311: Chapter 311 Chen Wuwang's Response

The warning signal arrived in the middle of the night.

A streak of bloody light descended from the sky, slamming into the night watch Formation Plate of the Chen Family Forbidden Ground, instantly shattering the triple rune locks.

Only half of the messenger's body remained. A pitch-black bone spike was driven into his chest, and he clenched a burning spirit crystal between his teeth.

As he collapsed, his jaw loosened, and the crystal rolled out, instantly transforming into a data stream that surged toward the Main Control Tower.

Chen Wuwang was leaning back in a metal chair in the command room with his eyes closed. His Mechanical Prosthetic Eye suddenly activated on its own, its blue light scanning the data cluster.

His fingers subconsciously tapped the table three times, as if tapping out the rhythm of code.

“Mo Yuan is colluding with outside forces for a surprise attack at dawn in three days?”

He let out a soft chuckle. Blood-red spiritual runes flickered in his right pupil, as if a blade had spun within his eye.

“Let them come.” He stood up, his voice not loud but penetrating the entire hall. “I'll make sure none of them return.”

Just as he spoke, the communication array hummed and vibrated. Two figures appeared outside the door almost simultaneously.

“Old Seven!” Chen Tiezhu kicked open the alloy door, sparks from the furnace still clinging to his body, clutching an uncooled psionic conduit in his hand. “What happened? I just finished tuning the furnace frequency, and your signal came through like the workshop was exploding!”

“Head of the Family.” Chen Xiaodao sheathed his sword and walked straight to the sand table without stopping. “The patrol reported no anomalies, but the East District No. 3 monitor cut out for seven breaths—was that your doing?”

Chen Wuwang didn't answer. He simply tapped his finger, and the Holographic Sand Table instantly expanded. A 3D map of the Chen Family's main city appeared with three red dots flashing: the East District energy conduit intersection, the North side patrol mecha handover zone, and the abandoned cooling tower on the South side.

“They've targeted these three locations.” His speaking speed was steady, as if he were discussing today's workshop shifts. “They think these are vulnerabilities, but they are actually our bait.”

Chen Tiezhu leaned in for a look, his brow furrowing into a knot. “The East District conduit? Isn't that our old line? We stopped using that ages ago! How did they know...”

“Someone told them,” Chen Wuwang sneered. “Mo Yuan's people infiltrated three months ago. Eight died, and in exchange, they got a fake map.”

“A fake map?” Chen Xiaodao's gaze sharpened.

“Yes, fake.” Chen Wuwang's fingertip traced the three red dots. “The weaknesses they see are the ones we drew for them. Now that they're coming—let's make sure they never leave.”

Chen Tiezhu grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. “Understood. Play dumb and wait for the fish to bite.”

“More than that.” Chen Wuwang pulled up the mecha deployment interface. “I want them to get in but not out. For the first wave, let them think they've succeeded—cut the power, blow up the cooling tower, and raid the warehouse. When they're celebrating, we close the doors.”

“Who takes the lead?” Chen Xiaodao asked.

“Aren't you the one?” Chen Wuwang glanced at him. “Take ten Sword Cultivators and infiltrate the underground pipe layers. I've buried ‘Sword Intent Induction Formations’ at the three main power lines. Once they're cut, they'll activate in reverse immediately. Your men are to kill on sight.”

Chen Xiaodao cupped his fists. “Understood. I want the sharpest swords, the fastest boots, and—strip away all the protective shields.”

“Madman,” Chen Tiezhu cursed. “Do you think you're made of iron? Didn't you learn your lesson when your left arm was scrapped last time?”

“I didn't die that time,” Chen Xiaodao said flatly. “Because someone saved me. This time, it's my turn to protect the house.”

Chen Wuwang said nothing, only staring at the sand table and tapping his finger three more times.

Seeing this, Chen Tiezhu immediately understood. “What do you want me to do? I can't just watch Xiao Dao hack people, can I?”

“Go to the South cooling tower.” Chen Wuwang pulled up the engineering blueprints. “Transform it into a ‘pseudo-blind spot.’ It should look dilapidated on the outside, but bury high-sensitivity vibration sensors and a micro-missile array inside. Then, connect a hidden psionic line for me directly to the Main Control Tower.”

“You want to use it as bait and blow it up?”

“No,” Chen Wuwang shook his head, “I want it to become the core of the trap. When they blow up the tower, the tower blows them back. I want them to know that touching the Chen Family's things will cost them their lives.”

Chen Tiezhu laughed heartily. “Fine! This old man will go modify the furnace right now! I'll also fit the missiles with new fuzes—using your ‘Psionic Resonance Ignition’ system. They'll pop much more crisply!”

“Very well.” Chen Wuwang nodded. “But remember, the disguise must be convincing. Make them believe this is a flaw.”

“Don't worry.” Chen Tiezhu patted his chest. “I'll even spray three layers of rust on it for you!”

“What about the East District conduit?” Chen Xiaodao suddenly asked.

“That's my part.” Chen Wuwang pulled up a set of command codes. “I'll have the seventh production line feign a paralysis, leading them to believe the central hub switch failed. Once they rush in to steal data, I'll activate the ‘Silence Protocol’—all mecha will enter hunting mode and seal the perimeter.”

“You're using an entire production line as a battlefield?” Chen Tiezhu's eyes widened.

“Yes.” The corner of Chen Wuwang's mouth curled slightly. “Don't they want to destroy our technology? Fine, I'll let them see with their own eyes—the true power of Cyber Cultivation.”

A cold light flashed in Chen Xiaodao's eyes. “Then my underground team will specialize in killing those trying to retreat.”

“Exactly.” Chen Wuwang finally turned to face the two. “This isn't a defense; it's a hunt. I want them to come in, then I'll close the door. Leave none alive.”

Chen Tiezhu clenched his fist. “Old rules? We weigh the severed heads by the catty and calculate the merit in Spirit Stones?”

“Double it,” Chen Wuwang said. “Those captured alive will be drafted directly into the penal labor camps. I want them to watch their comrades being welded into mecha as spare parts.”

Chen Xiaodao chuckled low. “I like this plan.”

“Go.” Chen Wuwang waved his hand. “Tiezhu, finish the cooling tower modification plan within half an hour; I want to see the construction drawings. Xiao Dao, organize the Sword Cultivators for intensive training immediately, focusing on the ‘Power-Cut Counterattack’ tactic. Remember, do not expose yourselves. Wait for them to make the first move.”

“Understood!” the two replied in unison.

Chen Tiezhu turned to leave, shouting as he went out the door, “I'll call Qiaoshou on my way! I'll have him make the missiles blossom! We'll blast their souls to pieces!”

Chen Xiaodao said nothing, merely cupping his fists before spinning and leaping out of the hall. His figure flashed under the moonlight, transforming into a cold light that streaked toward the northern underground passage, so fast that even the wind couldn't catch him.

The hall fell silent instantly.

Chen Wuwang stood alone before the sand table, his Mechanical Prosthetic Eye continuously scanning the three red dots. His silver hair was lifted by the breeze from the ventilation duct, brushing against the three claw marks left by the Zerg on his face.

He raised his hand and lightly tapped the location of the “South cooling tower” on the sand table.

“Come on,” he whispered. “I've been waiting for you for a long time.”

The red dots on the sand table flickered slightly, like a heartbeat, or a countdown.

In a corner of the command room, a standby mecha slowly opened its eyes, its pupils glowing with the same blood-red spiritual runes as Chen Wuwang.

At the same moment, deep within the ruins of the East District cooling tower, a micro-sensor quietly activated, a line of tiny runes appearing on its surface:

[Trap in place, awaiting trigger]