Free Web NovelChapter 250: Chapter 210: Pondering Countermeasures
On G-03 Core Floating Island, Han Feng disembarked from the airship and was led by an officer into a Quiet Chamber.
The cold alloy walls blocked out the noise from outside, as well as the reek of gunpowder.
The room, less than five square meters, contained only a fixed metal table and a hard plank bed.
Han Feng sat alone at the table, his fingers unconsciously drumming against the cold metal surface, producing a monotonous TAP, TAP sound.
The cold, white light shone on Han Feng’s face, caked with blood and ash, illuminating a morbid pallor.
From outside, he could faintly hear the groans of the wounded, the hum of machinery, and the resonant, powerful footsteps of Garrison Army soldiers.
But to Han Feng, it all sounded distorted, as if coming from a great distance.
He sat slumped in the lone metal chair, his gaze unfocused, his fingers drumming unconsciously on the cold tabletop.
The monotonous TAP, TAP echoed in the deathly silent room.
He appeared to be in a daze, but deep within his Sea of Consciousness, a mental simulation more perilous than facing a missile was underway.
He reviewed the intelligence he’d managed to pry from the officer on the way here, mulling over the identities of his interrogators.
’Li Tiecheng, Deputy Commander of the Garrison Army, Tier Four Peak. An Iron-blooded Hawk who only trusts in power and data.’
’Chen Beixuan, Vice-Chancellor of the Martial Arts University. He seems protective of his own, but he’s really a cunning old fox.’
’And then there’s Lin Guodong, the neutral party representing the council...’
Han Feng’s lips twisted into a self-mocking smile.
’These three big shots aren’t gathered here for a commendation ceremony.’
He knew exactly what he’d done.
A student whose records still listed him at the Body Tempering Realm went into a Secret Realm and came out at the Meridian Passage Realm.
That was one thing.
The real issue was his string of achievements: forcibly dismantling a Tier Three Defense Tower, taming a Fusion Beast, catching a missile bare-handed, and slaying a High-dimensional Projection.
Any single one of these feats was enough to make a so-called "S Level Talent" die of shame.
But all of them together?
In a novel, that kind of track record would make you the overpowered protagonist. In reality, it makes you a specimen for dissection.
’They’ll never be fooled by Lu Yunxiao and Su Yunxi’s testimony alone.’
Han Feng knew with perfect clarity. ’Questioning, probing, displays of Spiritual Power, intimidation... all of it is likely on their list of options.’
’They need an explanation.
One that’s logical, consistent with the current understanding of the world, and puts their minds at ease.
Not some incomprehensible "monster."’
The fingers drumming on the tabletop suddenly stilled.
Step one: the core strategy—the "gifted prodigy with a miraculous encounter" persona.
’The System is an absolute taboo. I can’t mention it, even if it costs me my life.’
Han Feng’s eyes darkened. ’In that case, every inconsistency has to be blamed on a "miraculous encounter in the Secret Realm" and a "Spiritual Power mutation."’
’A lucky bastard who stumbled upon an inheritance in some Ancient Cultivation Ruins and just so happened to awaken his Spiritual Power under the stress of a life-or-death situation.
This script is not only safe, but it’s also likely to make the higher-ups want to nurture my talent.’
Han Feng closed his eyes and began a frame-by-frame review of every ability he had revealed, patching the holes in his story one by one.
Breaking the Array (God-Catching Net):
’The System’s ability to perceive weaknesses can be explained away as a "Spiritual Energy Deconstruction" vision, a result of my mutated Spiritual Power.
Combined with the superficial knowledge of Ancient Arrays I learned from that Jade Scroll, plus a little bit of luck... the logic holds.’
Controlling the Fusion Beast:
’Claiming it was a Flying Sword is too absurd. I absolutely can’t mention that.’
Han Feng’s brow furrowed for a moment before relaxing.
’I can attribute it to the Lingxi Finger technique recorded in the Jade Scroll.
Combined with my "mutated" Spiritual Power, which is far beyond a normal person’s, I forcibly suppressed the Fusion Beast’s control core.
The key is to emphasize that it was "temporary," "high-risk," "unrepeatable," and "purely luck."’
Wingsuit Flying:
’This is the easiest one to explain.
A side effect of my mutated Spiritual Power—"Mind Control" or "Lighten Self-Weight." Combined with the Wingsuit’s own propulsion system, it allowed for superhuman maneuverability.’
