Chapter 317 - 32: Unexpected Discovery: Watch Tower (2)

Zhang Deming walked over to a shelf. On it were three items: two blood-red glass bottles and a black-and-white, glowing crystal stone.

This was the top-tier main ingredient for advancement that Zhang Deming had obtained before. He hadn’t used it, but now was the perfect time.

’Isn’t the Yin Yang Rejuvenation Crystal the top-tier main ingredient for advancement in the Yin-Yang Dao!’

’If this were purely for the trade, I would be better off turning this item over to the Sect. I could then use the Contribution points to exchange for an ordinary advancement material for the other party, which would save me a considerable amount of Contribution.’

But Zhang Deming wasn’t just doing this for Contribution. He also wanted to use this opportunity to test out Qi Fortune and Merit, to see if being the man behind the "protagonist" would grant him the greatest boost in Energy.

’Therefore, it’s acceptable to give the other party a good deal, as long as I reap enough Merit and Qi Fortune.’

Zhang Deming walked up to the shelf, and with a flick of his hand, he stored the Yin Yang Rejuvenation Crystal in his storage bag.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, he paused. His expression shifted, and he turned and walked to a corner of the room.

Before Zhang Deming was another shelf, on which sat a single item.

It was none other than the notebook he had accidentally found before. After Zhang Deming had restricted its backdoor, he had kept it in his collection.

Now, at some unknown time, the device had begun to blink incessantly.

Zhang Deming frowned slightly as he looked at the watch-shaped notebook and its faintly blinking indicator light.

’The device originally had an uncontrollable notification function, but I modified its source code.’

’It can no longer send forced notifications, but the indicator light was unaffected, so I didn’t change it.’

’Now the indicator light is blinking. Does that mean something’s happened?’

After a moment’s hesitation, Zhang Deming reached out and lightly touched the expansion button.

The entire watch began to extend and transform on the shelf in a very sci-fi fashion.

In a brief moment, it went from a watch to a highly futuristic-looking laptop computer.

The moment the computer opened, the screen lit up, and three message windows popped up directly.

The first message Zhang Deming saw read: "Following the last Secret Realm collaboration, based on the information sent back by ’Mysterious Man Number One,’ ’Mysterious Man Number Two’ is confirmed deceased. Report your status as soon as you receive this."

"------Watch Tower!"

Zhang Deming stared at the first message, slightly stunned. ’This is...’

’Did that guy Xue Su survive too? But I haven’t seen him in the Outer Sect for over half a year.’

Lost in thought, Zhang Deming clicked open the second message.

"Mysterious Man Number One requests cover. He is unable to return to the Sect for a short period. The department’s Celestial Spirit Sect division took twenty years to plant three assets. No losses can be tolerated. Please provide him with appropriate cover at your discretion."

"------Watch Tower!"

’Hmm?’

’That guy left around the same time I did. Does this mean he had some other fortuitous encounter?’

’The watch showed no reaction when I moved last time. Does that mean he only contacted ’Watch Tower’ in the last two or three months?’

Pondering this, Zhang Deming continued and clicked open the third message. It was a big one, with two attachments.

"The Celestial Eye Parasite Plan has matured. The Hongmeng ’Study Group Exchange’ has already had a profound impact. The higher-ups have decided to initiate the second phase at the Celestial Spirit Sect."

"The Parasite Nest forces require an Ordinary Disciple of the Celestial Spirit Sect to serve as a leverage point to launch the second phase of the Celestial Eye Parasite Plan at the Celestial Spirit Sect’s ’Study Group Exchange’."

"As it is uncertain whether Mysterious Man Number One can make it in time, if you, Number Three, receive this, please reply as soon as possible and begin preparations."

"The priority is to coax a native disciple with a clean background. Attachment One contains a list of preliminarily screened targets."

"The twenty disciples in this attachment are the result of Number One’s many years of work. They have been confirmed as candidates after a preliminary screening by the organization."

"Investigate them as soon as possible. After selecting a target, use the materials provided in Attachment Two to begin preliminary instruction and grooming. It is best not to reveal yourself; instructing them from the shadows is sufficient. It would be ideal if they don’t even know of your existence."

