novelraw Chapter 1342 675: Always Look on the Bright Side
Chapter 1342 675: Always Look on the Bright Side
"Dust."
Ji Jue sighed softly, and the veterinarian sitting opposite him, holding a sausage, also nodded in agreement, as if letting out a long sigh: "Dust..."
Yet his eyes turned to look at the agent beside him.
Thus, the agent, or Hu Jian's face, grew even more unsightly.
For the Punishment Team, enemies and adversaries must be killed, as well as friends and kin — only then is everything complete. For Hu Jian, it now involves friends and kin...
Dust is the workshop where Hu Jian originated!
In the past, as an apprentice wandering among various workshops, despite paying a great deal of blood and sweat, he also received much guidance and nurturing from Dust.
Exploitation and usage were relentless, but he truly taught him things... One could say, without his experiences at Dust, there wouldn't be the Hu Jian of today.
Even after joining the Transformation sect, as a subsidiary, it remained under the Void sect until Dust gradually withdrew from its leadership position, after which it slowly distanced itself from the Void sect. Now, both sides are faintly in a position of rivalry.
Yet, even after withdrawing from the leadership position, Dust remains one of the major workshops within the Association!
The projects and topics handled are countless!
Considering the close relationship between Hu Jian and Dust in the past...
One must say, Director Jiang's move was too ruthless!
Brothers against brothers.
No wonder there was a need to intervene at that time, forcibly disrupting Ji Jue's plan. If they truly followed Ji Jue's worst prediction of 'at worst, fight head-on,' there might be no one left to strike the vanguard now.
The conflict among craftsmen, in a certain sense, is a battle of intelligence.
An entirely unknown workshop is far more terrifying than a stronghold armed to the teeth; no one knows what peerless deadly work the craftsman may have stuffed inside the workshop...
For example, that certain Ji dog's multi-layered deception — Cliff City's studio, New Spring's underground workshop, Blessing Park's three places — they are not genuine workshops, and they are filled with self-destruct buttons.
Inside the Doomsday Special Train's workshop, there still hides Isis and many other secrets.
Not to mention peers, even a master might lose half a life if they're lucky. Encountering a monster like Ye Xian in such a situation could perhaps only make their hem slightly dirty.
At this moment, the Punishment Team is deployed.
Even if they're still en route, the operations have already begun.
In the silence, everyone stared directly at the 'agent' - the moment he received the brief, the dual regulations targeting Hu Jian had already begun.
At the designated time, at the designated place, clarify all matters.
Before this ship arrives at Dust, right in this workshop disguised as a ship, if Hu Jian truly can't think open and doesn't want the position within the Transformation sect, there are plenty of ways to deal with betrayal.
At this moment, the captain, puffing on his pipe, quietly looked at him, without joy or sorrow, simply calmly: "Is there any issue?"
For a fleeting moment, Hu Jian wanted to say something, but ultimately, he could only sigh wearily, voluntarily extending his hand: "I comply with the Association's arrangements."
Snap, a soft sound.
A handcuff-like bracelet clasped onto his wrist.
Ji Jue's eyelid twitched.
Heavenly Artisan?
Without a doubt, that handcuff-like bracelet was indeed a Heavenly Artisan. Heart Core, Tian Yuan, and Ember's aura... at least three Blessing Chains?!
From the aura's sensing, it seems to issue compulsory commands, ensuring that the person is under control, not lying, and speaking without reserve.
If there's any reservation, the user will naturally sense it.
He felt his little hands were somewhat unable to be restrained...
Forcefully restraining and enduring.
Hu Jian wasted no time, once more reaching out, retrieving a mirror from the box beside him, the mirror's surface glowing, projecting an image in the void.
Soon, the intricate and bizarre structure of the workshop unfolded before everyone's eyes.
Numerous modules and different sequences, different spaces and positions, even specific defense measures...
Layer by layer is peeled away in front of everyone's eyes.
Along with unique technology annotations and various suspicious locations...
Including detailed information on many members within the workshop and everything Hu Jian knows.
The captain occasionally asks questions, and Hu Jian responds without reserve.
"Let's be clear from the beginning, ultimately, I am not a member of the Dust Workshop. Even if both sides have collaborations, they still mutually reserve."
After making up his mind, Hu Jian no longer hesitated, "The last time I visited Dust was seven years ago, and truly contacted internal matters was ten years ago.
No one can say for sure how much has changed in these ten years. If there are discrepancies, everyone, please don't expect these things to come in handy."
"Of course, but as a reference, it's sufficient."
The captain, puffing on his pipe, pointed again at the workshop structure to inquire.
Clearly, he doesn't care about details. All questions are targeted at the main structures and defense methods they commonly use, which can't be completely modified or abandoned within a short time...
Details?
Details might be important, but that's the problem the Punishment Team needs to solve.
What he needs to ensure is that overall, it doesn't fail. Ensuring that under extreme circumstances, they can still cause as much damage and destruction as possible to Dust's workshop.
