novelraw Chapter 241: The Threads of the Future
Chapter 241: The Threads of the Future
Lin Jie and the others rushed to William's side simultaneously, their faces filled with incredulous joy and tension.
Julian immediately grabbed William's wrist and placed his fingers on his pulse.
The pulse, previously weak and erratic due to internal injuries, though still feeble now, had become exceptionally steady and rhythmic.
It seemed as if some force was guiding the unruly "river" within William's body into a brand new, broader "river channel".
"It's working!" Julian exclaimed excitedly, "The cyclic field of this oasis can truly guide that foreign spiritual energy within him!"
Although this guidance could not yet be called a cure, and was more like a temporary sedation.
This was undoubtedly the first true glimmer of hope they had seen since William was injured.
And that formidable German exploration team, as professional I.A.R.C. investigators, could not possibly return empty-handed.
After Lin Jie successfully pacified the UMA, Schneider immediately directed his subordinates to utilize this brief ceasefire window to conduct a series of efficient, non-containment professional exploration operations.
They carefully deployed an alchemical array on the periphery of the UMA's root system. This array consisted of twelve tuning fork-shaped mithril probes and one "Aether Fluctuation Recorder".Those mithril probes could produce subtle resonances with the spiritual frequency emitted by the UMA, and the "Aether Fluctuation Recorder", through a crystal pointer immersed in alchemical mercury, transformed these invisible resonant vibrations into electrocardiogram-style wave curves etched onto rolling wax cylinder paper.
For the academic research department of the Munich Branch, this was a priceless treasure.
When the exploration operations were fully concluded, and members of both teams gathered at the temporary campsite preparing to return, Schneider proactively sought out Lin Jie.
In his hand was a document titled "Siwa Oasis Ecological Protection and Academic Sharing Joint Report", already signed by him, awaiting Lin Jie's signature.
"Lin," Schneider looked at him, "The Munich Branch will submit this report to the Geneva Headquarters. It proves that your 'observation and coexistence' philosophy is wiser than our crude intervention in certain specific environments."
Schneider handed the report to Lin Jie.
"But please understand," Schneider added, "We will not abandon research entirely. The Munich Branch will establish a remote observation station outside a fifty-kilometer radius of the oasis to conduct long-term data collection on its cyclic frequency. This is our bottom line."
"I understand."
Lin Jie calmly signed his name on the report.
"Additionally," Schneider's gaze turned towards William in the distance, "Regarding Sergeant Keen's recovery plan, I have a more 'operational' suggestion here."
A glint of shrewdness flashed in Schneider's eyes: "Since the oasis's cyclic frequency is effective for him..."
Schneider proposed a detailed follow-up treatment plan supported by precise data:
"My suggestion is that William must return to the peripheral area of the Siwa Oasis at regular intervals for a 'stationary treatment' lasting no less than forty-eight hours each time."
"We will map the spiritual field contour lines of the oasis, then establish several temporary safe points on these contour lines for him to undergo periodic field guidance."
"Our Munich Branch will be responsible for the construction and maintenance of these safe points, and provide absolutely confidential security for his periodic transportation."
"Consider it me repaying a personal favor."
These words made both Lin Jie and Julian jolt!
This was no simple favor.
"I accept."
Lin Jie gave Schneider a firm nod and extended his hand.
"Good luck on your subsequent journey, Mr. Lin."
Carrying this weighty hope, Lin Jie's group, led by their guide Hakim, bid farewell to the murmuring oasis.
When they returned to the Cairo Second Branch, they were greeted by two pieces of crucial intelligence.
The branch's reception hall had long been completely transformed by Ethan into a 24/7 global intelligence processing center.
Several urgent intelligence reports from around the world, filtered and vetted through multiple layers and judged as "highest priority", were quietly awaiting their decisions.
The first piece of intelligence came from the distant East.
It was the first truly valuable "big fish" finally caught by Ethan's vast intelligence network after spending countless funds and manpower, and weeks of aimless inquiries.
It was a stack of blurry photographs and a fragmentary shipping record, purchased at a high price by I.A.R.C. Hong Kong Convention Organization peripheral intelligence personnel, risking their lives, from a high-ranking member of a local gang organization called the "Triad".
The photographs showed an old-fashioned steam paddleboat struggling to travel upstream on a river shrouded in mist and flanked by perilous mountain peaks.
On the deck of that ship, a blurry figure dressed in a white long gown stood with hands clasped behind his back, gazing into the distant mountains.
