Chapter 616: Technical Mobilization

Heavenly Craft Institute.

Located in the northwest corner of Huangcheng in Xijing, it occupies an enormous area.

Within its high walls, buildings stand in dense rows, their style starkly different from traditional palace halls, appearing more solemn and practical, with a faint aura of steam and metal permeating the air.

This is the core of Chen Dynasty technology, and also the 'Kingdom of Marvelous Techniques' operated for a hundred years by Zhao Lao Nian.

Since the White Tiger Hall decided on the plan, two days have passed.

Over these two days, the lights inside the Heavenly Craft Institute have burned all night without cease.

Especially the three core workshops—Divine Machine, Investigation of Things, and Ingenious Devices—are bustling with voices, machinery roaring, busy as a boiling cauldron.

Zhao Lao Nian had long since taken off the wide robes of the Minister of Works.

He wore a tight-sleeved short outfit for easy movement, over which he donned a leather apron stained with oil and unknown powder.

He shuttled between the various workshops and laboratories.

His steps were quick and steady.

His eyes shone brightly, almost frightening.

It felt as if he had returned to a hundred years ago, when he followed the sovereign in starting from scratch and developing the first generation of siege equipment.

"Send the seventh-edition blueprints of the 'Breaking Barrier Cone' immediately to the Number Three Smelting Furnace! Tell them the core energy circuit must use a three-seven composite wire of 'Iron-repelling Stone' and 'Spirit-guiding Copper', with the melting point controlled at the third setting of the 'Crimson Flame Zone', and the error must not exceed a hair's breadth!"

"Yes!"

"Have the results of the anti-gloom-energy interference test for the 'Concealment Powder' at the Number Two Test Field come out? I want concrete data, not an approximation!"

"Just out! In a standard gloom-energy radiation environment, the concealment efficacy decay rate is lower than expected by fifteen percent! But the duration is shortened by twenty percent!"

"The decay rate is acceptable; the duration… try adding five percent 'Stabilizing Glue' and test again!"

"Understood!"

"The latest analysis report on the gloom-shadow remnants sent back from Bei Jing! Focus on the distribution of its internal energy nodes and its impact-resistant structure!"

"Here!"

"Also, compile the basic physical fitness and gloom-energy adaptability test data of the 'Nest Slayer' squad members and give it to me within half an hour!"

"Compiling!"

One after another, clear and urgent orders issued from Zhao Lao Nian's mouth.

The entire Heavenly Craft Institute operated like a precision machine wound tight, running at high speed around the needs of the 'Nest Slayer' operation.

Chen Wen was also in the Heavenly Craft Institute.

He did not disturb Zhao Lao Nian, but simply stayed in a relatively quiet observation room, watching through a specially made glass window the bustling scene inside the workshops outside.

Occasionally, a chief artisan would bring samples of key components or test reports; he would examine them carefully and ask a few questions.

More often, he was silently sensing and adjusting his own state.

The system's growth bar, after returning to the Chen Dynasty and facing immense pressure, had again gained some solid increase.

It seemed a bit closer to the vague threshold of Level 6.

On the afternoon of the third day.

Zhao Lao Nian finally came to the observation room with a hint of fatigue, but more with an excited expression.

Behind him followed several chief artisans, carrying several heavy boxes.

"Your Majesty, the first batch of targeted equipment has been preliminarily completed."

Zhao Lao Nian waved his hand.

The artisans opened the boxes.

Inside the first box were several sets of neatly folded dark-gray garments.

They looked like ordinary tight-fitting athletic wear, but the fabric emitted an unusual matte sheen under light.

"This is 'Gloomshadow Leather'."

Zhao Lao Nian picked up one and handed it to Chen Wen.

"It is woven from multiple layers of specially medicated silkworm silk, with the surface composite of inert epidermal tissue micro-particles extracted from gloom-shadow remnants and purified and processed."

"It is not only light and tough, fire- and cut-resistant, but most importantly, it greatly weakens the perception of conventional gloom-energy detection means, and has good compatibility with passive gloom-energy radiation below a certain intensity (such as the diffusion field of a 'Catalyst Source'), so it does not immediately trigger an alarm."

"Simply put, wearing it makes one less conspicuous in a gloom-energy environment."

Chen Wen received it; it felt light and thin in hand, yet quite tough.

"Good stuff. Has it been tested?"

"We found some 'volunteer' experts from the Peacekeeping Bureau, had them wear it and walk a few laps in a low-intensity gloom-energy monitoring array; the monitoring response weakened by seventy percent." Zhao Lao Nian rarely showed a near-childish pride, "Of course, against the Iron Crow Army's possible advanced detection means, the effect is discounted, but it's still better than nothing."

"The second box contained weapons."

"Not swords, spears, bows, or crossbows."

"But rather a few oddly shaped items."

"There were palm-sized, multi-faceted metal balls shaped like iron caltrops."

"There were metal tubes about the length of an arm, entirely dark black, with the front end bearing intricate openwork patterns."

"There were also several daggers with narrow, elongated blades, emitting a dark blue hue, somewhat similar to gloom-shadow daggers but more refined."

"The 'Shockwave Caltrop'."

Zhao Lao Nian picked up a metal ball.

"Inside is a miniature 'Fortune Momentum-Gloom Energy' collision activation device; when thrown and impacted or remotely triggered, it can produce a small-range, high-frequency regular shockwave oscillation."

"It has a decent interference and destructive effect on objects that rely on gloom-energy to stabilize their structure—such as gloom-shadows, or certain external devices of a 'Catalyst Source'—but the drawback is its small range and limited quantity."

"The 'Fission-energy Tube'."

He then picked up that metal tube.

