Free Web NovelChapter 107: Chapter 107: Controlled Acquisition
Blood Sun Hall no longer wanted Qin Yuheng dead.
That made the situation worse.
A dead enemy could be avenged.
A captured talent could be studied, extracted, corrupted, or turned into a tool.
Xue Rong understood the order clearly.
Do not damage the vessel.
That meant no assassination, no reckless curse, no destructive seal. Qin Yuheng’s body, talent, and bloodline potential had to remain intact. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
So the plan had to change.
Pressure through Zhao Tianyu had failed.
Shen Wuji’s talent probe had failed.
Broken Seal Ruin had revealed only partial bloodline reaction.
Contracts had failed.
Now, Xue Rong looked toward isolation.
Not physical isolation yet.
Social, tactical, and informational isolation.
If Qin Yuheng’s strength came from team support and family backing, separate him from both. Not openly. Not immediately. Create circumstances where he willingly entered a controlled space.
A floor.
A mission.
A rescue.
A trade.
A false opportunity.
He began preparing.
At Heavenly Gate Academy, Qin Yuheng sensed the pressure changing even before he knew why.
Fewer direct provocations came.
Zhao Tianyu stopped challenging him.
Zhao Lan became polite again.
Shen Wuji vanished from public view for several days.
That calm was unnatural.
Qin Yuheng told the team.
"When enemies stop touching the surface, they may be digging below."
Qin Mo looked at him.
"That sentence ruined my morning."
Qin Lian said, "We increase route variation."
Qin Yuchen nodded.
"And avoid isolated missions."
Qin Yuheng agreed.
The next floor was Floor 14: Glass Rain Canyon.
The file described a canyon where crystal rain fell at intervals, cutting exposed flesh and damaging equipment. The main mission involved crossing the canyon and repairing three storm shelters. It sounded environmental and endurance-based.
Yu Qingmei approved the entry but added caution.
"After Floor 13, your team’s coordination improved noticeably. Do not reveal all communication methods."
Qin Yuheng understood.
The Silent Soul Communication Jades would be used sparingly.
Floor 14 began under a sky of silver clouds.
Glass-like rain fell in the distance, slicing canyon walls with sharp ringing sounds.
The mission panel appeared.
[Floor 14: Glass Rain Canyon]
[Main Mission]
Cross the canyon and activate three storm shelters before the final glass storm.
[Sub-Missions]
1. Collect 10 Glass Rain Crystals.
2. Repair shelter mechanisms.
3. Avoid severe equipment damage.
4. Rescue trapped canyon travelers if encountered.
[Warning]
Glass rain ignores weak defensive barriers.
Qin Mo looked at the warning.
"Weak barriers. Good thing ours are not weak?"
"Do not test it," Qin Yuheng said.
The canyon required careful timing. Glass rain fell in waves, turning open paths into death zones. They moved from overhang to cave to broken shelter. Qin Mo repaired the first storm shelter using mechanism knowledge from Stone Puppet Hall. Qin Lian scouted safe paths. Qin Yuchen protected against canyon beasts.
The first enemies were Crystal Hide Lizards, Level 22, resistant to normal cuts but weak at the belly.
They cleared them efficiently.
At the second shelter, they found trapped canyon travelers—Tower remnants again. Three figures huddled beneath a broken roof as glass rain cut through gaps.
Qin Yuheng chose rescue.
Qin Mo repaired the roof mechanism while Qin Yuchen and Qin Lian held off lizards. Qin Yuheng used his body and cloak to shield a child remnant for several breaths as glass shards fell around them.
His defensive talisman cracked.
But the rescue succeeded.
The final shelter lay beyond an exposed bridge.
The glass storm began early.
They had to cross under falling crystal rain.
Qin Yuheng used the Silent Soul Communication Jades to coordinate movement without shouting over the storm.
Move. Stop. Left. Shield. Now.
Qin Mo repaired the third shelter with trembling hands as glass shards struck the barrier overhead.
When the final storm arrived, all three shelters activated, creating a chain of safe zones across the canyon.
A hidden message appeared.
[All storm shelters restored.]
[Glass Rain Canyon route stabilized.]
[Hidden Objective completed.]
The settlement produced another SSS. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
Rewards included:
S Grade Glass Rain Canyon Chest
A Grade Glass Rain Crystal Bundle
A Grade Storm Shelter Core
A Grade Crystal Defense Cloak
S Grade Glass-Step Movement Fragment
Qin Yuheng evolved the chest into an SSS Grade Crystal Storm Sovereign Chest, obtaining a powerful SSS Grade Stormglass Barrier Core and SS Grade Crystal Thunder Step skill.
He did not learn the movement skill immediately.
Too many steps.
But the Stormglass Barrier Core became valuable for Qin Estate defense.
Yet as they returned from Floor 14, Qin Yuheng noticed something.
The return platform crowd was smaller than usual.
Not because interest had faded.
Because the academy had restricted spectators.
Yu Qingmei approached quietly.
"There was an information leak attempt during your floor entry."
Qin Yuheng’s eyes sharpened.
"What kind?"
"Someone tried to access your entry timing, expected return time, and team composition record."
"Blood Sun?"
"Likely."
"Did they succeed?"
"No."
She paused.
"But they are no longer only watching results. They are watching opportunities."
That matched Qin Yuheng’s concern.
Controlled acquisition.
He did not know the phrase.
But he felt its shadow.
That night, he told Qin Wanshan.
The old man’s response was calm.
"Then from now on, assume they want you alive."
Qin Yuheng looked at him.
"That is worse."
"Yes," Qin Wanshan said. "It means you have become valuable to them."
Mu Qinglan’s eyes turned cold.
"If they try to take you, they will learn why the Qin family hid instead of died."
No one spoke after that.
The room felt colder than any floor.
