Chapter 444 - 181: "Find a Wife, Farm the Land, Wouldn’t That Be a Pretty Good Life?

Chapter 444: Chapter 181: "Find a Wife, Farm the Land, Wouldn’t That Be a Pretty Good Life?

’He’s even older than me.’

’I’ve always thought that if he were younger, he’d be incredibly handsome.’

Then, he walked to the edge of the City Wall, gazing at the people gathering Ghost Stones outside the Jiangbei Defense Line. His eyes then swept over the defense line’s endless walls and the Godslaying Cannon beside him.

"The one guarding Nameless Mountain left several years ago, using their remaining aura to suppress Nameless Mountain. When that aura dissipates, the Undersea Ghost Tide from the Jiangbei Sea Bottom will make landfall."

"This information is classified within the Eternal Night Hall. Not many people know about it."

"And even fewer have access to it."

"Tian Yi told me that you discovered a rich Ghost Ore mine in Jiangbei. And after learning this news, you didn’t choose to dig out all the Ghost Stones and flee to the hinterlands."

"Instead, you took on the responsibility of defending Jiangbei and used all the Ghost Stones to build the Jiangbei Defense Line."

"On this point, on behalf of everyone in the Eternal Night Hall, I sincerely thank you for your contributions to the Eternal Night Continent."

"It’s a matter of mutual survival. I have my own selfish reasons, too. I’m not as righteous as you make it sound, Elder Qiu."

Qiu Yisi laughed, a hearty and open laugh.

"If everyone on the Eternal Night Continent had your kind of ’selfishness,’ the situation on the frontlines would be much better."

"According to the Ancient Texts we’ve found, they weren’t so difficult to deal with in the past. This time, many in the Ghost Tide have awakened their intelligence and started calling themselves the Ghost Race. That’s when they gradually became so troublesome."

"As you know."

"The one who leaked your information this time was a traitor—Tian Yi’s master, Zhang Yide, the Vice Hall Master of the Western Strategy Hall. He has already been executed according to our regulations."

"But back in the Ancient Era, there were no traitors."

"After all, the Ghost Tides back then were mindless. No one would have surrendered to them. But once people discovered that many Ghost Objects within the tide had gained sentience, traitors began to appear. They believe the Ghost Race will grant them their own new cities after conquering the Eternal Night Continent."

"Let me be more blunt."

"The frontline closest to you, the Western Eternal Night Xuanwu No. 1 Frontline, also has its share of traitors. While catching them is the job of the action teams, investigating and identifying them is extremely difficult. The Eternal Night Hall simply doesn’t have enough manpower."

"Most importantly, many people have received Ghost Spirit Bones from the Ghost Race. Take Tian Yi’s master, for example. He had never leaked a single piece of intelligence before. Could you have called him a traitor then?"

"No, you couldn’t."

"But the moment he started leaking information, it became a disaster for the Eternal Night Hall. How can you investigate people like that? It’s an endless task."

Qiu Yisi’s expression grew distant. "The Western Eternal Night Xuanwu No. 1 Frontline captured a Blue Level Building Blueprint and requested aid from the Eternal Night Hall’s rear, hoping we would send a few Celestial Master Architects to decipher it."

"But—"

"The Western Eternal Night Xuanwu No. 1 Frontline used to have more than a dozen Celestial Master Level Architects. But a few years ago, seven Celestial Master Architects were dispatched to support the No. 7 Defense Line on the Guandong Plain. During their return trip, their route was leaked by a traitor."

"Those seven Celestial Master Architects died on the road."

"The fatal wounds were from daggers, not bites from Ghost Objects. They were killed by their own people."

"Only an Architect who has personally constructed a Blue Level building can be called a Celestial Master Architect. Every single Architect is an invaluable treasure to the Eternal Night Continent."

"Seven of them."

"A full seven Celestial Master Architects."

"To die just like that, at the hands of their own people... Don’t the killers feel a single chill down their spines? To this day, we’ve only traced the leak back to someone at the Western Eternal Night Xuanwu No. 1 Frontline."

"But as for who leaked it, and who personally carried out the attack..."

"We still don’t have a single clue."

"According to Tian Yi’s intelligence, you’re an incredibly powerful Architect, possibly even a tier above a Celestial Master Architect. After the Hall Master of the Western Strategy Hall heard this news..."

"...he hopes to escort you safely to the core region of the Eternal Night Hall and place you under strict protection."

"As for the Jiangbei Defense Line, the Eternal Night Hall will send people to take over."

"I wonder, Domain Lord Chen, what are your thoughts?"

"..."

After a long silence, Chen Fan looked into the distance, following Qiu Yisi’s gaze. He shook his head and said softly, "I was born in Jiangbei, I was raised in Jiangbei, and I will be buried in Jiangbei when I die."

"Jiangbei is my home, and it is the territory of the Mortal Realm."

"I will not leave Jiangbei."

"Mm."

Qiu Yisi didn’t press the issue. He just nodded and said with a smile, "That’s perfectly normal. The Hall Master predicted as much. Many of the rising powers on the Eternal Night Continent are the same."

"They would rather defend their own territories and deal with the Ghost Tide daily than be sheltered and protected."

"A great tree cannot grow in a greenhouse."

"A great tree must be tempered by storms."

"However—"

"You’ll need to join the Eternal Night Hall in name. That way, in the future, should the Mortal Realm grow even more powerful, or should you suddenly seize some new opportunity, the Eternal Night Hall can announce to the public that it was thanks to our support."

"..."

Chen Fan was slightly taken aback and turned his head to look at Qiu Yisi.

"What?"

Qiu Yisi laughed. Seeing such an expression on the face of this prematurely old young man was truly a pleasant sight. "You didn’t really think the Eternal Night Hall is holding up the entire Eternal Night Continent on its own, did you?"

"Just how capable would the Eternal Night Hall have to be?"

"This continent is huge."

"Running from the East to the West and back again would run the Eternal Night Hall ragged."

"Actually..."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "This is an Eternal Night Hall secret, so don’t repeat it to anyone. There are many factions on the Eternal Night Continent, like the Mortal Realm, that rose to prominence after discovering a Ghost Ore mine. Others might have suddenly produced a genius Architect, someone with a natural talent for deciphering Building Blueprints."