On the Eve of Battle

The next few weeks saw most of the residents flocking to the pods in droves as the benefits of Synapse were seen. All the Ministers, top level administrators, and merchants had broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage, and the artisans were already studying for their next rank.

Huoran had returned from his latest trip, after visiting three cities more cities in the Fu region. He had recruited over fourteen thousand people over the last two weeks, and the experience of the prior recruiting had streamlined the process of receiving recruits.

"Welcome back, Boss Wei", the ministers greeted him over the holographic communication artifact.

"Good day to you all", Huoran returned the greeting, "That was an exhausting trip, but before I retire to my cave, congratulations on your advancement to you all."

The ministers smiled and bowed, "Thank you, Boss Wei."

"I'll take my leave now", Huoran said as he closed to the group chat.

Sitting on his meditation mat near the vein, he thought about the news he heard from his last two weeks. The two beastkin of the sea that entered left several days later and none had returned so far. The pirates had tried a few more times with different crews but each time had been escorted off the island and the artisans had made great progress and should be able to start creating the base of their network soon.

'For once, I don't feel in a hurry to accomplish something', Huoran thought.

'You have been constantly doing something for years now', Quanliyuan replied, 'Perhaps it's time to meditate and break through to the mid rank of Golden Core soon.'

'No, I'm not that close yet', Huoran responded, 'I think I can practice the major and minor professions at a relaxed pace now. Also, I think I should make a new game mode, one where people can interact with each other just like reality.'

Quanliyuan was silent for a moment, 'For what purpose would this serve?'

'It would tie many of the modes together in a more realistic manner, and would be a good experience for cultivators when they start adventuring outside some day', Huoran mentioned.

He spent the night meditating, recovering, and brainstorming with Quanliyuan on how to achieve his goals. He left his home, and met the ministers for breakfast.

"Everyone, while we still have future work ahead of us, I'm proud to say that we have reached a point where Sun & Moon Island can slow down and accumulate strength", Huoran said to the others, "While I still will work on a few projects, I've decided that I will give one student per class some private lessons. I'll leave their selection to you, but I want I'm looking for are students that can comprehend the concepts, and think outside the normal curriculum."

"Will you be making them your permanent students", Cai asked.

"No, I won't be teaching them any new information, just new ways to use it", Huoran told the ministers, "Don't rush, and give me names in two days. I'll scan all the candidates, and inform you of my selections."

After breakfast was finished, Huoran went into Market Square. As he walked around, he noticed that new cultivators were present, but they didn't wear any marks or insignias. The word had spread, and independent cultivators had come to try the services here. He went the cinema, the pod cafe, the hot springs, and the cultivation center, and he occasionally noticed a beastkin from the Bloodclaw or the sea walking around.

'Quanliyuan, I think it's time to add a couple more movies and a QTV show', Huoran decided.

'Should I start recording the script now?', Quanliyuan inquired.

'No, I'm not in a hurry, when I return to the cave tonight, I'll start writing the scripts to give to the teams', Huoran said after thinking for a moment.

King Zeng was finally used to all the artifacts and images that his subjects brought back. What he couldn't understand is why the people of the island would trade plants of various cultivation strength, all metals, bones, and various other materials. They even would take live fish and shellfish. He started sending higher number of merfolk there everyday when he saw the fast improvements they experienced. The Draco Serpentis kingdom had already heard about the loss of flood dragons, and he was expecting them to confront him soon. His future was uncertain as he only had two plans at the moment. The first was to resist with all their might, the second was to enter talks with the people of the island and either seek asylum there or live there. King Zeng had heard about the glass pipes that ran through the island and could possibly be expanded. The kingdom did have a deep history, but if they stood and fought, a lot of his subjects would suffer or die. On the other hand, if they succeeded in gaining the protection of the island, his subjects might accuse him of cowardice.

"I've made a decision, let's compromise and find a way to use both plans", Zeng told his advisors, "Take the pregnant women, children, infirmed, and elderly and prepare to negotiate with Sun & Moon island to accept these refugees. All able bodied men and women should prepare to arm themselves to defend the homeland to the death."

"Yes, your majesty", the advisors said as the left the throne room to carry out the orders.

A team was quickly dispatched to the island to negotiate with the senior, his disciple, or the ministers.

Huoran was using runes to code his next project when his Qphone used a special notification system to indicate the ministry was requesting his presence. He paused his project, and activated the holographic function, "Greetings, Ministers."

They all bowed and returned the greeting, "Good Morning, Boss Wei."

"What is the emergency, Minister Song?", Huoran asked.

"The merfolk kingdom is about to experience an attack from one of the other nearby kingdoms", Song explained, "In this run or hide situation, they have decided to do both. The able bodied will fight, while he wants all others to hide in our underground water ways. He has sent a team to negotiate the possibility of housing these displaced people, and the possibility of expanding the living space."

"This king is smarter than I originally imagined", Huoran mused, "I have no objections, the Grand array would still protect us, but I want to hear from all of you."

Minister Wu spoke first, "How do we know this isn't an attempt to infiltrate?"

A few of the other ministers nodded as they also thought along these lines.

"Since we can utilize the Grand Array formation to suppress the threat", Huoran explained, "we can neutralize the possibility of an attack from within."

Everyone agreed and prepared to execute the plan. Huoran and the best Foundation Establishment stage cultivator minors began digging new tunnels and caves for the refugees to stay. After each cave was completed, a merfolk would move in except for the pregnant women. The women were given hospital rooms, and the staff received new documents pertaining to the physiological differences between humans and merfolk. Loads of resources were transferred from their kingdom to the newly created storage facilities. The Grand array monitored the entire population of merfolk, and several kilometers of new tunnels that had several public and private uses. The refugee families were decorating the new living quarters provide to them with items that they had packed from their old house.

Back at the merfolk's home, all the arrays were humming as they prepared for the eventual arrival of their enemy.

"My Subjects", Zeng started to speak to everyone, "Fight well, Fight hard, but don't die needlessly, if you find the enemy overwhelming, activate this array formation and fall back towards Sun and Moon island. Leave nothing behind for those damned snakes to take. We will fight as hard as we can and if we can't defend, we will evacuate to the island of that Senior where are families are. We will rebuild and someday exact our revenge against the Draco Serpentis kingdom. I will do my best to hold them back so everyone can get away safely. If I don't make it, I charge you with the responsibility of finding Zeng Meirong, the former king's daughter, as she will be the key to the rise of our great nation. Rest for now, for soon we will face the enemy."

Kong Chun looked outside his room at the large group of cultivators that had arrived at his sect. Even though this group was smaller than the one that went to Sun & Moon island, it had many of the same people. It was time to start traveling towards the center of the continent, where all the first rate sects would hold the competition to prove their strength and recruit cultivators into their folds.

"Sect master Kong, Daoist Sun offers his greetings", Sun Zhenya said to Kong.

Kong clasped his hands and greeted Sun Zhenya in return.

"It just felt like yesterday that we were enjoying the fruits of Sun and Moon island", Kong reminisced.

"I heard from the artisans that I sent. They said at the rate the courses are advancing, they should be able to return soon and start working on the formation for our sect", Sun reported to Kong.

"I have heard the same from ours as well", Kong replied, "By the time we return from this journey, we should be able to use all the functions of our QPhones again."

"Let us go meet the others as they should arrive soon, Sect Master Kong", Sun advised.

"Yes, let's go, soon our younglings will have to face their peers", Kong agreed as he stood up and walked out with Sun Zhenya.