Though the face was unclear, that transcendent, aloof aura allowed Lin Jie to confirm with just one glance.
That was Yan Xilou!
And the fragmentary shipping record indicated that this cargo ship, belonging to the "Russell &
Company", had its final destination as an inland port named "Yichang" in the middle and upper reaches of China's Yangtze River.
At the end of the report, the intelligence analyst from the Hong Kong Branch appended a warning-filled analysis in red ink.
"Based on fragmentary information provided by informants and cross-referencing with local ancient legends, we are over eighty percent certain that Yan Xilou and the Black Lotus Sect behind him have their secret stronghold in the Yangtze River basin hidden within the area upstream of Yichang Port, a region since ancient times renowned for its treacherous terrain and bizarre legends..."
"...the ancient Witch Mountains region."
"Legend has it that it is the burial ground of ancient great shamans and the final dwelling place of the 'River Dragon'."
When the words "River Dragon" entered Lin Jie's sight, his breath hitched, and he turned his gaze towards William, who sat quietly listening to Julian reading the report aloud.
Found it!
Found the clue to Yan Xilou!
Also found the path of hope that might completely cure William's injuries!
However, just as everyone's hearts were stirred with excitement by this joyous news from the East.
The second piece of intelligence poured a basin of bone-chilling ice water, instantly dousing the flames in their hearts.
It was an urgent alert from the London Headquarters, personally signed by Lin Jie's mentor, Barton Chris.
The content of the telegram held no pleasantries, only a statement of facts filled with the oppressive sense of an impending storm.
"To the London Branch Overseas Task Force:"
"The situation has changed. The crisis level of the North American incident, originally scheduled for your handling after returning to Europe, was upgraded to 'Quasi-Calamity-class' by the Intelligence Department early this morning."
"According to fragmentary intelligence sent back by our 'mole' embedded in the North American Branch, the Brotherhood of Light, which has been in a cold war state with us, has recently become abnormally rampant in its activities in the United States!"
"They seem to be pouring the entire organization's resources into secretly constructing a building of unimaginable scale in a remote area called 'Wardenclyffe' on Long Island, New York."
"Our 'mole' cannot approach the core area, but based on the structural sketches he drew from the periphery and his analysis of fragments of information circulating within the Brotherhood, we have a terrifying speculation."
Barton's pen strokes became very heavy here.
"They seem to want to utilize Nikola Tesla's insane 'global wireless power transmission' theory, combined with the 'spiritual amplification' technology they reverse-engineered from UMAs, to build an unprecedented Aether Tower."
"Once this tower is completed and activated, the ultra-high-frequency spiritual resonance waves it releases could potentially cover the entire North American continent, even interfering with the global spiritual field!"
"At that time, they would have the ability, like turning the knob of a radio, to arbitrarily amplify or suppress UMAs of specific frequencies, even paralyzing our Grotesque Armaments."
"This is a war from science, an insane plan that is about to overturn the entire existing order of the inner world!"
At the end of the telegram, Barton attached the emergency strategic deployment just made by London Headquarters.
"This matter concerns the Association's future layout, therefore the Geneva Executive Council has issued a mobilization order."
"On the European front, we will assemble a heavy assault team led by 'The Punisher' Hank, ranked within the top thirty of the elite Hunter Ranking, to launch devastating strikes against the Brotherhood of Light's European operations, thereby dispersing and containing the enemy's main force."
"And you," Barton's words seemed to pierce through the telegram paper, directly ringing in Lin Jie's ears, "due to your advantageous location in Egypt, and Mr. Redgrave's family connections in North America."
"You have been chosen as the sharpest dagger to be plunged into the enemy's heart!"
"Headquarters hopes you will abandon other tasks first and infiltrate New York with the utmost speed and secrecy."
"You have only one mission."
"—Before that tower activates, find it and destroy it at all costs!"
When Julian finished reading this "war mobilization order" from the West with a slightly trembling voice, the entire operations room fell silent.
Head East?
Deep into the mysterious Eastern nation to seek the final hope of curing William's injuries?
Or head West?
Travel far to that New World representing the future and science.
To stop the Brotherhood of Light's insane plan that threatens to shake the existing order of the inner world?
Lin Jie stood up and walked to the world map.
His gaze moved back and forth between the winding Yangtze River basin on the far right of the map and the North American continent on the far left, just beginning to glow with the light of electricity.
He fell into deep contemplation.