Chapter 197: Do Not Say the Stone Man Has Only One Eye

Chapter 197: Do Not Speak of the Stone Man's One Eye

“Damn, he can really act!”

Inside Bunker 011, Chen Jian, his teeth clenched, snarled after hearing He Shuo’s report.

He had long suspected that Jin Cheng’s reactions were faulty, and knew their alliance was never sincere.

Yet he never imagined that the “saint” of the Mechanical Cult could reach such depths.

In public he was deferential, calm, sincere—a portrait of contrition.

Behind the scenes, however, he stripped away the façade, scheming to clutch the last straw that would drag the Huaxia army into the abyss.

One must admit, his temperament truly earned him the position he now occupies.

Had He Shuo, with Jin Zhong’s aid, successfully slipped a nano‑recon drone into the most secretive “Great Library,” perhaps even now the others would still waver between “kill” and “spare” based on his demeanor.

From this, Jin Cheng’s judgment of the “enemy” appears remarkably sharp.

He knows not only what he wants, but also what the foe desires.

He understands that the Huaxia forces crave “stability,” so he deliberately fabricated an illusion of steadiness to barter the Mechanical Cult and his own survival.

*Click*.

This wolf‑hearted ambition must be eradicated!

Chen Jian drew a deep breath, then said:

“The situation is now essentially clear.”

“The Mechanical Cult is truly steering the beast tide through means we have yet to discern, likely tied to the notion of a ‘monster vacuum zone.’”

“There is a strong probability that the monster vacuum is directly linked to the beast tide, and the migration caused by territorial blanks is a harbinger of the tide’s rise.”

“That explains why the vast majority of human settlements strive to avoid provoking the other monsters within their region.”

“Monsters are both threat and barrier.”

“Maintaining a basic equilibrium is the optimal strategy; once that balance shatters, a war between man and monster becomes inevitable.”

“And now, we have largely broken that balance.”

“Whether we have crossed the threshold, no one knows.”

“Our time is running short; we must prepare without delay.”

As Chen Jian’s words faded, Lei Jie beside him nodded promptly and said:

“Indeed, we must swiftly outline our next priorities.”

“On one hand, we need decisive action to topple the supreme leadership of the Mechanical Cult in Jinling City and install a ‘saint’ favorable to us.”

“On the other, we must quickly ascertain the exact nature of the beast tide so we can devise countermeasures.”

“Our current intelligence remains woefully scant.”

“What monsters can shatter a mech‑soul, what omens can alter the weather, what bio‑weapons outrange cannons—such vague judgments cannot underpin any response.”

“We must enter the Great Library and retrieve all its knowledge.”

“In other words, we need—”

“—to truly command Jinling City.”

Shen Yue interjected:

“But we must act through another’s hand.”

“And that person must come from the Mechanical Cult.”

“Only then can we contain the chaotic fallout of a ‘religious war’ and, without draining our own resources, keep Jinling City relatively stable.”

“That person is easy to pick.”

“Jin Zhong, or perhaps Zhang Tao?”

As the words hung in the air, everyone in the command room fell into silence.

After a moment, Chen Jian spoke again:

“I propose Zhang Tao.”

“He is a opportunist, yet his ability and ambition surpass Jin Zhong’s.”

“A man without ambition cannot govern a city of this magnitude.”

“He may not be the perfect choice, but under the present circumstances he is the most suitable.”

“If he later goes rogue, we can simply replace him.”

“Agreed.”

“Agreed.”

One by one the others voiced assent; Chen Jian tapped the table lightly and declared, “Then it is settled.”

“Eliminate Jin Cheng and elevate Zhang Tao!”

Minutes later, within Jinling City.

He Shuo glanced at the order transmitted from Bunker 011, a mysterious smile curling his lips.

Beside him, Zeng Yi looked puzzled at his expression, then asked:

“Commander, what are you laughing at?”

“It isn’t as simple as we imagined. Elevating Zhang Tao isn’t just about wiping out Jin Cheng and seating him.”

“We must also safeguard Jinling’s stability, which means coaxing enough support for Zhang Tao, giving him a legitimate pretext to rise…………………………………………………………… …… …… ……… ………………… ……………… …… …… ……… ……………… … … … …………………… ……………… …… ……… ……… ………… …… …… …… …… ………………… …………………… …… …… …………………………………… …………………………… ……… ……………………… …… ……… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………… …… …… … … …

“It says that, under the rule of an ancient feudal dynasty, a band of peasants sought to rise up in rebellion.”

“But, just as the faithful of the Mechanical Church cannot defy the Church itself, those peasants were shackled by an invisible code of conduct.”

“In the world they inhabited, what was called a ‘uprising’ was in truth merely ‘rebellion’, grievously bereft of legitimacy.”

“So where might one find such legitimacy?”

“Thus he slipped a paper‑crafted Dan‑letter into the belly of a fish, bearing three grand characters: Chen Sheng King.”

“Chen Sheng, that is his name.”

“There are many legends of this sort.”

“Some speak of the stone man with a single eye that stirs the Yellow River to revolt the world; some tell of a sword that slays the white serpent; some of the Luo River offering a monument.”

“In short, all this is the wisdom of our forebears.”

“And now, by a striking coincidence, our present circumstances are almost indistinguishable from those of that era, perhaps even more favorable.”

“For the Mechanical Church is a religious power, and the mysterious forces that touch them will be all the more potent.”

“Thus, what we must do is, in truth, exceedingly simple.”

At this point, Zeng Yi understood completely.

A smile likewise blossomed upon his face.

“So you wish the so‑called ‘Supreme Trinity’ to personally select its own emissary?”

“More or less.”

He Shuo exhaled a long breath, then continued:

“I must request assistance from Unit 011.”

“The cold‑start velocity must be accelerated, so that we may receive the necessary support.”

“The time has come.”

“It is high time these people be shown the mighty power of industrial marvels!”

(End of Chapter)