525: Chapter 169: War Drums Beat 525: Chapter 169: War Drums Beat As the sun rose, the town’s workers concluded their tasks and began to comfortably soak in the sun’s gifts.

Unbeknownst to them, their prosthetic eyes completely missed three unusual objects in the crop field by the signal tower.

Xiang Shan shared the new data and asked, “What do you think?”

This was the new data he had downloaded, partially from surveillance satellite records.

In those few hours, Daijiu Tai’a had moved again.

“We can roughly make out…

he’s approaching Secluded Crane City,” Cain said uncertainly, “but he hasn’t returned to Secluded Crane City.

His destination should be…”

The Burrow Dragon hesitated.

Solo Kill King said, “That war chariot, not a low-end model, isn’t something you can just drive anywhere.

He has already passed through Bluebird City and Rubble City, where large amounts of Protector materials are stockpiled.”

“But, Secluded Crane City…” Cain said, “The Secluded Crane Knight Order is one of the most powerful Scientific Knight Orders in the new continent, with significant influence within the Galapagos Sanctuary, and Secluded Crane City has no residents at all, only the Protector Army and the Scientific Knight Order—that’s an area existing solely to support the Scientific Knight Order.

Who would hide there?”

Solo Kill King pondered for a moment, “The so-called ‘darkest under the lamp’?”

Xiang Shan said, “It shouldn’t be.

I also checked some public information incidentally.”

Xiang Shan shared another batch of data: “That envoy from the Six Dragons Sect, I saw him once at the Meiyimei Building in Pine Eagle City three years ago.

According to the publicly posted records from the Mona Knight Order, his real identity should be Yangtze Knight Daijiu Tai’a.”

“Yangtze Knight…” Cain made a hissing sound to express his surprise, “He’s no small fry.”

“This Yangtze Knight specializes in linguistics, the evolution of languages, which is hard to directly convert into war technologies; thus, most of his papers are published.

I’ve downloaded them too.

Most of his research targets the language evolution in the Wilderness Settlement,” Xiang Shan explained, “Based on my understanding of this field, he spends most of his time conducting field research in the wilderness.”

And this also gave him a reason to roam freely on the land.

Such a presence of a Scientific Knight anywhere was normal.

Cain’s tone was somewhat odd, “A Yangtze Knight…

with such a high status, and still he would…

he would do such things?”

“Not done yet.

Three years ago, a Vice Captain of the Secluded Crane Knight Order, Bai ICE Changkong, had visited the Mona Knight Order’s station.

After that, the Mona Knight Order established a minor cooperation with the Secluded Crane Knight Order.

And I looked through their public records.

Before this, there was not a single cooperative instance between the Mona Knight Order and the Secluded Crane Knight Order.

Their fields are generally opposites,” Xiang Shan said.

Xiang Shan said, “According to my conjecture, it went like this: three years ago, due to the Bengel assassination incident, Daijiu Tai’a was suspected and clung onto.

At this point, the Vice Captain of the Secluded Crane Knight Order, Bai ICE Changkong, went to the Mona Knight Order, reached a swap of benefits with the high-ranking members there, and secured Daijiu Tai’a’s extraction…”

“Uh, wait a minute…” Solo Kill King found it odd, “This, this logic here, isn’t it a bit strange?

If this member of the Six Dragons Sect was suspected three years ago, why hasn’t he been caught by the Protectors till today?

If he wasn’t suspected three years ago…”

“He was suspected three years ago…

or rather, whether he was suspected or not, the Mona Knight Order unilaterally decided he was.

Then, using this as an excuse, they reached a benefit swap with the Secluded Crane Knight Order,” Xiang Shan said, “And through this exchange of benefits, the Mona Knight Order and the Secluded Crane Knight Order reached some sort of ‘tacit agreement,’ temporarily putting aside the unpleasant incidents—I’m quite familiar with this kind of logic.”

Even when “culture” was destroyed, this “system of benefits,” this “unwritten rule,” stubbornly regenerated.

Xiang Shan had been battling this logic until he was thirty.

Cain said, “Considering the identity of this Six Dragons Sect member…

Does the Secluded Crane Knight Order also have a suspicion of the Six Dragons Sect?”

“It could also be that one of their higher-ups—like this Bai ICE Changkong, is a member of the Six Dragons Sect,” Xiang Shan said, “But, a Knight Order captain can’t just arbitrarily pull resources from his own Order to carry out one-sidedly beneficial cooperation with other Knight Orders.

This would cause dissatisfaction among his fellow knights.

The apprentices in their ranks are barely considered people and can’t leave, so that’s still manageable.

But the Secluded Crane Knight Order does include Great Knights and Yangtze Knights, not the type where one person holds all the power.

This is evident from their paper co-authorships and project leader lists.”

These public records, including “posted records,” are freely accessible, aiding in academic exchanges between different Scientific Knight Orders.

Downloading this data wouldn’t raise the alarm of the Moon’s stationed troops.

For a hacker, finding targeted information from such public data is also a skill, a feasible method.

“Now, we can almost confirm that there is a Six Dragons Sect force within the Secluded Crane Knight Order,” Cain concluded, “And that Daijiu Tai’a only fled to a spot not far from Secluded Crane City, but didn’t enter it.

Is this to avoid being tracked?”

“Probably.” Xiang Shan smiled, “Because the Earth-Moon system has King Aqini in charge, no one would consider tampering with spy satellites.

Normal warriors wouldn’t think about hijacking satellite surveillance.

They would prefer shaking off the pursuit.

Maybe near Secluded Crane City, he could get support from the Six Dragons Sect, maybe they have a base there.”

Cain said, “So?

Are we going to take down that base…

right?”

Xiang Shan looked at Cain.

Cain slapped his forehead, producing a clanging sound, “Great Hero, you’re not really thinking of charging into Secluded Crane City, are you?”

Xiang Shan asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I heard from brother Solo Kill King that you have a grand plan concerning the Ninth Martial God,” Cain said, “I can tell that you are gathering forces to undertake that major task.

But the allies you currently have are not sufficient to assault Paradox City.

Taking on the Secluded Crane Knight Order now would be insane!

Just taking down the potential base should be enough…

right?”

Xiang Shan shook his head, “You’re mistaken, Cain.

I’m not planning to confront the Secluded Crane Knight Order.”

Cain breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’m just going to give the Six Dragons Sect a big task,” Xiang Shan said, “I do want to show those who operate in the shadows who they should really fear.”