Chapter 156: Straight to Jinling

Chapter 156: Straight to Jinling

Following the road we had come, it took us a little over two hours for Chen Jian and his three companions to return to the city of Tongling.

When they stepped out of the restricted zone, every gaze fell upon them with sympathy, as if they were once again a band of over‑ambitious explorers doomed to perish.

In fact, by Chen Jian’s reckoning, the total radiation dose they received on this foray would not exceed fifteen hundred roentgens – already past the threshold for mild injury, yet still a distance away from moderate damage.

A brief bout of discomfort is to be expected, perhaps even a few strands of hair falling, but in the long run the impact should remain negligible.

After they once again took shelter in their inn, Chen Jian immediately set about collating the clues at hand.

“We can now confirm that the Fuxi Project is a colossal, integrated undertaking, not a single‑technology, single‑outcome venture.”

“It demands a massive energy supply, and most likely its original power came from the city grid; after the great cataclysm, the higher‑ups ordered the deployment of miniature fusion reactors to keep it alive.”

“Hence the mission to ferry a fusion core aboard a heavy transport aircraft.”

“If we follow that logic, even knowing the cataclysm had already struck, the superiors still chose to press on; the project must therefore possess two essential traits.”

“First, it is of paramount importance, potentially vital to humanity’s survival.”

“Second, it must be self‑sustaining on a grand scale, perhaps involving wide‑area IoT, super‑intelligent AI, and the like.”

“Only under such circumstances would the command deem it fit to place the project into operation rather than simply sealing away its equipment.”

“And it need not even be fully operational.”

Lei Jie cut Chen Jian off and said:

“Perhaps it is in a semi‑operational state, using limited gear and limited power to maintain environmental systems, keeping the vault’s interior stable so that as much useful material as possible can be preserved.”

“In that case, the so‑called ‘treasure’ of Jinling may well be a massive underground disaster‑relief depot – which explains why its coordinates appear side by side with the 7025 installation.”

“Makes sense.”

Chen Jian, deep in thought, nodded and continued:

“If that’s true, there is no need for us to go to Luzhou any longer.”

“Whatever we might find there is merely a component of the Fuxi Project that resides in Jinling.”

“Seeking parts before the main body is of little value, just as we might locate a fusion core but have no means to restore it.”

“We should head straight for Jinling, breach the ruins, pinpoint the target location at breakneck speed, gather the necessary data, and then work backward to the conditions we need.”

“If we lack energy, we find energy; if we lack weapons, we find weapons. In short, our aim is to obtain the ‘key’ that Ji Xing spoke of, and if that key is locked inside another safe…”

“Then we must devise a way to pry that safe open!”

Chen Jian’s words rang with resolve, and Shen Yue and the others gave their unqualified assent.

Yet opposite Chen Jian, Ji Xing’s expression shifted abruptly.

“You intend to march straight into the Jinling ruins?”

“Is there a problem with that?”

Chen Jian looked at Ji Xing, puzzled, as the latter drew a deep breath and said:

“Do you really know nothing about the Jinling ruins? Are you unaware that monsters dwell within?”

“We are aware.”

Chen Jian nodded and replied:

“Before we even decided to go to Jinling, we had already gathered ample intelligence.”

“We know a second‑tier monster lurks there, and we know the Mechanical Cult paid a grievous price in that place.”

“But that is no reason to turn back – if we can fell a third‑tier beast, a second‑tier one is no obstacle.”

“The two differ only in strength, not in essence, correct?”

“—Indeed.”

Ji Xing exhaled softly, then, with a weightier tone, continued:

“If we take your view, all monsters in this world share no fundamental differences.”

“The problem, however, is that monsters are not identical to one another.”

“Beyond the gap between second‑ and third‑tier beasts, even within a single third‑tier creature there are myriad variations.”

“A fourth‑tier monster that the Mechanical Cult can dispatch with ease would be a formidable foe for the Holy Blood Hall.”

“Conversely, the same holds true the other way around.”

“Yet a second‑tier monster is labeled as such precisely because it lacks any conspicuous specialization.”

“To every faction, they are on equal footing.”

“The Mechanical Cult’s super‑cannon cannot pierce its armor, and the Holy Blood Hall’s elixirs cannot corrode it.”

“And you… Though you are indeed powerful, your hard power can never match that of the two great powers.”

“Perhaps you can gain an edge on a limited battlefield with your tactics and your exotic weapons.”

“But when the scale of combat climbs beyond a certain threshold, do you truly believe you can cope?”

“Unless you unleash the ‘nuclear bomb’ you keep in reserve.”

“Clearly, such a weapon cannot be employed lightly, right?”

“—Indeed.”

Chen Jian did not deny it, but answered candidly:

“We have no intention of deploying a nuclear strike in this fight; we are not at that stage yet.”

“Then you will never defeat that monster.”

Ji Xing declared with unwavering certainty:

“Moreover, you will not escape from that creature’s grasp.”

“Is it really that exaggerated?”

Chen Jian turned to Xie Liu, who hesitated a moment before replying:

“I don’t think it’s that exaggerated.”

“The second‑tier monster in Jinling has been around for ages and has long been a thorn in the Mechanical Cult’s side.”

“Yet, according to the intelligence we have on it, its strength has not reached a level that renders us utterly helpless.”

“Not reached?”

Ji Xing, startled, looked at Xie Liu and asked:

“From where does this confidence spring? Do you truly understand that monster?”

“—Perhaps not as well as you, but I know a fair amount.”

Xie Liu, undaunted, looked back and said:

“We once thought the third‑tier monster in Hanshui City was unbeatable, yet under the commander’s hand it didn’t survive two minutes.”

“Does that not speak for itself?”

.I said, a third‑tier monster and a second‑tier monster are entirely different beasts.

