Chapter 429: Passage Optimization

Chen Dynasty, a secret experimental field under the Ministry of Works.

The defenses here are strict, far beyond an ordinary workshop. Inside the high walls, there is no furnace glow, no hammer sounds—only several complex devices made of strange metal and crystal, humming softly.

The most striking feature is the light curtain hanging in the middle of the site, constantly twisting and shifting in color.

Compared to a few months ago, the light curtain now seems somewhat more stable; the chaotic energy spilling from its edges has clearly diminished, yet its core remains deep, exuding a heart‑pounding repulsion of rules.

Zhao Lao Nian wore an oil‑stained work uniform, a makeshift pair of goggles perched crookedly on his head, and was hunched over a device called the Stabilizer, its panel covered in markings and crystal knobs, carefully adjusting a parameter.

His several capable assistants busily recorded the constantly jumping data on the nearby auxiliary devices, as well as the minute changes in the energy ripples on the light curtain's surface.

"Lower the frequency by another three‑thousandths… yes, that spot… hold it!"

Zhao Lao Nian shouted without raising his head, his voice hoarse from concentration.

An assistant quickly turned a precise brass knob.

At the core of the Stabilizer, a specially cut piece of Nether Energy Crystal Ore, inside which golden light seemed to flow, emitted a softer, steadier glow.

In response, the violent color fluctuations on the surface of the huge light curtain ahead eased a fraction; though the change was minuscule, everyone present could feel that the suffocating repulsion directed at living beings had lessened slightly.

"Record! The repulsion field strength has dropped about two percent relative to the baseline!"

Another assistant loudly reported the reading, his voice brimming with restrained excitement.

Only then did Zhao Lao Nian straighten up, wiping sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, his face showing a tired yet satisfied smile.

"Damn it, we've finally nibbled away another bit!"

He walked over to a makeshift wooden table nearby, grabbed the water kettle and gulped a few mouthfuls, then said to the assistants gathering around.

"See? The key lies in the precision of simulating the Fortune Momentum fluctuation!"

"This light curtain is essentially the boundary where the rules of two worlds collide. The Iron Crow Army relies on the Nether Energy system, and it strongly rejects us 'variables.'"

"What we're doing is using our Chen Dynasty's Fortune Momentum fluctuation to 'deceive' it, making it think we're one of its own, or at least… less conspicuous."

A young assistant asked curiously.

"Sir Zhao, how similar can the Fortune Momentum fluctuation we're currently simulating get?"

Zhao Lao Nian smacked his lips and shook his head.

"How similar? It's far off—at best we've only touched the surface; even the outward form is a stretch, let alone the inner essence."

He pointed to the crystal at the core of the Stabilizer.

"This crystal ore was taken from the heart of the largest vein in the Northern Border, personally purified by the Sovereign; it itself contains a thread of pure Fortune Momentum, serving as a primer."

"Our instrument merely amplifies and fine‑tunes that primer, making its fluctuation as close as possible to the 'orthodox' Fortune Momentum pattern recognized by the 'script world' on the other side."

"But this is too hard." An older assistant sighed, "The foundations of the two worlds differ, and their Fortune Momentum attributes vary as well; a perfect simulation is nearly impossible."

"Nonsense! Of course it can't be exactly the same!"

Zhao Lao Nian glared.

"What we need isn't exact sameness, but 'close enough'—close enough to fool the light curtain's underlying recognition mechanism!"

"It's like imitating someone's handwriting—you don't need every stroke to match perfectly; if the key strokes and overall feel are right, you can get away with it."

He walked up to the light curtain and gazed at the still‑deep passage beyond.

"Now we're just constantly fine‑tuning, seeking that 'key stroke' and 'overall spirit.'"

"Each point we nail down weakens the repulsion a bit, steadies the passage a bit, and shortens the cooldown a bit."

Just then, a guard hurried in and reported in a low voice.

"Sir Zhao, the Sovereign and Sir Zhang and Sir Wang have arrived."

Zhao Lao Nian hurriedly tidied his clothes; though still oil‑stained, his expression turned solemn.

Chen Wen entered the experimental field with Zhang Cheng and Wang Ru; their eyes first fell on the central light curtain, which seemed a little more stable.

"Lao Nian, how's the progress?"

Chen Wen asked directly; he could sense that the energy field here was calmer than last time.

Zhao Lao Nian stepped forward at once and reported the latest optimization results in the plainest language he could manage.

"…In short, the repulsion has weakened another two percent. The cumulative reduction is now close to fifteen percent. The passage's stability has improved slightly, and the cooldown between uses is expected to shorten by one to two hours."

Zhang Cheng's eyes lit up with joy upon hearing that.

"Shortening the cooldown? That's great news! It means our personnel deployment and information transmission can be far more flexible!"

Wang Ru also gave a slight nod, a hint of ease appearing on her stern face.

"Has safety improved in tandem?"

Zhao Lao Nian nodded affirmatively.

"Greater stability means lower risk when passing and a smaller chance of being hit by energy turbulence. However, the repulsion aimed at the source of 'variables' still exists—only its total amount has lessened. For the Sovereign and the officials to pass, a considerable cost remains, though the time required should be slightly reduced."

Chen Wen listened quietly, walked to the Stabilizer, and felt the faint Fortune Momentum fluctuation being simulated from the core crystal.

This fluctuation indeed differs from his own and from the Fortune Momentum felt within Chen Dynasty's territory; it also carries a sense of… being constrained and planned, as if molded according to a fixed template.

Perhaps this is what the 'script world' calls the feeling of 'orthodox' Fortune Momentum.

"Well done."

Chen Wen turned and gave his approval to Zhao Lao Nian and his team.

"Every point of optimization is crucial."

He gazed at the light curtain, his eyes deep.

"The passage's improvement means our ability to intervene in the other side's affairs is growing. The operation in five days thus gains an extra margin of confidence."

Zhao Lao Nian rubbed his hands, gave a simple smile, then turned serious again.

"Sovereign, rest assured—I, Old Zhao, will definitely lead these kids in pushing forward! Let's try to lower this threshold by a few inches as soon as possible."

After leaving the experimental field, Chen Wen, Zhang Cheng, and Wang Ru strolled along the shaded path in the private garden.

"Passage optimization comes at just the right time."

Zhang Cheng pondered.

"If 'Lu Ming' can this time successfully establish preliminary contact with Li Yuan, then perhaps more frequent and covert information transmission will be needed afterward, even the exchange of small items. The shortening of the cooldown time is crucial."

Wang Ru said.

"I will adjust the docking and contingency plans according to the new passage window."

Chen Wen raised his head, looking northward—that was the direction of the light curtain, and also the direction of False Song Bianjing.

Every bit of technical progress provides firmer support for the advancement of strategy.

The spark has been sown, the thorns have been planted; now, even the back door leading to the opponent's courtyard is being quietly polished to be smoother.

All of this, like fine rain threads, silently nourishes the intangible vortex within him that represents "growth."

He could feel that the progress bar, on the solid thirty-percent foundation, had moved forward a bit more firmly.

The Lv. 2 (4x) realm is being continually consolidated.

He is accumulating strength for the "chance encounter" five days from now, as well as for a longer-term layout.

At the far end of the passage, in the False Song's Xianping Year One, spring is in full bloom.

At this end of the passage, the guardians of the Chen Dynasty have already honed their claws and fangs, and calibrated their sights.

All that remains is to wait for the east wind.