Chapter 423: Summary and Growth

A few days later, within the Chen dynasty's territory, in that hidden underground secret chamber of a private villa.

Lights blazed, illuminating six faces—some steady, some sharp, some calm.

Chen Wen sat at the head, with Zhang Cheng, Wang Ru, Shi Dun, Qian Gui, and Zhao Lao Nian seated on either side.

The guardians' core assembled, the atmosphere solemn yet carrying a hint of post-battle settlement.

"Everyone,"

Chen Wen swept his gaze over everyone and calmly opened the topic.

"The False Song southern affair is, for now, concluded. Today we need to make a summary."

He looked toward Qian Gui.

"Qian Gui, you first tell us the specific losses and gains."

Qian Gui nodded, spreading a brief dossier before him.

"Yes, my lord."

"This Iron Crow Army's 'cleansing' operation exceeded our initial estimates in both scale and intensity."

"Its newly deployed unit—temporarily named 'Hidden Shadow'—possesses extraordinary stealth, tracking, and instant-kill capabilities, far beyond ordinary Iron Crow soldiers."

"In the False Song's south, we lost three outer outposts, seven confirmed dead, twelve missing—most were local resistance personnel indirectly aided or influenced by us."

"In terms of supplies, we lost some hard-to-transport grain and money, and several safe houses."

His tone carried sorrow, but immediately turned resolute.

"But the core achievements have been preserved."

"The key nodes we directly control or established—including the South Wind Chronicle's main intelligence network, the contact line with Ministry of Works clerk Zhou Huaian, and several resistance force seedlings such as the core backbone of Shen Gang's unit—have, according to the prearranged emergency plan, successfully evacuated the danger zone, retreating to deeper cover or transferring to backup bases."

"One could say the Iron Crow Army's swift and fierce campaign plucked some of our branches, but did not harm the main trunk."

Chen Wen gave a slight nod, turning his gaze to Shi Dun.

"Shi Dun, you experienced the south firsthand; what are your thoughts on the military aspect of this intervention?"

Shi Dun straightened his back, his rugged face showing contemplation.

"My lord, in my view, this 'sprinkling of thorns' has been markedly effective."

"Although it ultimately could not stop the False Song's momentum to unify the south, true to its name, it greatly increased the difficulty and cost of their rule here."

"Forces like Shen Gang's unit employed guerrilla harassment tactics, delaying their advance, consuming their provisions, spreading rumors to unsettle popular sentiment, preventing them from smoothly digesting their gains."

"This proves that even in enemy territory, without our main army as backup, relying solely on precise intelligence, limited resource input, and appropriate tactical guidance can effectively check a strong foe."

He paused, then added.

"Of course, the Iron Crow Army's 'cleansing' also served as a wake‑up call for us."

"In future similar interventions, secrecy must come first, contact methods more cautious, withdrawal plans more thorough, to cope with such extraordinary clearance forces."

Chen Wen expressed agreement, then turned his gaze to Zhao Lao Nian.

"Lao Nian, how goes the technological infiltration?"

Zhao Lao Nian adjusted the nonexistent hat on his head and spoke slowly.

"Reporting to my lord, those 'seeds' we scattered are still fairly stable."

"Liu Ji's iron workshop has been taken over as a state‑run factory; our modest improved blast‑furnace technology has been mixed in—slow, but it is spreading."

"On Zhou Huaian's side, after our last contact he has been very cautious, with no initiative to reach out."

"However, according to indirect news from the South Wind Chronicle, he recently seems to have proposed a slight improvement to a gear set of the Water Transport Instrument Platform in the Ministry of Works; the idea… bears a hint of the flavor of our earlier casual chats."

A faint, hardly perceptible smile touched his lips.

"This time the Iron Crow Army's cleansing focused on forceful removal and intelligence outposts, paying relatively little attention to workshops and technical clerks."

"Perhaps this path of ours can work."

Zhang Cheng took over the speech, summarizing from a strategic perspective.

"My lord, overall, our 'micro‑intervention' strategy is correct in direction and feasible."

"Three infiltrations, clear objectives, each with a different focus—first to verify perception and lock onto key figures; second to sow technology and plant seeds; third to strategically delay and deepen the cost of rule."

"Despite encountering retaliation and paying a price, we have managed to plant several nails in the False Song's heartland, gaining a preliminary understanding of its internal workings and the Iron Crow Army's response patterns."

"More importantly, we have proved that without large‑scale frontal clashes we can still exert a small but real influence on its historical course."

Wang Ru's voice was cold and clear as she added her thoughts on surveillance and security.

