Chapter 696

Shi Dun stood in the quiet lodge, his body free of travel dust, but his face was graver than after a long journey.

He did not go west of the light curtain.

There was no need to go.

The fragments of imagery continuously captured by the "pinhole" observation post, combined with the anomalies observed by the Northern Frontier defenses themselves, and the occasional ominous-tainted objects that "flowed" from near the light curtain's fissures, were already enough to piece together an unsettling picture.

What lay before him was not a map, but a report collaged from multiple blurred images, energy fluctuation charts, and photographs of physical objects.

"Your Majesty, within the false Yuan domain to the west, in the northeast direction, the Jurchen tribes of Jianzhou show abnormality."

Chen Wen's gaze fell upon those images.

The images were blurry, with a cold, gloomy tone.

One could see riders clad in pelts gathering, their scale far exceeding ordinary tribal skirmishes.

At the center of the tribal camp, upon an altar of bizarre design, unnatural blue-black flames flickered.

One relatively clear still photo showed a broken arrowhead—excavated by the Jing'an Office personnel from the riverbank silt near the light curtain's fissure, its material neither metal nor iron, its surface wrapped in an extremely faint, dissipating azure pattern.

"The annexation speed is too fast."

Shi Dun's finger swept across several schematic maps showing changes in the tribes' territorial extent.

"From last autumn to this spring, over twenty tribes, big or small, have either submitted or vanished."

"Those who submitted saw their vital essence of able-bodied men abruptly change, becoming fierce and unafraid of death, with minor wounds healing at an abnormal rate."

"Warhorses and weapons alike show varying degrees of alteration, matching the characteristics of Yuneng Pollution by over seventy percent."

Zhang Cheng picked up the enlarged diagram of the damaged arrowhead, carefully examining the fading pattern upon it.

"This pattern… shares the same source as the erosion marks on the reinforced Yuneng beast bone armor we encountered in the Northern Frontier. But it is more 'orderly,' as if… it had been guidedly etched upon."

Chen Wen did not touch those images.

His perception, via the system's link to the nation's fortune, faintly touched the cold, foul "swelling" on the other side of the light curtain, continually expanding toward the northeast.

The Iron Crow Army's handiwork.

Without concealment.

"They are forging a sword."

Chen Wen's voice was calm, yet carried a chill.

"Using Yuneng as iron, the Jurchen as the blank, and the entirety of Liaodong's people and beasts as firewood."

"This blade is being sharpened quickly."

Shi Dun nodded, pointing to the last few analysis reports.

"Based on its expansion speed, resource plundering tendency, and partial intel on scattered movements."

"This 'blade' will surely be unsheathed no later than next year."

"Who will it be aimed at?" Zhang Cheng asked.

"First, it will target the weak rule of the false Yuan in Liaodong, plundering grain and populace to strengthen itself."

Shi Dun paused, his tone growing heavier.

"Then, once formed, the blade's edge will inevitably point south."

"The false Yuan heartland, and even… everything that could obstruct them, or the goal of whatever stands behind them."

His gaze met Chen Wen's.

Both understood that this "target" inevitably included the cluster of stubbornly burning "spark" in Huai Xi, as well as the Chen Dynasty beyond the light curtain, contending with Yuneng.

"How does the false Yuan court respond?" Chen Wen asked.

"Chaotic, sluggish." Shi Dun shook his head. "Internal strife, rebel armies sprouting everywhere, their control over Liaodong has long been nominal. By the time they truly take notice, this blade will likely have already drawn blood."

The quiet lodge fell into a momentary silence.

Only the scratching of charcoal on paper could be heard—that was Zhang Cheng swiftly noting the key points.

"What can we do now?" Zhang Cheng lifted his head.

"The Northern Frontier defenses: outwardly lax, inwardly tight." Chen Wen immediately said, "Tell Yue Fei, all forward outposts and garrisons, raise alert levels while maintaining surface normality. Strengthen patrols of the light curtain fissure zones; any sign of abnormal infiltration must be reported immediately and dealt with as appropriate."

"At Minister Zhao Lao Nian's office in the Works Department, double the resource allocation for all Yuneng protection, detection, and purification projects; I want to see phased results."

"The Jing'an Office," he looked at Zhang Cheng, "mobilize all remaining channels we have within the false Yuan realm, spare no expense, gather detailed intelligence on every Jurchen tribe, especially those toward Jianzhou. Do not fear exposure; when a line is needed, use it."

"Yes!" Zhang Cheng responded solemnly.

"Furthermore," Chen Wen added, "through the 'pinhole' and resonance stations, intensify observation and signaling in the Huai Xi region. Prioritize transmitting the identifying features and weak-point analysis of Yuneng armaments."

"We must make that 'spark' understand that his time may be more urgent than imagined. He needs to arm himself more quickly and see clearly the blade coming from the north."

Shi Dun clasped his fists: "I will immediately return to the Northern Frontier to personally oversee the defense."

"Go." Chen Wen nodded, "Remember, your duty is vigilance and defense, not by imperial order, you may not cross the curtain. No matter how sharp that blade, it cannot reach us now. What we must guard against is the 'wind' it brings."

Shi Dun received the order and departed.

Zhang Cheng also hurried away, deploying the assignments.

In the quiet lodge, Chen Wen stood alone before that unsettling pile of reports.

The light curtain was like a wall, temporarily blocking direct blades.

But it could not block the malice and killing intent that were accumulating.

The Iron Crow Army is accelerating the "script" in the most brutal way.

They cannot wait for Zhu Yue to grow slowly along historical tracks, nor for the Chen Dynasty to develop step by step.

They want to spawn a storm, using chaos and blood, to reshape "order."

"Premature detonation…"

Chen Wen murmured softly to himself.

His gaze seemed to pierce the roof, looking westward at the gathering, dark northern clouds.

Turned again toward Huai Xi.

"Under pressure..."

"Is it to die out more quickly, or..."

"Burst forth with a more dazzling light?"

He turned and walked toward the inner chamber.

It's time to add a bit of "material" to that struggling seed.

Concerning fire, concerning metal, concerning how in the wilderness to forge the first truly one's own sword capable of breaking chains... the most primitive concept.

Although separated by the light curtain, information will severely attenuate and distort.

But some sparks only need a tiny gap to ignite the wilderness.