Capturing the Missile (the Judge):
’This is the trickiest part, and the easiest place to slip up.
The key is... this!’
With a flick of his wrist, a transparent stone appeared in Han Feng’s palm.
A Void Stone.
Looking at the stone, a bold idea formed in Han Feng’s mind.
’Since the System Space can hold anything, and the Void Stone is also a spatial item, could the System Space... nest it?’
With a flick of his will, Han Feng focused his mind.
’Store!’
The Void Stone in his hand vanished instantly.
[Ding! Detected item with spatial properties: Void Stone (5 cubic meters). Do you wish to store it?]
[Warning: Storing a spatial container is risky. Each time it is stored, its stability will decrease by 10%. Repeated storage and retrieval may cause its internal space to collapse.]
It worked!
Han Feng’s eyes lit up. There was a warning, but this was the exact "price" he needed!
An unstable Void Stone was a good Void Stone. It was the perfect explanation for how he’d captured the missile, and the cost of doing so.
He quickly constructed the thrilling, fabricated scenario in his mind:
’Faced with a missile I couldn’t survive, my Spiritual Power erupted in a moment of desperation. It accidentally triggered the residual spatial energy within this Void Stone, and in a last-ditch effort, I used it like a "pouch" to envelop the missile.’
’Because the missile was in a high-speed, high-energy state, forcibly storing it shattered the Void Stone’s already unstable internal structure, which explains the drop in stability.
But by a stroke of luck, the resulting chaotic spatial turbulence instantly destroyed the missile’s electronic detonator and guidance system...’
’A perfect explanation.
I also have to stress that the stone is now nearly destroyed. It was an operation that gambled my life, and a second attempt would be certain death.’
As for slaying the High-dimensional Projection...
’I’ll stick to the story that I used the forbidden Secret Technique from the Jade Scroll, the Three-Inch Heart Sword.
And my target wasn’t the projection itself, but Li Wei, who served as its anchor point.
Get to the root of the problem, sever the connection, and the projection would naturally collapse.
As for the side effect... a severe drain on my Spiritual Power that nearly turned me into a drooling idiot.’
As long as he made the "price" sound steep enough and the "luck" seem outrageously good, he could lower their guard as much as possible.
Next up: preparing the props.
Words alone wouldn’t be enough; he needed "physical evidence."
Han Feng waved his hand again, and a cyan Jade Scroll appeared on the table, its surface covered in traces of erosion from the passage of time.
The surface of the jade scroll was mottled with age, giving it a profoundly ancient aura.
He had already learned the core inheritances within it—the Lingxi Finger, the Three-Inch Heart Sword, and the Cyan Cloud Spirit Martial Technique.
Now, Han Feng used his Divine Sense to cram some of the Basic Array principles and rudimentary Talisman knowledge the System had instilled in him into the scroll.
’This will be the "Ancient Cultivation Inheritance."’
’Handing it over will serve as both "physical evidence" and a "show of good faith."
I’ll trade something of little use to me for their trust and resources.
Kill two birds with one stone. I can’t help but feel grateful that I discovered those ruins; otherwise, getting through this would have been much harder.’
And now, this Jade Scroll had become irrefutable proof of the "Ancient Cultivation Inheritance."
Han Feng put the Jade Scroll away and ran through the questions the council might have for him one more time in his head.
’Props: one cyan Jade Scroll, one nearly destroyed Void Stone.’
’Persona: a young prodigy with exceptional Talent and heaven-defying luck, who is currently physically and mentally exhausted—a spent force.’
Han Feng slowly let out a long breath.
He ran a hand through his hair, messing it up, then smeared his face to spread the blood and dust more evenly.
THUD, THUD, THUD.
Heavy, rhythmic footsteps sounded from outside the door. Each one seemed to land on the beat of his own heart, carrying with it a suffocating pressure.
They were here.
Han Feng slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, every trace of cunning and calculation was gone.
All that remained was a tired, weak "prodigy," yet one who still possessed a hint of youthful spirit.
CLICK.
The alloy hatch slid slowly open.
Outside the door, two fully-armed Garrison Army soldiers stood at attention, their faces impassive.
"Han Feng, the General requests your presence."
Bracing his hands on his knees, Han Feng struggled to his feet. He even staggered slightly before catching himself on the table to stay upright.
He gave the soldier a weak, wan smile. "Alright. I’m coming."
