue to study afterward, hoping to find a way to lessen the repulsion."

"Thank you for your effort."

Chen Wen nodded, then turned to Qian Gui and said.

Summon Zhang Cheng and the others; we need to discuss as soon as possible.

Yes!

Half an hour later, inside the core secret chamber of the hidden mountain villa.

Zhang Cheng, Wang Ru, Shi Dun, Zhao Lao Nian, and Qian Gui gathered; Chen Wen took the main seat.

The oil lamps on the secret chamber walls flickered with flames, stretching the people's shadows onto the stone walls; the atmosphere was solemn.

Qian Gui gave a detailed account of this infiltration of False Song.

From the oppressive feeling upon first arriving in another world, to finding Kou Zhun, then discovering the Iron Crow Army's hidden post's record-keeping behavior, as well as Chen Wen's speculation about 'substitutes' and the final purge operation.

As he spoke, the faces of Zhang Cheng, Wang Ru, and the others grew increasingly grim.

Especially upon hearing the 'substitute' stratagem, even someone as steady as Zhang Cheng couldn't help but show a look of surprise.

"……The situation is thus."

Qian Gui finished his report and returned to his seat.

The secret chamber fell into a brief silence, only the occasional soft crackle of the lamp flames.

Wang Ru spoke first, her tone filled with disbelief.

"To replace a real person with a substitute, inherit their identity, continue their life path…… This, this is simply unheard of!"

"If not for your lord's insight, we would likely still be kept in the dark, merely regarding the Iron Crow Army as simple surveillance or eradication."

Shi Dun clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.

"What vicious means! This way, they don't care at all about the real person; as long as there is a suitable 'role' performing on stage, that's enough!"

Zhang Cheng stroked his beard and let out a long sigh, his eyes full of worry.

"If this is truly the case, the Iron Crow Army's control over the other world is far deeper and more terrifying than we imagined."

"They not only control the overall situation, but also finely regulate the performance of key 'roles' at the microscopic level."

"Your lord's operation, though it cleared a hidden post, likely also startled the snake."

Chen Wen listened quietly to everyone's discussion, only then speaking slowly.

"What Zhang Cheng said is correct; indeed we have startled the snake."

"The Iron Crow Army are certainly not fools; with the hidden post out of contact, they will surely become alert and adjust their strategy."

He swept his gaze over everyone.

"However, this operation, though risky, also yielded considerable gains."

"First, we confirmed that Shi Yong is effective in the other world, allowing precise location of key figures and detection of the Iron Crow Army's threat."

"This is the foundation for our subsequent actions."

"Second, we glimpsed the tip of the iceberg of the Iron Crow Army's 'substitute' strategy, gaining deeper insight into this enemy's modus operandi."

"Know yourself and know the enemy, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles."

"Third, and most importantly,"

Chen Wen paused, raising his voice slightly.

"We have verified the feasibility of micro-intervention!"

"Even if our strength is meager and the path ahead perilous, we are indeed capable of tearing a tiny gap in the Iron Crow Army's meticulously woven net, protecting those sparks that ought to shine."

His words carried a tranquil strength, dispelling some of the gloom in everyone's hearts.

"Of course, this is merely the beginning."

Chen Wen changed the subject.

"Subsequent actions need to be more meticulous."

"Regarding Kou Zhun, the Iron Crow Army will certainly not relent, either increasing personnel to monitor him or altering their strategy."

"We must find a way to provide him with longer-term, indirect protection, or guide him into a relatively safe environment."

"Meanwhile, the South Wind Chronicle must be expedited—not only to gather intelligence, but to become a fulcrum for our operations in the other world."

"The Ministry of Works' research on the passage must continue, to reduce rejection or find a more stable means of transit—this is urgent."

Orders were issued clearly and distinctly, and everyone promptly complied.

"We will obey your lord's commands!"

Before the meeting ended, Chen Wen turned his gaze inward.

Having undergone this infiltration, reconnaissance, analysis, and decision-making—especially the brief clash with the Iron Crow Army's hidden post and the subsequent strategic deliberation—he felt that the reset Growth Progress Bar had visibly advanced a little.

Although the distance to reaching Level 3 remains far, this is a solid start.

After everyone left, Chen Wen remained alone in the secret chamber.

He walked to the window, opened it, and the first ray of dawn pierced the clouds, shining upon the mountain villa.

He recalled Kou Zhun's vibrant, lively 'light' on the land of False Song, as well as several other unnamed 'points of light'.

He also recalled the omnipresent, oppressive 'momentum', and the Iron Crow Army's cold, ruthless 'substitute' strategy.

The road ahead is long, with strong enemies surrounding us.

But this insight gained on the return journey only strengthened his conviction.

Sparks, though weak, have already been ignited.

And this fire of protection will surely spread like a prairie fire.