Chapter 59: The Array Lock

Seeing the scorn in Chen Lu’s smiling eyes, Qian Ye suddenly felt a surge of unexplained anger.

He said coldly, “So what? If it weren’t for the Imperial warriors holding back the dark races, do you think these rebels would have any chance to develop? All these years, I’ve never seen the rebels engage in any major battles against the dark races. If they really had the capability, why don’t they go to the front lines and show their worth?”

Chen Lu’s smile deepened, “Truly the young, with such fiery temper! But what use is your indignation? When the dark races arrive, the Imperial warriors will still have to step up. What can you do even if you dislike it? If you really can’t stand it, then go and annihilate the rebels. But relying on you? Haha!”

Qian Ye’s expression grew colder, “What do you mean by that?”

“If you were to suppress the rebels, you would have been eaten to the bone. So soft-hearted, even extermination would be a messy business. What great things can you accomplish?”

Qian Ye hadn’t expected such an answer. He was slightly stunned, suddenly recalling what Shi Yan had once told him: when Lin Xitang first arrived in the Western Region, his progress was hindered, largely because the rebels mixed among the ordinary people, making them indistinguishable. The General did not resort to scorched earth tactics, leading to a prolonged conflict, and he was recalled to the capital to account for it.

Seeing Qian Ye’s silence, Chen Lu pointed to the main building and said, “Rebels cannot be eradicated by killing alone. As long as these people exist, the rebellion will never die out. Little boy, you’ll understand when you grow older. Alright, no time for moralizing. I’ll take this.”

Chen Lu reached for the rock core jade book, but Qian Ye, returning from his reverie, held her hand.

Chen Lu raised her delicate eyebrows, asking, “What?”

“With all that has happened, don’t you think some explanation is due? For instance, what exactly is the cargo?” There was a trace of coldness and firmness in Qian Ye’s tone.

Chen Lu fell silent for a moment, dropping all frivolous expressions and saying solemnly, “You are Young Master Qian Ye, aren’t you? Though the Seventh Prince has already instructed us to tell you the truth about everything you ask. But do you really want to step into this murky water?”

Qian Ye’s heart stirred. It seemed that Chen Lu’s status and position were far higher than he had anticipated. She was an important figure in the Song Clan, or more precisely, under Song Zining.

She must have known something about Qian Ye beforehand; otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so certain of his identity after just a single rescue and a few hours of acquaintance. The fact that the ghostly employer had only inquired about the delivery person’s appearance and rank, yet still didn’t know his identity, indicated that Song Zining had taken precautions in advance.

As for this murky situation, Qian Ye originally just wanted to hear what Chen Lu had to say. However, the mention of the instruction from Song Zining surprised him. Did Song Zining mean there was nothing to hide?

Qian Ye gave a bitter smile. Song Zining had always been the same since the Netherworld, walking a straight path without restraint.

In the training camp, even during the exam where students were to fight each other, they could trust each other with their backs. So now, what? Qian Ye suddenly realized that it wasn’t about how Song Zining would explain, but how he himself should face the upcoming answers.

Despite the tumultuous thoughts in his mind, Qian Ye remained silent and said, “I’ve already stepped in.”

Chen Lu nodded, “Then let me show you.”

Qian Ye moved his hand away from the jade plate. Chen Lu took the rock core jade book and infused it with origin power. A pattern of numbers and lines appeared on its smooth surface.

Chen Lu memorized the pattern for a while, then flipped the jade plate over. Her fingertip glowed faintly with origin power, and she started to replicate the pattern on the jade surface. When the last stroke reached its designated place, a soft click sounded, and the jade plate split into two, revealing a thumbnail-sized crystal chip.

Chen Lu retrieved a complete set of instruments from a hidden compartment in the bookshelf, carefully placed the crystal chip on the instrument, and turned it on. A white light shone onto the crystal chip, creating a dazzling display of colors.

She adjusted the instrument, and the display changed, eventually forming another pattern of numbers and lines.

Chen Lu memorized the new pattern, put the crystal chip aside, and took a black crystal of similar size and shape from the instrument’s storage, placing it on the instrument and manipulating the white light to shine at various angles.

Seeing this, Qian Ye’s gaze sharpened. He understood that the rock core jade book was merely a casing for the crystal chip, which was actually an origin power array chip. Clearly, Chen Lu was an expert in this field, capable of analyzing and replicating the origin power arrays.

Chen Lu picked up the crystal chip and the replicated black crystal, carefully compared them, and then crushed both into powder. She had memorized the array and could replicate it anytime.

She sighed, put away the instruments, and turned to Qian Ye, saying, “That’s it. The cargo you delivered is a fragment of an origin power array that can be secretly embedded into a mother array. It doesn’t affect the mother array’s operation, but it activates when a specific signal is received.”

