Chapter 699: Pin-hole Passage

Ministry of Works underground, third test site.

The smell here mixes the scorching of smelting metal, the slickness of special oils, and a freshener scent like rain-soaked earth.

Zhao Lao Nian lay prone on the cold stone platform.

Before him was a complex device half-set into the tabletop.

The core was a fist-sized polyhedral crystal whose interior was filled with fine crystalline threads.

The crystal was precisely set in a frame of brass and some black wood, around which dozens of pipes of varying thickness and material were connected.

Some pipes led to the humming momentum-energy conversion furnace on the wall.

Others connected to an energy-guiding array immersed in a clear solution.

"Seventy-third coupling test."

Zhao Lao Nian's voice was hoarse, his eyes bloodshot, but his gaze shone frighteningly bright.

"Record: base resonance frequency stable, deviation less than five ten-thousandths."

"Secondary harmonic suppression rate increased to ninety-two percent."

"Duration of steady state…… timing starts now."

He gestured to the assistant beside him to start an hourglass.

The device emitted a low, steady buzz.

The crystal threads inside began to emit a soft, pure milky-white light.

The light did not leak out, but flowed within the crystal along a specific path, forming a subtle internal circulation.

"Done?"

The young assistant held their breath and asked softly.

"Not yet."

Zhao Lao Nian stared fixedly at the stability of the light flow inside the crystal.

"Steady state is only the first step. The key is to be able to form effective resonance on the 'other side' as well, and to withstand the pressure of the light curtain's own rules and… the interference of the 'filth' left by the black crows."

Sand in the hourglass flowed down silently.

The device ran smoothly.

The water clock on the wall ticked.

Half an hour passed.

The light inside the crystal showed no attenuation or disturbance.

"Steady state passed." Zhao Lao Nian exhaled a turbid breath.

"Prepare to connect the 'simulated rift disturbance generator'."

The assistants immediately began operating.

Another device was connected, capable of simulating the rule fluctuations and energy turbulence observed at the light curtain's rift, caused by the Yin Energy imprint.

"Disturbance intensity, level one."

Zhao Lao Nian gave the order.

The simulated disturbance was added.

The light inside the crystal immediately showed fine ripples, but quickly stabilized.

"Level two."

The ripples intensified, the light's brightness showed periodic weak flickering, but the internal circulation structure remained.

"Level three…… straight to level five!"

Zhao Lao Nian went all out.

A stronger simulated disturbance surged in.

The crystal emitted a strained 'squeak' sound, and the frame trembled slightly.

The internal light shook violently, as if it might scatter at any moment.

Zhao Lao Nian's forehead veins bulged as Zhao Lao Nian quickly adjusted the damping valves at several key nodes.

"Hold steady…… hold steady for me……"

He muttered, his gaze almost ferocious.

The light struggled at the edge of collapse several times, but after adjustment it finally found a dim yet still structurally balanced point.

"Record!"

Zhao Lao Nian's voice trembled.

"Under simulated level-five rift disturbance, the channel core maintains basic structure; information-carrying capacity estimated…… about thirty percent of the calm state. Severe degradation, but not interrupted!"

A suppressed cheer rose in the test site.

This meant that even under the most severe interference from the Iron Crow Army, the channel named 'Pin-hole' could still possibly transmit extremely limited information.

No longer a gamble relying on the tides of Fortune Momentum.

But rather a narrow, fragile yet relatively directed and stable 'thread'.

"Don't get too excited too soon."

Zhao Lao Nian wiped sweat and poured cold water on the excited assistants.

"This is only a one-sided simulation. Who knows what it'll be like when we actually pass through the light curtain and hit those living Yin Energy pollutants."

"Moreover, the information capacity is too low. Even that pulse encoding we sent before was barely enough, let alone more complex content."

"And energy consumption……" He watched the rapidly depleting crystal storage gauge on the momentum-energy conversion furnace, heartache making the corners of his mouth twitch, "Doing this, even a deep reserve couldn't withstand frequent use."

Just then, the heavy door of the test site was pushed open.

Zhang Cheng strode in, his face solemn, holding a sealed letter in his hand.

Minister Zhao, latest emergency report from Bei Jing

He read out the letter's contents directly

Jurchen movements are intensifying, possibly a large-scale armed migration. General Yue judges that their border-crossing time may be greatly advanced

The Sovereign orders: if the pin-hole channel is feasible, immediately attempt to send the highest-priority warning to the Huai Xi target and inquire about its current situation and preparations

Zhao Lao Nian's excitement instantly cooled

He looked at the channel prototype, still operating steadily but its light already dimmed

He also looked at Zhang Cheng's stern face

Now? Use this?

He pointed at the prototype

This thing can barely stay steady, and you want it to go fight?

No time left

Zhang Cheng's tone was calm, yet unquestionable

The blade to the north is sharpening faster. The fire to the west must know how close the storm is

Zhao Lao Nian fell silent for a moment, then rubbed his face hard

Warning content?

Extremely concise. The core is just two points: the enemy is accelerating, possibly arriving before autumn. Also, ask whether they have already suffered ongoing environmental deterioration and biological mutation attacks

This also needs encoding...

Zhao Lao Nian muttered, but immediately grabbed a charcoal pencil and iron plate, beginning to design the shortest pulse encoding combination

Using the fewest pulses to convey the most essential warning and inquiry

The channel can maintain this stable state for at most the time it takes to finish a cup of tea

He carved the code holes while speaking

Moreover, it can only send, not receive. Even if they respond, we won't receive it

Known

Zhang Cheng nodded

First let him know. The rest… we'll figure out later

Soon, a set of extremely concise code metal sheets containing only a few key pulse sequences was prepared

Zhao Lao Nian carefully loaded it into the prototype's transmission slot

Energy output raised to critical level

Target area calibrated for Huai Xi; the last signal capture gave a rough direction

Simulated disturbance held at level five

Ready…

He took a deep breath, his hand on the activation hub

Send!

The prototype emitted a buzzing far more intense than before

The light inside the crystal suddenly contracted, then turned into an extremely thin, extremely sharp filament that shot out and struck a specially made copper mirror etched with flow-guiding patterns on the west wall of the test field

The copper mirror's patterns lit up, the filament's direction slightly adjusted, and it followed the dedicated energy conduit buried underground straight to the main launch array of the resonance station outside Huangcheng

From there it will be further amplified and focused, shooting toward the thinnest point of the light curtain rift

The test field fell silent

Only the low rumble of the overloaded energy conversion furnace and the "cak" alarm of rapidly dwindling crystal reserves

Zhao Lao Nian stared at the crystal

The light had returned to its previous dim steadiness

Transmission completed

"Did it succeed?" the assistant asked softly

Who knows

Zhao Lao Nian plopped onto the stone bench, wearily rubbing his temples

Everything that needed to be done has been done. The rest…

He looked toward the west

All we can do is see whether that pin-hole light can pierce the filth and chaos to find that spark

Zhang Cheng silently gazed at the depleted scale of the high-quality crystal reserves, saying nothing

This was only the first directed transmission

The cost has already been this high

The future line of communication is destined to be costly and arduous

But some messages, no matter how costly, must be sent