Chapter 226: The Earth Dragon Turns Over

Chapter 226 The Earth Dragon Turns

After a brief respite in Cangzhou, Chen Jian followed his plan, leading his squad northward, reaching Jinmen by dusk that day.

Along the way they encountered no obstacles.

Yet perhaps the absence of obstacles is the greatest hindrance of all.

Unlike their march from Jinling to Quancheng, where they fought as they went, even when they sought out foes they found few monster traces.

And when they did locate any, the creatures fled at a speed that seemed to sense their presence.

This filled Chen Jian with profound unease.

He feared not the monsters, nor even the intelligent ones.

But should the intelligent monsters possess not only tactics but also high organization and decisions that defy instinct, the situation would become far more dire.

Chen Jian sensed clearly that the so‑called “Beast Tide” was far more complex than the wasteland factions imagined.

Its puppeteer might be a being whose power eclipses the understanding of all those powers.

And for that very reason they remain oblivious to the “puppeteer,” unable even to sense its mere existence.

If that is true, the challenges facing the Huaxia army are anything but ordinary.

Can nuclear bombs alone truly eradicate those monsters?

Chen Jian could not answer.

He set aside those futile musings for the moment and focused on the task before him.

After ordering the convoy to camp outside Jinmen, set up sentries and a kitchen, Chen Jian, accompanied by Ji Xing and Lei Jie, prepared to slip into the city for reconnaissance.

As they walked toward the distant, hazy lights, Chen Jian spoke to Lei Jie:

"Given the current situation, it’s not that good news is absent."

"If we can confirm the Beast Tide was triggered by a man‑made mechanical parasite akin to a ‘brain‑machine,’ then the electromagnetic pulse from a nuclear blast should disrupt the devices inside them."

"We wouldn’t even need a massive yield or a large stock; a single or two nukes could cripple every monster within the blast radius."

"When that happens, the uncontrolled beasts won’t be able to coexist peacefully, will they?"

"Once they turn on each other, we’ll have our chance."

With those words, Lei Jie shook his head:

"But that’s only the ideal scenario."

"If the EMP fails, or even if it works yet the monsters retain some momentum, we’ll still have to fight them the hard way."

"Therefore, there’s no such thing as too many nukes; we must keep a generous reserve."

"Naturally."

Chen Jian nodded:

"Not just nukes—our armaments must be stocked as well."

"Fortunately we requisitioned a cache of gear from Huadu; otherwise, producing everything ourselves would have taken an indeterminate amount of time."

"Indeed."

Lei Jie sighed in agreement and fell silent.

At that moment the three of them stood beyond Jinmen’s wall, where the faint glow of oil lamps on the ramparts hinted at the city’s singular character.

Unlike the mechanical cult’s territories, littered with electric lights, electronic devices and countless machines, life here was decidedly primitive.

Primitive stone walls, primitive beacon fires, primitive clothing, primitive fields and structures.

If not for the pistols at the waists of the guards on the wall and the massive radios strapped to their chests for communication, Chen Jian might have thought he had slipped from a post‑apocalyptic future into a wuxia realm.

The trio approached the gate guards, explained their purpose, and upon learning they were “important guests from Jinling,” the guards promptly cleared the way and performed a solemn Blood‑Holy salute.

Chen Jian still cannot get used to the gesture of raising the right hand, which fills him with a jarring sense of dissonance.

And after learning that the Blood‑Holy Hall was once a respectable research institute, he grew more suspicious that the salute had been artificially copied by a leader with a twisted sense of humor.

If that is the case, what sort of city lies under the Blood‑Holy Hall’s rule?

Chen Jian wandered the streets of Jinmen, only to discover that everything there resembled what he had seen in Jinling.

Apart from the slightly dimmer illumination, the city—an important hub linking north and south trade—boasted a vibrant night life.

Scores of merchants crowded the main avenues, loudly exchanging information in inns and street‑side eateries.

A faint scent of alcohol lingered in the air, the same rice wine aroma Chen Jian first tasted back in Hanshui City.

