The good news is that I am still alive, the bad news is, I am just still alive.

The survivor of the Permanent Investigation Team wasn't indiscriminately killed, nor suffered any humiliation or other torments; everyone was instantly frozen and taken away.

I don't know where they were taken to.

Lou Feng's expression was gloomy, and he stopped talking.

He gritted his teeth and turned away.

He became fully engrossed in dismantling the workshop, forcing himself to shift his focus. But just by hearing the loud noises of destruction, one could tell how bad his state was.

Ji Jue sighed.

At this time, one shouldn't pity these trivial matters, hoping he could hold on.

"Found it!"

While searching, Ji Xue, with her terrifying speed and efficiency, finally found the most crucial object—a palm-sized plate engraved with numerous characters, its needle continuously spinning.

It was like a compass.

The expressions of the others were shaken, looking towards Xu Guan, until Xu Guan finished examining and slowly nodded, they finally couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief!

That was Duden's geographic plate.

You Sui Craftsmen would never share a bed with the Evil Cult, even saying they dream different dreams would be a compliment.

During several visits to Spring City, Duden also secretly recorded several different routes on his own geographic plate. Otherwise, if the situation reversed, the Evil Cult packing up and leaving, what about the allies?

Would they just stay in Spring City and wait for death?

In these times, the most important thing isn't necessarily about succeeding, but ensuring that one can continue the work even after failures.

Now with Duden's map, if they manage a good disguise, they might be able to seize the time and blend out from here.

The opportunity was close at hand.

Next, it was time to deal with Duden...

When everyone looked over coldly, Duden's face drastically changed as he frantically begged and kowtowed towards Ji Jue.

Ji Jue was about to speak, but then he heard Lou Feng calling his name.

He stood in Duden's workshop, pushed open the door, his expression uglier than ever before.

"Come here."

He said, "Take a look at this."

Then, Ji Jue's face also turned ugly.

In the workshop, there was a partially assembled huge machine, like some kind of complex column, engraved with numerous Spiritual Circuits from inside out, meticulously and eerily organized, some parts of the structure completely defying the principles of Modern Alchemy but strangely compatible with each other, thus establishing.

If it wasn't for the thick design plans next to it and the manual that was detailed enough that strictly following the design there would be absolutely no issues, Ji Jue almost couldn't understand what this thing was at all.

In fact, he still couldn't understand.

The creator Duden didn't understand either, but he didn't dare to ask; he just did what the teacher said, too many questions, and thinking about further studies? At Jin Yuan's place, further studies was never a good word.

Ji Jue could only guess what this thing was for based on the incomplete sensory of the Mechanical Descent, his own theoretical level and the manual.

But just a few guesses had already made him nearly blackout.

"Can you confirm it?" Ji Jue harbored a glimmer of hope.

Lou Feng was silent, then after a moment his voice was also hoarse, "It's because I can't confirm it that I'm asking you. But the parameters are as follows, the Spiritual Frequency and the verification module, I... have indeed seen them."

Ji Jue had nothing to say.

"Is the problem very troublesome?" Tong Shan asked.

"...I'll explain it from the beginning," Ji Jue took a deep breath, steadying his mind, then with somewhat trembling fingers, he turned the design plan to the last page, "For example, this device should be something similar to a substation."

"What's the effect?"

"To put it simply, its function is to connect to an extremely large system as nodes and extensions, avoiding the impacts caused by peaks and troughs in output, used to buffer and divert."

Tong Shan was even more confused, "Is there any problem?"

"That's the problem."

Ji Jue swallowed dryly, turning the design plan to the middle, pointing at the parameters and requirements, "Why, in Spring City, would a device made by a You Sui craftsman use the Security Bureau's standard verification?

And, why is the internal Spiritual Frequency and sequence verification exactly the same as the outpost?"

"..."

Tong Shan's expression turned ugly, unprecedentedly, "Can you really confirm it?"

"I don't know, I'm just an apprentice feeling around the edges."

Ji Jue gave a wry smile; he never expected another pit waiting for him while he was fighting in the resting room. If he could be part of it... no, even if he was involved, he might still be clueless.

Professor Ye's way of doing things was not to speak of things that shouldn't be mentioned, letting everything be self-taught.

For such large-scale projects that have nothing to do with Ji Jue, at most, she would throw Ji Jue in as manual labor, letting him learn what he could, and see what he could, all depending on himself.

"Frankly, I'm not clear about the association's intentions and plans, or the specific execution status, I can't determine how bad the situation is."

Ji Jue pondered, arranging his words: "If we're a bit luckier, it might just be a simple information leak with someone having the specifications and verification flowing into the hands of the Evil Cult.

Perhaps the opponents are already prepared, and the association's hard work is wasted, utterly useless."

But if they were a bit unluckier...

Ji Jue did not continue.

It's possible that many masters and craftsmen in the association worked tirelessly on a whole plan, accomplishing 99% of the project, only to suddenly realize that all parts had lost response.

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