Unfortunately, Hu Jian is ultimately just a former apprentice and collaborator, knowing far too little.
"Director found the wrong person." Hu Jian sighed, "If you want to find Dust's core craftsman, it's his four students, and..."
"The premise is finding them."
The captain interrupted him indifferently, "Those acquaintances you know, how many years has it been since they last appeared?"
For a moment, Hu Jian was stunned in place.
His face gradually turned pale.
He finally understood his meaning.
Indeed, it's quite normal for a craftsman to be engrossed in research, and suddenly diving under the radar for five or six years is not uncommon. High-profile moments are ultimately few, while most of the time, everyone quietly gets swept up in it.
Even if not seen for years, it's not particularly strange.
Hu Jian originally thought they were engaged in some project or research, but now it seems...
What's more terrifying is that he suddenly remembered.
"Six, six years ago..."
Hu Jian's voice began to tremble: "Mr. Belzuna suddenly invited me to join a breakthrough project... I, I was compiling a book at the time and didn't have the time, after declining twice... he never brought it up again... I thought... I thought..."
He originally thought that it was due to his choices at the time that he and Belzuna drifted apart, their relationship growing cold. Whenever he recalled it, he couldn't help but sigh with regret.
But now it seems...
Perhaps, without realizing it, he had actually escaped a calamity?!
"Look on the bright side of things."
Ji Jue reassured, "Maybe he's just gone traveling?"
"..."
At this moment, not only Hu Jian but everyone fell silent and looked over.
If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all!
After clarifying the general situation, Hu Jian's account finally came to an end, lowering his head to drink water: "When will we arrive?"
"Any minute now."
"Are you sure?" Hu Jian frowned, looking towards the outside projection: "That's not right, the direction of the Dust Workshop isn't..."
"The one to the north is fake."
The captain said calmly: "The real Dust Workshop was moved two years ago, Jiang Tongguang searched this place for a year and a half, and only last week discovered its traces based on the water quality... If there weren't prior discovery, fear that like us, even if we reached there, we wouldn't find any trace?"
At this moment, the sea under the night sky shimmered, so tranquil.
But there was nothing.
No...
Ji Jue instinctively lowered his eyes.
A reflection?!
Between the flowing waves, under the moonlight, unexpectedly, a building not existent here faintly appeared, the entire workshop hidden within the sea's reflection!
In this remote sea area, unless under moonlight, no trace would appear.
But even the current trace was left as the sole flaw to enhance concealment. Through some method, the entire workshop, aside from its reflection, was thoroughly hidden in the world.
Close at hand, yet entirely inaccessible.
The captain slowly stood up: "Everyone, are you ready?"
The veterinarian girl smiled sweetly: "Ready at any time."
"Let's get it done and disperse early." Yellow Beard impatiently stood up and picked up the Flame-shaped Sword leaning against the chair.
Ji Jue nodded: "I'm ready."
Hu Jian sighed: "Me too..."
Thus, preparation for action began.
Everyone's time is precious, who has the Empire's leisure to babble here?
Finish the killing early and go home, then continue the music and dance.
Boom!!!
At the moment everyone was ready, like a ghost, the fishing boat manifested on the sea, right before the reflection, immediately followed by a cracking sound...
Wooden beams and structures extended from the sides of the boat like living creatures, instantly expanding, evidently specially modified and targeted, abruptly stretching for tens of kilometers, enclosing the reflection like a perfect circle floating on the sea.
Then, massive anchors dazzling with radiance were thrown into the sea.
The vast sea surface instantly seemed to boil, with deafening sounds, and fierce winds scattering... Ji Jue only saw the contours amidst the boiling sea violently changing.
The enormous anchor, supposed to sink into the seabed, incredibly seemed like a phantom, merging into the reflection, entangling the workshop, and then... thunder mingled with sparks flying, tons of seawater surged, then solidified.
The Dust Workshop hidden in the reflection was forcibly pulled out by the anchor, reappearing before everyone.
The entire sea surface suddenly froze, with anchors and chains coiling, the workshop stuck between reality and illusion.
Then, fishing cannons roared like whale harpoons, chains fastened into the castle-like walls, forcibly securing and pulling them into the present world.
Within the blink of an eye, the transition and change between illusion and reality, the mirror's secrets and bizarre nature, were unmistakably revealed.
Within the castle, an alarm like a horn sounded.
Cracks appeared on the walls, and iron stone outlines resembling giants separated from the walls, coldly staring at the invaders.
Within rippling water, vines and branches emerged out of nowhere, entangled and corroding, pervasive, shackling the entire castle.
The clash and defense between workshops were instantly decided.
The gap between craftsmen may not have been that large originally, but ever since the decision to act against Dust, the Association has gathered intelligence for unknown duration, countered and created targeted crafts for possible defenses and countermeasures.
How could they leave any room for the opponent to resist?