"The Iron Crow Army's sensitivity to and efficiency in eliminating 'anomalies' are extremely high."

"Going forward, our personnel selection, concealment methods, and information transmission must be refined to the utmost, preferring shortage over excess."

"Furthermore, we need to strengthen monitoring of internal movements within the False Song court, especially its policies for purging 'anomalies', to give early warning."

Chen Wen listened quietly to each core member's report and views, his gaze calm.

He could see that everyone had gained something and grown from this initial battle crossing the light curtain.

As for himself, his feelings were deeper.

After the participants' remarks temporarily concluded, he spoke slowly, his voice low yet clear enough to reach everyone's ears.

"What you have said all hit the mark."

"This southern expedition, for us, is both a probe and a tempering."

"We have verified the ability of 'Fortune Momentum's first sense', confirmed the viability of the micro‑intervention strategy, witnessed the Iron Crow Army's determination and new means to uphold the 'script', and also paid the price in blood."

His words paused, as if savoring something.

"Personally planning the strategy, infiltrating enemy territory, sensing the flow of Fortune Momentum, making timely decisions, commanding with resolve…"

"Even responding to the sudden 'cleansing', preserving the core in the nick of time…"

"All of this cannot be obtained by mere idle speculation."

He raised his hand and lightly pressed it below his chest, where that invisible vortex within his body resides.

I can feel that, after this battle, my own 'growth' is quite noticeable.

The other five people in the secret room, upon hearing this, were all invigorated.

They deeply understood the importance of Chen Wen's mysterious 'growth', which concerns the upper limit of the whole group's future strength.

Chen Wen did not specify the progress, but everyone could sense from his increasingly composed and steady demeanor an internal solidification and improvement.

'Currently, the 'growth' is steadily advancing, and the foundation is gradually solidifying.'

He lowered his hand, and his gaze became sharp.

'But, this is only the beginning.'

'The False Song has already been unified, the new emperor has ascended the throne, and its Fortune Momentum is now condensing and strengthening.'

'The Iron Crow Army, after this battle, has restored its authority; its 'purge' operation likely will not stop at the south, and subsequently there will be more means to ensure its 'historical script' proceeds smoothly.'

'Our intervention also needs to deepen accordingly, shifting from 'sowing thorns' gradually to 'guiding the undercurrents.'"

He looked toward Zhang Cheng and Wang Ru.

'For the next step, I already have a sense.'

'In False Song's Bianjing, a new 'light point' is rising, related to civil governance, and could become an opportunity for us to influence its court decisions.'

A flash of wisdom passed through Zhang Cheng's eyes, and he slightly nodded.

'I understand. The battlefield is indeed not limited to the field.'

Wang Ru also said coldly.

'I will adjust the focus of surveillance, strengthening infiltration and screening of the False Song's civil official system.'

The meeting continued for about another half an hour, during which everyone discussed in greater detail the subsequent personnel concealment, reconstruction of the Investigation Network, deepening of technical infiltration, and how to utilize the political changes after the False Song's new emperor's ascension.

When the lights in the secret room gradually went out, and everyone left quietly, Chen Wen alone returned to the quiet chamber above ground.

He did not rest immediately, but instead sat cross-legged again, guarding his mind internally.

Within his body, the intangible growth progress vortex, compared to a month ago, had clearly condensed and expanded by a circle, and its rotation speed seemed to have increased slightly.

The progress had steadily settled at about thirty percent.

Such 'growth' brought about through concrete strategic planning, personal adventure, timely decisions, and even bearing risks is far more substantial than merely toiling away, and can better stir the principle of 'heaven rewards diligence' in the unseen.

He could feel that not only was the progress bar advancing, his proficiency with 'Fortune Momentum' had also increased a bit, his control over bodily strength and perception of the surrounding environment seemed to have subtly improved through this trial.

The realm of Lv. 2 (4x) is gradually being filled and solidified.

He knew that there was still a considerable distance to go before the next upgrade.

He was not impatient.

Rooted in the soil of the Five Dynasties' chaotic era, he understood better than anyone the principle of accumulating depth before bursting forth.

'The spark has ignited, the thorns have been sown...'

He gazed out the window at the deep night; his eyes seemed to pierce the void once more, falling upon the 'Mirror Land' beyond the light curtain.

'Next, it is time for the undercurrents to surge.'

The False Song's Zhenzong era, amidst this seemingly calming wave, formally opened its curtain.

And the shadow of the guardians will likewise fall upon that city of Bianjing, which is condensing Fortune Momentum.