"This way, after they achieve their Enlightenment Dao at the ’Study Group Exchange,’ with so many eyes searching, your risk of exposure will be minimized. This is the first option."

"If you are unsatisfied with all the candidates from the materials in Attachment Two, or if you have a better candidate in mind, you may consider them. However, it is best to send the information back and let the information department conduct a comprehensive analysis. This is the second backup plan."

"If that doesn’t work, for the plan to proceed smoothly, you will have to personally enter the stage and trigger the second phase of the Celestial Eye Parasite Plan by achieving Enlightenment Dao. This plan has been in preparation for decades and cannot fail."

"However, this is the third option. If you choose this route, you must give advance notice so the department can coordinate with the Parasite Nest forces to minimize your risk of exposure."

"In principle, the third option is not recommended. Not only is it too dangerous, but it also poses significant problems for the smooth execution of the Celestial Eye Parasite Plan."

"Reply within one month of receiving this message. Otherwise, we will initiate a forced location trace to confirm your survival status."

"------Watch Tower!"

Behind the third message were two attachments. Zhang Deming opened them and found that one contained personal files. All twenty people inside were from the Little Hui Peak Array Department. It seemed this was the fruit of Xue Su’s undercover work over the years.

The other attachment, however, Zhang Deming found rather interesting.

’It’s knowledge about Arrays, but the style is a bit strange. It leans toward... hmm... code?’

’But there isn’t a single complete Technique, just some theoretical knowledge.’

’To put it vividly, it’s like the foundational theories that precede a major academic breakthrough—and very complete, very mature foundational theories at that. With these foundational theories, all that’s missing is a single core key, and a new ’academic school of thought’ could emerge.’

’Judging by the looks of this, if it were completed, the resulting Technique would probably be something like *Array Code: Intelligence*, similar to *Oratory: Words*.’

’But this attachment doesn’t contain that core.’

’Therefore, if this information were disseminated piecemeal, a little at a time, to the Hongmeng Array Cultivators, it would just be a few novel viewpoints. The ideas and focal points would just seem a bit strange and new, that’s all.’

’But if it were all taught to a single person, allowing them to comprehend it thoroughly, and then supplemented with that core key...’

’Heh heh...’

’An on-the-spot Enlightenment Dao, the creation of a new path... it would just happen like that, wouldn’t it?’

HISS...

Zhang Deming looked at all this, his eyes flickering. After a long moment, he sucked in a sharp breath of cold air.

Putting this brief message together with what he previously learned about the Outer Realm Study Group Exchange, it was self-evident what the ’Parasite Nest’ in this so-called Celestial Eye Parasite Plan was referring to.

’It’s the damn main force of the study group!!!’

And before, when he’d witnessed the birth of *Oratory: Words*, Zhang Deming had thought the other party had just taken advantage of a chance opportunity to start their scheme.

’Now it seems this ’Enlightenment Dao’ that created a new Technique path is also a ’heh heh’ moment!’

’This feels like a damn deep scheme!’

’What is the Celestial Universe Federation trying to do?’

’Espionage, cultural invasion... are these just the opening moves?’

’Looking at the situation, these preparations didn’t start yesterday. Apparently, they started making plans decades ago when Hongmeng first made contact with the Celestial Universe.’

’Haven’t the big shots in the Holy Lands discovered any of this?’

’That can’t be right!’

’Never mind the unfathomable big shots of the Three Great Holy Lands; even the Celestial Secret Grotto Heaven among the Nine Great Grotto Heavens, with its Celestial Secret Calculation—that’s not something the Celestial Universe Federation should be able to handle, is it?’

’Or maybe the Celestial Universe Federation isn’t purely on a technological path as it appears on the surface. Do they have some other special existence?’

Staring at all this, Zhang Deming’s thoughts raced for a long time.

In the end, he shook his head. ’These matters are completely beyond the control of a Tai Chi Cultivator like me. I should set this aside for now.’

’Hmm...?’

’Wait...’

’There might be something in this for me, after all...’

’At the very least, this ’Enlightenment Dao’ candidate and this Technique are very appealing... and the room for manipulation in this matter seems immense!!!’