192: Chapter 192 Countermeasures, Consolidating the Alliance

The oil lamps in the Council Hall were still burning, their flames steadier than before, and the wind had ceased. Yet, no one moved.

Chen Wuwang stood before the main seat, arms crossed, his knuckles tapping lightly against the hilt of his dagger—tap, tap, tap—as if waiting for a metronome to return to zero.

The echoes of the interrogation just now still lingered in the rafters; Lu San's confession was like a branding iron, scorching everyone so badly they dared not breathe too loudly.

Once the name Moyuan was mentioned, everyone in the room tensed their shoulders and backs. Now, the silence was not due to suspicion, but lingering fear.

"We cannot merely defend against a single mouth."

Chen Wuwang finally spoke, his voice not loud, yet it suppressed all other noise. "Today it is a medicine seller, but what about tomorrow? If the day after that he plants a talisman script directly into the water source, are we to wait until our clansmen go mad before we take action?"

Elder Zhao of the Chuanyun Sect frowned: "Then what do you intend to do? Send troops to guard every road? My sect's Disciples are not meant for standing guard."

"It is not standing guard." Chen Wuwang raised his hand and swiped through the air.

A translucent sand table appeared, suspended in the center of the Council Hall, light and shadow flowing as the topography of the Eastern Wasteland unfolded clearly—mountain ridges, mine tunnels, markets, watchtowers, and even the Spiritual energy nodes of each clan's encampment were marked with absolute clarity.

"Look here." His fingertip tapped the border of the West Ridge. "Three days ago, remnants of the Insect Clan infiltrated from this rift valley and were discovered and repelled in advance by the Cangling Clan. Why? Because they had buried a vibration-sensing Spirit Array here."

He then pointed toward the outskirts of the Nangu Lin Family: "Last night, an unknown fluctuation triggered an alarm, which turned out to be a natural surge of the underground Spiritual Vein. But the Lin Family reported it immediately, and no one in the Alliance treated it as a joke."

An elder of the Sand Clan slowly looked up: "Are you saying... we must have an 'ear' to listen in unison?"

"It is not just an ear." Chen Wuwang's gaze swept across the room. "It is an eye, a hand, a blade, and a complete, living line of defense."

He swiped his fingers again, and the sand table split into three scenes: The first scene: A mecha squad composed of elites from various clans rotating patrols in different areas, labeled "Joint Defense Force Rotation System," with daily handovers and real-time reporting. The second scene: An encrypted talisman chain network covering the entire territory; any abnormal spiritual power fluctuations, mental interference, or communication anomalies must be uploaded to the central hub within fifteen minutes. The third scene: A phantom image of the Martial Arts Arena unfolded, labeled "Quarterly Joint Training," with the first theme being—Cross-Clan Collaborative Anti-Infiltration Operations.

"These three matters are to be decided right now." Chen Wuwang said, "It does not rely on anyone's charity, nor does it rely on anyone taking the lead. It relies on the rules."

The Pavilion Master of Leiyin Pavilion pondered for a moment: "Rotation is acceptable. But how do we know that your Chen Clan will not seize the opportunity to insert your own people and control the command authority?"

"You may investigate." Chen Wuwang replied directly, "Each clan shall send two inspectors to form the Alliance Supervisory Committee, with a rotating chairperson, and major decisions will require the consent of nine or more clans. If you wish to veto, just raise your hand."

The deputy commander of Chiji Ridge sneered: "That is easy to say. When a real fight breaks out, who commands? You say go east, and I insist on going west?"

"Command authority is given to the agreement." Chen Wuwang took a Jade Covenant from his sleeve. "The 'Eastern Wasteland Alliance Emergency Covenant' clearly states the response procedures, troop deployment, and resource requisition standards. Whoever breaks the oath will suffer the backlash of the Spirit Array, with the blood seal as witness."

He placed the Jade Covenant in the center of the table. "Will you sign now, or wait until the next time a spy holds a blade to your children's throats before signing?"

The hall was silent for a few moments.

Then, the Sand Clan elder, leaning on a bone staff, walked step by step to the table, bit his fingertip, and pressed a blood seal. "My Sand Clan signs."