"I know you have experience hunting third‑tier monsters, even in Huangshi City you felled a creature whose strength neared that of a second‑tier."

"But without doubt, these beasts possess distinct specializations and clear vulnerabilities, and your abilities happen to strike at those very weak points."

Ji Xing let out a long sigh, softened his tone, and said:

"Believe me, I am not here to shake your confidence at a time like this, nor am I trying to bar your entry into the Jinling Ruins." "To take a step back, I was also counting on you to find that key, to unlock the treasure of the mountain city."

"Do you think I would counsel you to retreat at a moment like this?"

"If it weren’t for everyone's considerations, sending you in to die would be the best option; perhaps your sacrifice would even grant me an opening."

"But we are partners, not merchants; I cannot watch you die in vain."

"I understand."

Chen Jian raised his hand, cutting Ji Xing off, then explained:

"We never claimed we would plunge blindly into the ruins, nor did we say we would engage that monster without any preparation."

"Our purpose is to gather intelligence—only our intel differs from the one you hold in mind."

"Relying on the records of the Mechanical Cult and the Holy Blood Hall is utterly futile; we must conduct close‑range reconnaissance."

"Why is it meaningless?"

Ji Xing questioned once more:

"Their intel may be vague, but at least it serves as a reference."

"Wrong. Their information cannot serve as a reference at all."

As he spoke, Chen Jian opened his PDA.

Ji Xing glanced at the screen and realized that, at some point unknown to him, Chen Jian and his companions had already amassed a trove of data on that monster, compiling it all in their own fashion.

Ji Xing froze for a moment, then asked instinctively:

"When did you do this?"

"It matters not; it was merely a matter of convenience."

Chen Jian pointed to the first entry in the log and said:

"The first, corroborated by the Holy Blood Hall, the Mechanical Cult, and multiple factions across the wasteland."

"The monster is sheathed in heavy armor; even the Mechanical Cult's Guard Brigade's massive cannon cannot pierce it."

"Do you find this piece of intel useful as a reference?"

"How could it not be?"

Ji Xing exclaimed in astonishment:

"It is a consensus: the beast of Jinling City possesses astonishingly high defenses; neither firearms nor artillery can breach it—this is the hard‑won lesson of countless battles."

"Yet that is impossible."

Chen Jian shook his head and said:

"You say it can endure a smoothbore cannon, but the Guard Brigade's giant gun?"

"In this world, nothing can withstand a direct hit from the 152‑mm howitzer wielded by the Cathedral Guard Brigade; at two thousand meters it can punch through armor thicker than a hundred millimetres. What creature could survive such a blast?"

"Godzilla? Or perhaps something from Pacific Rim?"

"Our world has no such alien species; as far as we can tell, every monster still obeys the objective biological laws already observed on Earth."

"If it cannot be pierced, either the ammunition is wrong, or there are other reasons."

"Without pinpointing the cause, relying solely on this datum would only mislead our subsequent operations."

"Therefore, we must see for ourselves."

Chen Jian's words left Ji Xing bewildered, yet after careful thought she felt perhaps he was right.

The Mechanical Cult's records are riddled with gaps, whereas this squad before me tolerates no flaw in its tactics.

They perfect every detail; their reputation for never failing rests upon that very meticulousness.

So, perhaps they truly must go and look?

Ji Xing's gaze shifted several times before he finally compromised:

"Then let us go and see."

"However, I still advise you to proceed with caution."

"At the very least, send in your 'drone' to scout first."

"Rest assured."

Chen Jian nodded, saying no more.

Yet in truth, at this moment he harbored little confidence in the battle that might unfold.

A few hours later, the four‑person squad departed Tongling City.

After rendezvousing with the second squad outside the city, the eight of them set out again, bound for Jinling.

At that point they were still 160 kilometres from the Jinling Ruins; at their usual pace they would arrive in roughly eight hours.

But Chen Jian deliberately slowed their march, intent on granting every member ample rest.

Along the way, Chen Jian inventoried their gear while remotely overseeing construction in Huangshi City hundreds of kilometres away.

From Huang Yu he learned that Huadu's assault on Huangshi City seemed to have ceased.

After suffering a heavy loss at the Anqing Ruins, they launched only a tentative strike, then decisively abandoned any further retaliation.

It was a shrewd decision, and Chen Jian could not help but suspect that the city's overseers were not as mindless as rumors suggested.

Yet what exactly were they aiming to achieve?

The answer to that question would not be so easily obtained.

Of course, compared to that puzzle, Chen Jian cared more about the current state of Huangshi City.

He wanted to know whether, during his absence, Huangshi City had made any new progress.

And Huang Yu's reply did not disappoint him.

.We have established trade routes with Wuxue Town and Caohe Town; yesterday we completed the first transaction, exchanging surplus gear captured during the previous assault on Huangshi City for a large quantity of plastic."

"Next, we will attempt to sell this batch of plastic to Hanshui City, trading it for fresh essential supplies."

"According to the commander’s orders, ..."

“Moreover, the cannon we seized from the mercenaries of Huadu last time, we have been trying to study it over the past few days.”

“We discovered, astonishingly, that this contraption is not driven by gunpowder.”

“Yet the precise method of operation remains a mystery to us.”

“Not powered by gunpowder??”

Chen Jian stared, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“How did you know it wasn’t ignited by gunpowder?”

“The cannon’s ammunition appears to be some sort of battery—seemingly single-use.”

“We tried inserting the battery, but nothing happened.”

As the words hung in the air, Chen Jian instinctively turned his head toward Lei Jie.

The two sat in silence, exchanging glances for a few seconds before Lei Jie finally spoke:

“It can’t possibly be a railgun, can it?”

(End of Chapter)