"It seems material conditions here are far from scarce—brewing wine from surplus grain alone sets this city’s productive capacity apart from smaller towns."

As his words faded, Ji Xing added:

"That’s true, though not the whole story."

"The reason they can brew wine isn’t because they have abundant grain, but because they rarely eat cereals at all."

"From Jinmen to the Imperial Capital and onward to Liaodong, the populace subsists chiefly on meat."

"Game is plentiful; often the threat of monsters pales in comparison to that of a wild boar herd."

"I recall that my first assignment after joining the Blood‑Holy Hall was to clear a boar infestation with my squad."

"A herd of thousands of boars, and only six of us."

"It was..."

"It was so relentless that we became numb; eventually we could no longer even recognize a boar’s shape. Anything that moved in the snow was met with a single cleaving strike. Such hunts were repeated several times each winter."

"Thus, surviving up north is hardly a hardship."

"Only that, compared with the Mechanical Cult’s domains, life here is less convenient."

"I see."

Chen Jian nodded in reply, then asked:

"Do you really have that many boars to slay? Herds numbering in the thousands must have upset the ecological balance."

"Where around here could possibly sustain such a massive herd?"

"I have no idea."

Ji Xing shook his head:

"Yet that is the reality—when I traveled south, I was puzzled by the scarcity of boars there."

"It's not just boars; other game is even scarcer."

"Some say it’s because a mountain god dwells to the north."

"But I suspect that so‑called mountain god is actually a tier‑one monster."

"A creature capable of generating resources and nurturing life?"

Chen Jian mused:

"Such a being might no longer be called a monster at all."

"Who can say?"

Ji Xing sighed, then continued:

"It does indeed sustain the humans who live here now, but who knows—perhaps one day it will slaughter them all."

"Perhaps humanity itself is also its prey?"

When the words fell, Chen Jian fell silent.

Could such a thing truly be possible?

A monster that breeds humans?

What could be its purpose?

It clearly defies any creature's instinct for survival.

Confusion clouded Chen Jian's face, and at that moment the three of them had reached the end of the most bustling avenue in Jinmen City.

"Let's go back,"

Chen Jian spoke:

"Go to the council hall to find the people of the Holy Blood Hall, arrange lodging, then inform the others to settle in the city."

"Rest for a night, we..."

"No need."

Ji Xing pointed ahead and said:

"Our escort has arrived."

Following her direction, Chen Jian's gaze fell upon three Holy Blood bearers clad in crimson robes.

Their expressions were solemn, yet their brows bore a hint of contrived reverence.

He stepped forward without hesitation, and the leader among the three Holy Blood bearers immediately met him.

"Sirs,"

The newcomer spoke:

"I come from the Holy Blood Hall, a monitor under the Holy Father's command, named Xie Yuan, appointed by the Holy Father to receive you, sirs."

"I was unaware that you had already arrived; I could not greet you from afar, and I ask for your forgiveness." "The Holy Father has already arranged lodging for you within the city; if convenient, please follow me."

"Very well."

Chen Jian replied simply, and Xie Yuan made a gesturing motion of 'please', guiding Chen Jian and his two companions toward a side alley off the main street.

Chen Jian watched his movements intently, and at that moment a few lines of terse text flickered across his smart eyepiece.

"Three monitors, not one."

"Above the Source Blood tier, formidable strength."

"One."

Chen Jian sent a reply, then glanced at Ji Xing, who stood ready nearby.

It was evident she had mastered the smart eyepiece and wielded it with practiced ease.

Nevertheless, Chen Jian knew her nervousness was unnecessary.

The Holy Blood Hall now had no reason, nor the audacity, to strike his squad.

On the contrary, after meeting Lin Yu, Chen Jian sensed that the so‑called 'Holy Father' had a request of his.

He feared the Holy Father anticipated the meeting even more than he did.

Otherwise, he would not have extended such high‑level courtesy to receive his small team.

The six of them skirted the bustling city center, following an oil‑lamp‑lit path toward a solitary building.

