Chapter 159: Crisis
The darkest hour of the night — within the Federation, any time after sunset was considered part of that deepest darkness.
There were still a few hours left before sunset, so Xu Zhi decided to use that time to forge a higher-grade lantern.
As before, the main materials for the lantern were the small aberration’s branches and core. Since this lantern’s level would be higher, it would naturally require more “fuel.” Xu Zhi forged several ten-to-one refined [Moth] and [Lamp] attribute cores.
Under the narrator’s guidance, she also crafted a few [Cup] attribute cores.
According to the narrator, [Cup] light would be of no benefit to her — in fact, using [Cup] light inside Midnight would worsen its corruption toward her. However, when entering or exiting the rift, it was best to use [Cup] light to confuse any potential watchers.
After all, she didn’t need to guess to know there would be [Cup] entities guarding the entrance.
She also made several ten-to-one refined cores of other attributes, just in case. After getting the small aberration’s branches, she reviewed the material list: she still needed Xiao Zhen’s feathers, the dog’s tooth, spider silk, Xu Zhi’s own blood, and several other extraordinary materials she didn’t have.
“But why my blood? What’s it even for?” she asked.
[The higher the rank of the transcendent item, the harder it is to control. Adding your blood during forging increases its affinity with you.]
[Your mental energy will directly influence the lantern’s abilities. If it’s just an unrelated lantern, it’s a lifeless object with fixed effects. But once your blood is added, your own powers will enhance and modify the lantern’s effects.]
“That’s… pretty unscientific.”
For the missing transcendent materials, Xu Zhi decided — as usual — to trouble Zhong Lingfan. After all, she had no idea what extraordinary materials were even stored in the base’s warehouse. Technically they were her property, but she’d barely ever seen them and didn’t really care.
Most of the missing materials were bones or body parts of transcendent creatures. Zhong Lingfan quickly matched the list and personally delivered them to Xu Zhi.
She could have sent someone else, but this time she came herself — she had something important to report.
“Federation squads have begun entering Cloud City in small numbers,” Zhong Lingfan said. “But they can only wander around the outer regions. Compared to the mutated beasts and aberrations inside, their transcendent power just isn’t enough. There’ve already been significant casualties.”
Naturally. Inside Cloud City, both transcendent beings and mutated creatures had been soaking in energy day and night for over half a year. The gap between them and the Federation had long widened.
“I’m considering whether we should form another type of cooperation with the Federation,” Zhong Lingfan continued.
“What kind of cooperation?” Xu Zhi asked.
Instead of answering directly, Zhong Lingfan posed a question. “Do you plan to hide from the residents that Cloud City is now accessible?”
Xu Zhi slapped her forehead. “Ah! I forgot about that!”
She’d been so focused on milking the Federation that she’d nearly forgotten she could also harvest her own residents!
Zhong Lingfan sighed helplessly — she hadn’t expected Xu Zhi to forget something like that. Just how little attention did she actually pay to the residential district?
“When do you plan to tell them, then?” Zhong Lingfan pressed.
Xu Zhi waved a hand carelessly. “Whenever. You can handle it.”
After all, it wasn’t like anyone would rebel if she didn’t.
“Alright,” Zhong Lingfan nodded. “The new cooperation plan with the Federation will require their involvement.”
“I’m calling it, for now, the ‘Guide Program.’
Federation members entering Cloud City can pre-register for guide services — paying cores in exchange for assistance from local residents.”
“They’re far too unfamiliar with Cloud City. Even walking through the mist is difficult for them. I imagine this service will be in high demand.”
That was true.
Whether it was finding a safe shelter to stay long-term or hunting the city’s mutated creatures, both were currently major challenges for the Federation.
“You really should’ve gone into business,” Xu Zhi sighed.
Zhong Lingfan just smiled. “I’m still far from being a proper merchant.”
Then her tone turned more serious. “Aside from that… there’s something else I need to tell you — something I learned from the lab’s reports and Lin Zizhen’s intelligence network.”
“What is it?”
“Since the Federation was suddenly shrouded by the Blood Moon last time, the [Cup]-attribute believers have been acting strange. They’ve been drawing complex ritual arrays everywhere. The Federation can’t destroy them fast enough — the believers are producing them faster than they can be erased. And these formations have never been seen before.”
“At present, the Federation doesn’t know their purpose. But it’s definitely nothing good. They’re doing everything they can to destroy the arrays and arrest the believers responsible.”
“Federation-wide crime rates among believers have actually dropped sharply — it seems this entire group is now obsessed with carving these arrays.”
“But even just the discovered ones are already numerous. There must be plenty more hidden in secret.”
“That’s not a good sign,” Xu Zhi commented flatly.
Zhong Lingfan nodded. “We don’t know what those believers are trying to accomplish, but if they succeed… it could be a catastrophe for the entire Federation.”
“According to the Federation’s analysis, the ritual patterns being drawn across the nation seem interconnected. Once completed, they’ll form a network that encompasses the entire Federation.”
Zhong Lingfan didn’t know the details — but Xu Zhi did. It could only be one thing: His command.
What was He planning? Was this for His resurrection? Or something even higher, beyond that?
With the Archbishop gone, the Federation could now devote its full strength to arresting believers and erasing the arrays. If the Archbishop were still alive, they’d be too busy dealing with him to manage this crisis.
“Fortunately, they caught it in time,” Zhong Lingfan continued. “With destruction and arrests underway, it’s nearly impossible for the believers to finish their work — unless the Federation slips up and gives them an opening.”
Xu Zhi, however, didn’t look optimistic.
The Capital incident had been a rehearsal. Who was to say the Federation wouldn’t be the next Capital?
“Keep an eye on the situation’s progress,” Xu Zhi ordered. After all, this matter was connected to Him — she had no intention of standing idly by.
“Understood,” Zhong Lingfan said with a nod. Then, after a moment’s thought, added, “I’ve assigned Lin Zizhen to the newly established Department of Foreign Affairs.”
Xu Zhi shrugged. “Do as you like. You don’t need to report such things to me.”
After a pause, she added casually, “If he dies one day and you’re short on people, I’ll just go pick up a few more from the Federation.”
After all, negotiations with the Federation required people familiar with its workings.
Seeing Xu Zhi’s utterly indifferent attitude toward Lin Zizhen, Zhong Lingfan couldn’t help but ask, “I thought the reason you brought him back meant you saw something special in him?”
“Special?” Xu Zhi blinked. “Why would I? The only one I see as special is you.”
Lin Zizhen was nothing more than a tool — one who’d appeared at the right time and knew how to read the situation.
Her tone was calm and completely sincere — it was obvious she meant every word.
In the past, Xu Zhi had hidden some of her colder thoughts to keep Zhong Lingfan motivated. But now that she was certain there was no risk of betrayal, she spoke freely — revealing more of her true self than ever before.
