Chapter 717: Ripples of Light

Xijing, the 'pinhole' observation station subordinate to the Directorate of Astronomy.

Here there is no huge telescope, only a dark room filled with various momentum-sensing arrays.

Dozens of smooth jade plates are embedded in the wall, each corresponding to a marked, potentially variable fuzzy coordinate region on the far side of the light curtain.

Most of the jade plates lie still, without ripple.

Only the jade plate corresponding to the Huai Xi riverbank position occasionally flickers with a faint fluctuation almost too weak to detect—this is an extremely tenuous resonance trace left on the specific regulatory level after two previous directed signal transmissions.

Observation work is tedious and mentally taxing.

It requires the observer to maintain, with highly focused spirit, a connection between the jade plate and the distant coordinate point that is finer than a hair, a weak sensing based on Fortune Momentum.

Today's duty observer is a young man surnamed Han.

He has been staring continuously for three hours, his eyes sore and his spirit somewhat fatigued.

Just as he finished a routine sensing scan and was about to take a brief rest.

In the chaotic, dull gray area on the jade plate representing the Huai Xi region, several extremely faint 'bright spots' suddenly leapt up!

Not a fluctuation at the regulatory level, but an actual, visible-light-range 'change in brightness'!

The number is… four?

Their arrangement seems to have a rough symmetry.

The brightness is very low, and it flashes and disappears instantly.

But in the highly focused sensing of Observer Han, that moment's change, like a few tiny stones dropped into a still lake, sent out clear ripples.

"This…"

Observer Han bolted upright, rubbed his eyes, and almost thought it was an illusion.

He immediately focused his mind, raised his attention to the utmost, and carefully 'reviewed' the fleeting afterimage just recorded on the jade plate.

He was not mistaken.

Although those 'bright spots' have vanished, the image did indeed capture four faint light points appearing almost simultaneously.

Moreover… after the light points appeared, the background light and shadow in that area seemed to retain a trace of extremely fine, regular disturbance.

As if… something had briefly and regularly blocked or reflected it?

"Record!"

Observer Han's voice held repressed excitement.

"At 5:52 a. m., in the Huai Xi observation area, four abnormal synchronous light spots appeared, their positions possibly forming a rough four-corner symmetry, lasting about three breaths, with weak intensity. Afterwards came an unidentified regular light‑shadow disturbance."

He quickly etched the sensed image features and parameters onto a dedicated jade slip.

"Report immediately to the Director! Urgent!"

The message, sent at the utmost speed, reached Zhao Lao'nian, who had just been resting at the Ministry of Works office.

The old man's drowsiness vanished instantly upon seeing the jade slip's contents.

He snatched up the jade slip and repeatedly 'read' the blurry image and description recorded within.

Four faint light spots appearing almost simultaneously…

The regular subsequent light‑shadow disturbance…

"Smoke columns… flag signals…" Zhao Lao'nian muttered to himself, his eyes suddenly flashing with sharp light.

"It's him! He's responding!"

"He's using the dumbest method to tell us—he saw it! He's still here!"

The old man paced back and forth in the room a few steps, then came to an abrupt stop.

"Hurry! Prepare! I must see the Sovereign at once!"

"Also, notify the "pinhole" station: prioritize directing energy reserves to the Huai Xi observation area! Keep that patch of sky locked on!"

"Next time, no matter what smoke he releases or what flags he raises, I must catch it crystal‑clear!"

He gripped the jade slip, his hand trembling slightly from excitement.

Although it was only a few threads of faint light, a few points of vague disturbance.

But this means that the spark beyond the light curtain has not been extinguished.

On the contrary, it is striving to flicker forth its own weak yet stubborn gleam.

This ripple of light is weak.

Yet it is enough to stir a bright, heartening hue across this dim game board.