Chapter 373 - 169: Eternal Night Calendar, Year 380, Early July

Chapter 373: Chapter 169: Eternal Night Calendar, Year 380, Early July

"..."

The middle-aged man moved, lifting his head to stare blankly at the younger man. "Do you think you’re funny?"

"Ahem..."

The young man sheepishly put down his bowl and chopsticks. "I just saw you looked a little down, Uncle Liu, and wanted to cheer you up. I’m not leaving. I’m definitely going to defend the No. 7 Defense Line with you."

"You can leave."

"I’m really not leaving."

"You really can. You’re still young, it would be a shame for you to die at the No. 7 Defense Line. You should go to the interior of the Eternal Night Continent. It’s much safer there."

"But if everyone goes to the interior, who will defend the front lines?"

"That’s not your concern."

"It is my concern! My family and friends all died in Guandong. Of course I care about this place. If I’m going to die, I’ll die in Guandong."

"..."

The middle-aged man didn’t speak again. His gaze grew distant as he stared past the Ghost Fire at the darkness rapidly blanketing them from afar. After a long while, he murmured, "Honestly... if you’re going to go, then go. But at least say goodbye before you leave. I could’ve given you some money for the road..."

The faint roars of countless Ghost Objects drifted to his ears.

Outside the No. 7 Defense Line, the Ghost Tide was beginning its assault once more.

Another night of battle had begun.

"I’m heading out. Today, I’m responsible for resupplying the Ghost Stones for ten turrets in Subsection Seven." As eternal night descended, the young man across from him quickly shoveled the last two mouthfuls of rice from his bowl.

He mumbled something indistinctly and ran off into the distance.

Soon, he disappeared into the crowd and was gone from sight.

A single person like him was, one might say, almost inconsequential to the No. 7 Defense Line.

But the No. 7 Defense Line, which guarded the Guandong Plain, was composed of countless such inconsequential people. Together, they formed a bulwark of immense strength, standing tall and unyielding.

...

「Early in the seventh month, Year 380 of the Eternal Night Calendar.」

It was the height of summer.

Chen Fan had returned to the Mortal Realm. He was lying face down on the bed in the Wooden House of Cave No. 1. A porcelain jar filled with ice sat nearby to cool the room, while a Maid rhythmically kneaded his back to relieve his exhaustion.

’The rainy season is only a few months away.’

Lying on the bed, Chen Fan turned his head to look at the Eternal Night Calendar hanging on the wall. Once this rainy season passed, it would be exactly two full years until the Undersea Ghost Tide made landfall.

After months of hard work, he had finally finished laying all the High-speed Rail tracks.

In recent days, the existence of the Mortal Realm High-speed Rail had transformed the power dynamics of all the factions on the Guanxi Plain. Most notably, the century-long pattern of constant conflict among the various factions had been broken. While sales of Skeleton Horses declined, the entire Guanxi Plain gradually grew more peaceful.

"Domain Lord..."

Just then, the Maid kneeling on the bed and massaging his back suddenly spoke in a low voice. "In the months you were away, Pavilion Master Wang’s power seems to have grown a little too great..."

"..."

Chen Fan, who had been lost in his thoughts, froze for a moment. He quickly snatched the Jade Staff from his side, got up from the bed, and dressed. He looked at the unfamiliar Maid—she wasn’t his usual one—and without a word, strode out of the Wooden House.

He took out a Sound Transmission Talisman to contact Xiaoyu.

"Xiaoyu, investigate this Maid’s background. Find out how she entered the Mortal Realm, who arranged it, and how she became my personal Maid."

Currently, all recruitment for the Mortal Realm was handled by the Logistics Pavilion.

’How truly strange.’

’When a faction grows large, it’s normal for a few people to infiltrate. It’s also normal for them to try and sow discord. But... shouldn’t you at least make some small talk first, and then bring it up casually?’

’For example, she could have said that Wang Kui seemed a bit too happy while I was away, or that he was often seen sneaking around the Mortal Realm’s core Ghost Fire.’

’Plant a seed of doubt in my mind, right?’

’Wouldn’t that be more effective? No scheme to create division is meant to work instantly. It’s always about planting a seed first. Only when the seed sprouts will it bear fruit.’

’But this is so direct, isn’t it?’

’A little too direct, maybe?’

’What is all this nonsense?’

He stretched his stiff body, then took the High-speed Rail from Nameless Mountain toward the Jiangbei Defense Line.

...

Soon.

Chen Fan stood on the City Wall of the Jiangbei Defense Line, gazing out at the Dead Sea. Waves crashed relentlessly against the reefs, sending up bursts of spray and filling the air with a pungent, salty stench.

’I’ll just leave the investigation to the Logistics Pavilion.’

Over the past few months, the Mortal Realm had accumulated a good number of Ghost Stones. He could finally complete the City Defense Buildings for the Jiangbei Defense Line.

’As for that Maid... even if she was sent by some faction, it can’t be a very powerful one. An organization that would send someone like her is clearly a poor judge of character. The cost to place someone in the key position of my personal Maid must have been significant, yet her execution was so clumsy...’

The sea before him was called the Dead Sea.

To this day, he didn’t know why it had been named the Dead Sea. There didn’t seem to be any particular story behind it; it was simply that a lot of people had died here, so it became the Dead Sea.

He shook his head.

After clearing his mind of stray thoughts, he rode a Suspended Basket on the City Wall’s tracks, quickly reaching the end of the Jiangbei Defense Line. There, he saw the familiar Skeleton Horse.

Only then did he begin to build the City Defense Buildings from the ground up.

Godslaying Cannons, Copper Pipes, Anti-Aircraft Cannons, Soul-Devouring Sculptures, Ghost Fires, and more.

One after another, the buildings were rapidly constructed.

Chen Fan only stopped his work when darkness fell. He hadn’t finished everything; it would likely take several more days. This was far more troublesome than just building the Copper Pipes. He descended the City Wall of the Jiangbei Defense Line and once again took the High-speed Rail back to Nameless Mountain.

Just as he walked into Cave No. 1, he ran into Xiaoyu, who was heading toward him.

"Domain Lord, the investigation is complete."

"Which faction is she from?" Chen Fan asked casually as he walked toward his Wooden House.

"She isn’t from any faction. She has never joined any organization before, nor did she accept any bribes. After our interrogation and verification, it seems she simply wants to get ahead... After all, Domain Lord, you don’t yet have a woman you fancy."

"..."

Chen Fan let out a light sigh and waved his hand. "You may go."

’What a mess.’

He then returned to his Wooden House. Without even taking off his clothes, he sprawled out on the bed. ’I can’t take it anymore,’ he thought. ’I’m truly exhausted this time. I have to get some rest.’

’To come straight back from finishing the High-speed Rail only to start building up the Jiangbei Defense Line immediately...’

’Even a beast of burden isn’t worked this hard.’

He felt even more tired than the unofficial members of the Mortal Realm on the New Continent.

’I’m absolutely not working tomorrow, no matter what.’

’I’m taking a day off first, and that’s final.’