"Its principle is similar to the projectile version of the 'Evil-subduing Crossbow', but more focused and with stronger penetration; internally pre-charged, upon activation it can emit a highly condensed energy beam that has a strong decomposing effect on gloom-energy."

Effective range thirty steps, specifically breaks Yin energy shields or physical barriers. Charging time relatively long; estimated only three to five shots per mission.

The dagger is a counterfeit, mixed with Loathing Iron Stone powder, giving it some penetration against Yin energy armor, and also more resistant to Yin energy corrosion than ordinary steel.

Chen Wen picked them up one by one, feeling them carefully.

These pieces of equipment all bear an obvious targeted and disposable character.

Produced for a specific mission, in an extremely short time, by squeezing dry the Heavenly Craft Institute's technical reserves.

Crude, but practical.

The third box is the smallest.

Inside are several flat metal boxes, and several pairs of peculiarly shaped monocles.

'Intelligence and support equipment.'

Zhao Lao Nian opened a metal box; inside were dozens of slices thin as cicada wings, half-translucent chips.

'Terrain Memory Chip.'

The Tranquil Peace Bureau provided the most precise terrain, landforms, and known outpost information of the target area, etched and stored therein by special means.

To be used with the Yin-Peeking Mirror.

He picked up a pair of monocles and handed them to Chen Wen.

Chen Wen put them on.

In the corner of his vision instantly appeared clear, faintly glowing lines and markings—exactly the three‑dimensional structural diagram of the observation room, even marking load‑bearing walls and vents.

After activating the chip, the lenses will overlay the stored terrain and markings.

The drawback is that the information is fixed and cannot be updated in real time; moreover, the chips are fragile and must be handled with care.

Another box contains the Directional Transmission Bug.

Zhao Lao Nian pointed to another box; inside were several beetles carved like white jade, the size of a fingernail, motionless.

They are not living things, but micro‑bionic mechanisms. After being loaded with a simple message and released, they fly toward the designated direction following a preset, extremely weak Fortune Momentum beacon.

They are slow and single‑use. In the final moment, they are the ultimate means to send a simple signal (success, failure, withdrawal) to the rendezvous point.

Chen Wen took off the monocles and set down the beetles.

All good stuff.

Although crude, the thinking is clear and gets straight to the point.

He looked at Zhao Lao Nian.

What about personnel? The Slay Nest Squad isn't ready just by having equipment.

Zhao Lao Nian's expression turned serious.

Preliminary screening already has leads.

On the Heavenly Craft Institute side, I will personally lead the team, plus two top‑rank mechanists and one Yin Energy Theorist, responsible for equipment maintenance, on‑site technical judgment, and installing demolition devices.

The Tranquil Peace Bureau contributes five people. Qian Gui recommends them; all are veterans skilled in stealth, assassination, reconnaissance, and wilderness survival, with some resistance to Yin energy environments.

The military contributes three people. Shi Dun selected them from the most elite 'Night Unyielding' and 'Assault Camp' units of the Bei Jing border army—absolutely reliable, fearless of death, and familiar with the grasslands.

Plus Your Majesty.

Total…… thirteen people.

Can't have more. More people means a bigger target, and stealth difficulty increases geometrically.

Thirteen people.

Deep into the grasslands, attack the enemy's core stronghold.

Sounds like child's play.

But Chen Wen knows this is already the limit.

A truly meaningful special‑operations elite squad.

Zhao Lao Nian said, 'The roster and detailed records will be submitted to Your Majesty for review later.' The equipment still needs final tuning, and personnel also need at least two days of emergency joint training to familiarize with the new gear and work out tactics.

'How about the time?' Chen Wen asked.

'At the earliest… five days later we can depart.'

Chen Wen did a quick calculation.

On the front battlefield, Shi Dun should still be able to hold out.

Intelligence gathering, Qian Gui is giving it his all.

Five days……

'Just five days.'

He made a decision.

'During these five days I will personally take part in some joint training.'

'Especially the practical application of the new equipment.'

'Furthermore…'

He paused.

'Before departure, I need you to prepare something for me.'

'Your Majesty, please give orders.'

Chen Wen's gaze was deep.

'I need something that can, to the greatest extent, temporarily contain and amplify the effect of my Ability Granting—a container or medium.'

'It doesn't need to last long or be stable.'

'It only needs to be able, in an extremely short time, to release the multiplier effect in some form…'

'The range doesn't need to be large, but the strength… must be sufficient.'

Zhao Lao Nian's pupils constricted slightly.

He instantly understood Chen Wen's intention.

This is to prepare a trump card of last resort for the worst-case scenario that might occur—such as the squad being exposed, falling into heavy encirclement, or the sabotage operation encountering strong obstruction.

A trump card that consumes enormously but whose power is also terrifying.

"This… requires mobilizing the institute's few core stockpiled materials, and possibly even using the 'Institute's Treasure.'" Zhao Lao Nian's voice sounded a little dry.

"Go do it."

Chen Wen's voice was calm, yet unquestionable.

"Use whatever is available."

"What I need is, at the critical moment, to be able to tear open a path of survival, or smash the 'hive' shell……"

"Heavy Hammer!"

Zhao Lao Nian drew a deep breath.

His gaze became sharp and focused once again.

"Subordinate… I receive the order!"

"Then I'll go handle it!"

He turned and plunged once more into the bustling, busy scene.

His back view was resolute.

Chen Wen remained in the observation room.

Gazing out the window.

The artisans of the Heavenly Craft Institute were still running, shouting, sweating profusely.

For those thirteen people.

For that slim, almost hopeless chance of survival.

For the fate of Great Chen.

Burning wisdom and sweat to the utmost.

Technique, at this moment.

No longer merely cold blueprints and instruments.

But transformed into a blade that pierces the deepest darkness.

Tempered sharp blade.