Leading the way, Xie Yuan spoke softly:

"This was originally my private residence, but after returning to the Holy Blood Hall it has lain vacant for a long time."

"Nevertheless, it remains clean and comfortable."

"Upon learning of your arrival, I arranged a crew to tidy it up."

"Now it offers hot water, food, and even electric lights that you may prefer."

"Tonight, please rest here; at first light tomorrow I will personally lead you to the Imperial Capital."

"Thank you for your trouble."

Chen Jian offered a perfunctory courtesy, and Xie Liu promptly continued without missing a beat:

"It is you, sirs, who have taken the trouble."

"Your feats along this journey have echoed across the North; even the Holy Father lauds the might of the Huaxia army."

"Moreover, what truly impresses the Holy Father is your squad's stance toward the monsters."

"Such unwavering resolve is rare in this world; the Huaxia army's yearning to eradicate monsters far outweighs any desire to vie for resources, and that alone testifies to the nobility of your unit."

The flattery was not particularly sophisticated, yet, to be fair, it did not offend Chen Jian.

He was right about one thing: his team truly had exterminated the monsters of this wasteland.

Thus, he did not come across as overly cold.

After a brief exchange, he followed Xie Yuan into the residence.

The generator rumbled from the rear, and lights gradually illuminated the interior.

A neatly attired steward stepped forward, acknowledged Chen Jian and his companions after hearing Xie Yuan's whispered instructions, then retreated to prepare dinner.

Xie Yuan escorted Chen Jian and his two companions on a brief tour of the house, detailing its amenities before taking his leave.

After he departed, Chen Jian radioed the squad on outer‑city watch; within half an hour, everyone, along with the convoy and equipment, had assembled near the residence.

"Not bad,"

Lei Jie spoke:

"To be frank, these Holy Blood bearers are rather courteous."

"The operation has gone smoothly; I hope they maintain this demeanor after we enter the Imperial Capital."

"If so, our negotiations might proceed much more smoothly."

"I share that hope."

Chen Jian gave a slight nod, then after a moment of silence spoke abruptly:

"Yet I can't shake the feeling that they are hiding something from us."

"As I've said, their attitude is a touch excessive."

"Overly deferential, overly polite."

"Do they truly need to be so courteous?"

"I sense they are laying some groundwork."

"That Holy Father must have a request of us, yet we still do not know what it is."

“Then let's not overthink it for now.”

Leijie gave Chen Jian a yank, then said:

“If you keep it taut like that, the string will snap.”

“Come, have something to eat, take a hot shower.”

“Whatever the matter, set it aside, wait until tomorrow.”

“Uhh—”

Leijie's words were cut short as a low, resonant wail suddenly echoed from the sky.

Chen Jian's muscles tensed in an instant, his right hand gripping the burst gun's handle.

“What was that sound?”

“I don’t know.”

Leijie said in a deep voice:

“It’s far away, likely coming from the western mountains.”

“Fuxi, launch the drone, scout ahead!”

“Understood!”

A puffer‑fish drone was immediately launched; Chen Jian frowned at the image on his smart visor, yet, as before, he saw nothing amiss.

“No anomalous heat signatures detected.”

Fuxi’s voice rang again.

“However, I’ve detected unusual geological activity 26 kilometers to the west.”

“It resembles a mudslide, or perhaps a low‑magnitude quake.”

“Send the image.”

Chen Jian issued the command; moments later, a picture, even though it had

been processed by Fuxi, remained blurred to the extreme, was transmitted back.

“How can you tell it’s geological activity?”

Chen Jian asked.

“Aerial reconnaissance shows a shift in surface hue, an increase in ochre‑colored patches, akin to the pattern of a mudslide.”

“A mudslide?”

Chen Jian pursed his lips.

“End of January, early February, a mudslide?”

“Impossible. It must be a monster.”

“Fuxi, launch the Sky‑Dome‑S.”

“Search for it, see what that thing truly is!”

(End of Chapter)