Chen Lu paused, “The purpose of this fragment is to disable the drive array, thereby locking the origin power gun.”

Qian Ye, with a vague premonition, said slowly, “But industrially produced origin power guns have integrated arrays. Where would this fragment fit?”

“Every origin power gun sold to the rebels by Ningyuan Heavy Industries has a reserved slot for embedding this fragment. And I am the one who embeds it into the array.”

Qian Ye finally understood. Chen Lu was a technical officer, handling all maintenance and modifications of the origin power guns. The guns sold through Ningyuan Heavy Industries were flawless, but after her maintenance, they became problematic.

When these guns reached a certain percentage in the rebel ranks, and if the activation signal was sent at a critical moment, the rebels, who rely on these guns as their main combat force, would be caught off guard and suffer a major defeat.

Qian Ye frowned. This method, while sounding good, was long and risky. If the ghostly employer succeeded and exposed the deal between Ningyuan Heavy Industries and the rebels, it would be seen as aiding the enemy, and Song Zining would definitely be implicated. The reasons behind this, when exposed, would surely cause a stir.

There were many ways to strike the rebels, so why did Song Zining choose such a convoluted and risky method? Even Qian Ye could see the dangers, and Song Zining must have thought of them too. This wasn’t like him.

“Who is Song Ziqi? Was he the one who hired the ghost to disrupt this transaction?”

“Song Ziqi is the third son of the Song Clan, currently ranked fourth in the line of succession. The top contenders fiercely compete and form alliances. The Seventh Prince has remained neutral, with his branch slightly favoring the eldest legitimate son. They were peaceful until recently, when the clan’s ancestor began to favor the Seventh Prince more, and his strength grew rapidly. This made many feel threatened, including Song Ziqi.”

Chen Lu sneered, “Song Ziqi aims to gather evidence of Ningyuan Heavy Industries’ deal with the rebels, a charge that could get the Seventh Prince expelled from the family or even secretly executed. In fact, if the Seventh Prince is detained, they will secretly kill him to solidify the charge. Their ambition goes beyond just toppling the Seventh Prince’s branch; they also want to use this to strike down others.”

Qian Ye took a deep breath, masking his murderous intent, and suddenly asked, “I heard the Yin family of the Horse Ranch and the Song Clan are related by marriage?”

A look of confusion crossed Chen Lu’s face, and then she understood, “You mean the network of the Second Prince, Song Zian, right? They lowered the Seventh Prince’s score in the Spring Hunt. But Song Zian and Song Ziqi are not on the same page.”

Qian Ye nodded, then recounted Ma Zhong’s confession, “I feel this isn’t just a coincidence. There might be problems close to Zining.”

A fierce look flashed in Chen Lu’s eyes, “Certainly not that coward! Song Ziqi got the hint about Ningyuan Heavy Industries and the rebels from outside the Western Continent. I’ll report this to the Seventh Prince and clean up both sides.”

“Are you going back to the rebels?”

“The key figures here are dead, so the truth is mine to tell.” Chen Lu said matter-of-factly, “This setup is hard to establish, so I can’t just abandon it. Plus, it’s true that Song Ziqi hired the ghost to sabotage the Egret Corps’ transaction point. The rebel leaders should know this.”

Qian Ye immediately grasped Chen Lu’s intention to shift blame. He didn’t comment on the plan, stood up, and said, “Since you have no other matters, I’ll take my leave.”

Chen Lu also stood up, asking, “Are you returning to Eternity? Do you need anything else here?”

Qian Ye pondered for a moment, “I can’t take all the items from the vehicle. If possible, introduce me to a reliable channel to sell them.”

“Wait a moment.” Chen Lu left the room and returned with a ring, “Take this token to Zhao Runshui, the auction house manager in Youcheng. He’ll give you a fair price.” She shrugged, “Since the Zhao Clan remains neutral, you should be safe in the city, but it’s always better to be cautious.”

Qian Ye fiddled with the ring, smiling, “These origin power guns won’t end up with the rebels, will they?”

“It’s hard to say. But the Youcheng auction house is owned by the Zhao Clan. If the guns end up with the rebels, you should look to the Zhao Clan.”

Qian Ye nodded, “Thank you, then I’ll be off.” After considering, Qian Ye decided to follow Chen Lu’s advice and visit Youcheng. He had some luggage at a small inn, though not important, but he needed to prepare some outdoor gear for his journey to the treasure site of the Blackwing King.

Chen Lu finally showed a genuine, relaxed smile, “You saved me this time. If there’s a chance in the future, I can help you modify your origin power gun for free, up to Level 6, including upgrades and enhancements. But you’ll need to provide the materials; I’m not rich!”

Qian Ye smiled, “Alright.”

Qian Ye walked out of the room and saw Lu Ya Lan, freshly bathed with damp hair, sitting on the sofa, staring blankly out the window.

He instantly felt a headache coming on.