"The Cangling Clan seconds this."

"The Xuansha Tribe joins."

"The Beipo Liu Clan agrees."

One name after another fell, the blood seals dotting the surface of the Jade Covenant like stars.

As the last clan pressed their seal, the Jade Covenant suddenly soared into the air, shooting out a pale golden beam of light that surged toward the roof, connecting with an ancient talisman chain on the dome.

Hum—the entire Council Hall trembled slightly, and the accumulated dust in the corners fell in a rustle.

That was the sign of the ancient covenant being activated; the foundation of the Formation patterns left behind when the Eastern Wasteland was first established a thousand years ago were now responding on their own.

Everyone looked up, no one speaking.

This was not the Chen Clan's Formation, nor was it any one clan's law; it was a covenant recognized by this land itself.

"From this day forth." Chen Wuwang stood beneath the beam of light, his voice steady. "Any movement not recorded by the Supervisory Committee shall be considered an act of betrayal against the Alliance. Any anomaly concealed and not reported shall be treated as collusion with the enemy."

He paused, his gaze like a blade. "We do not fear a strong enemy; we fear our own chaos. Now, the source of the chaos has been cleared; next—it is time to build the wall."

Before his voice had even faded, rapid footsteps approached from outside the door.

A messenger Cultivator rushed in, knelt on one knee, his voice tight: "Report! Traces of an unknown talisman script have been discovered at the border of the Zhao Clan of Xiling. It is spiral-shaped and possesses characteristics of mental interference, having triggered an Elementary alert! Although there are no casualties, but... the residual energy is still fluctuating!"

The hall instantly froze.

Elder Zhao stood up abruptly: "What? Our clan's border defense has never reported this matter!"

"It was not reported by you." Chen Wuwang stared at the sand table, where a red dot had lit up at the West Ridge location. "It was automatically captured by the central System. The energy characteristics are highly similar to Moyuan's habitual methods—a mental-type interference Formation, lurking in the early stages and detonating in the Late Stage."

He immediately ordered: "Activate Level 1 supervisory response. Dispatch two inspectors to investigate, carrying shielding talisman plates, and prohibit anyone from coming into contact with the traces alone. Notify all clans to strengthen Divine Sense protection and pause all non-essential meditation."

The order was passed down, and the messenger Cultivator dashed away.

Inside the Council Hall, the atmosphere had changed. It was no longer a discussion, but active combat.

"How long has it been?" a young representative of the Nangu Lin Family said in a low voice. "We just finished signing the covenant, and he is already here?"

"It is not that he has arrived." Chen Wuwang stood before the sand table, his finger tracing the red dot at the West Ridge. "It is that he has always been here. It is just that now, we finally have the eyes to see him."

He turned back and scanned the crowd. "This is not the end; it is the beginning. From this day forward, every warning is a victory for us."

No one laughed, but some clenched their fists.

Elder Zhao walked to the Jade Covenant, looked at his blood seal again, and said in a low voice: "I originally thought you wanted to monopolize power... now I see, you are holding a blade to everyone's throat—including your own."

"Correct." Chen Wuwang nodded. "This blade is called rules. It does not favor anyone, but it also does not let anyone off."

He sat back in the main seat, and the first list of rotations appeared before him.

"The Cangling Clan will take the first shift tomorrow, followed by the Leiyin Pavilion, and the Chuanyun Sect third. The Supervisory Committee is to be established immediately; complete the first round of patrol deployment within seven days. The training plan will start at the beginning of next month, theme: Counter-Information Warfare."

He lowered his head to review, the tip of his pen scratching against the Jade Slip with a rustling sound.

Outside, the night had not yet ended. But the doors of the Council Hall remained open.

Representatives from various clans rose one after another; some went to deliver orders, some gathered together to discuss the details of the rotation in low voices, and others stared at the golden light that had yet to dissipate, remaining silent for a long time.

Chen Wuwang did not look up. He knew that some were still waiting and watching, and some trust was still very fragile.

But he did not care. A wall is built brick by brick. And tonight, the first brick had been laid.

His knuckles continued to tap against the hilt of his dagger—tap, tap, tap. As if counting down the time before the next storm arrived.