After finishing the urgent official business at hand, Su Mu-chen informed Xiao Yuan and, not daring to delay for even a moment, hurried toward the Northern Frontier Martyrs’ Shrine.
After passing through the hidden door and arriving in the rear alley, several elite personal guards were already standing around him in layers of vigilant protection.
Mu Li stayed close at his side, keeping watch over every blind corner of the alley, while several shadow-like hidden guards, including Mo Fei, accompanied them from the darkness.
Surrounded and protected so thoroughly that not even a gap remained, Su Mu-chen was somewhat unaccustomed to it. But with the military situation urgent and every second precious, he had no time to think about it and simply quickened his pace.
When they arrived before the heavy gate on the third underground level of the Return Gate Hall, Su Mu-chen suddenly stopped and turned to look at Mu Li.
Most of those accompanying him were personal guards who had already seen the “door.” Mu Li alone was setting foot here for the first time.
Su Mu-chen’s expression became solemn.
“Mu Li, not a single word of anything you see next is permitted to leak outside.”
Mu Li froze slightly, then immediately lowered his clasped fists, his tone decisive.
“This subordinate obeys. Not a single detail will be leaked.”
Su Mu-chen nodded and gave a glance behind him.
The shrine guards immediately pushed open the heavy door.
Mu Li followed him inside, only then realizing that hidden within this underground Return Gate Hall was Prince Su’s most core secret taboo.
Within the enormous, cold underground space, an isolated deep-red door stood upright above a pool, exuding an ancient and eerie quality that did not belong to this world.
“You all stay here and guard this place.”
Su Mu-chen left this instruction, then raised his hand and pulled open the door.
In an instant, an icy pure-white light burst violently through the gap. At the moment the light swallowed his vision, Su Mu-chen’s figure had already vanished into the door.
Mu Li’s face continued to maintain its hard expression, but the fingers hanging at his side unconsciously tightened.
—This Military Advisor Su truly was not an ordinary person.
◆◇◆◇◆
Back at Gui Chen Studio, Su Mu-chen did not dare waste even a second.
Now was precisely the moment when the northern frontier was desperately short of supplies, while the amount of goods the “door” could transport each day was limited. Every batch of supplies sent over concerned the lives and deaths of the soldiers at the frontline.
Behind the counter in the front hall, Su Qianqian and Su Ningning were both lowering their heads and checking the recent accounts.
Hearing footsteps, the two raised their heads simultaneously, but both froze for a moment when they saw who had arrived.
Only then did Su Mu-chen realize that he was still wearing his disguise. He hurriedly raised a hand.
“Don’t be nervous. It’s me.”
Su Ningning recovered and examined this completely unfamiliar face.
“I could tell it was you just by your eyes. Is the situation over there really that tense? Why did you even change your face?”
“There have been too many unexpected developments over there. It’s a long story. I’ll explain in detail after things settle down.”
Su Mu-chen walked forward several steps and handed a densely written list to Su Qianqian.
“These are the supplies urgently needed this time. There’s no need to pursue luxurious functions for these watches. They only need to keep accurate time and have a structure that can withstand falls and impacts. They need to be analog, and the more understated the appearance, the better. The straps should be leather. As long as they can last through these three months of battle, that’s enough.”
Su Qianqian took the list and quickly scanned it, her fingers immediately flying across the keyboard.
A moment later, she turned the screen toward him and pointed at the specifications page.
“What about these industrial-grade quartz watches? They’re shock-resistant and highly water-resistant.”
Su Mu-chen carefully compared the various specifications and pointed to one with a subdued black-and-silver case and a mid-range price.
“This one. I’ve worn this brand before. It’s resistant to drops and wear, and the cost performance is good. According to the quantity on this list, I need longer watch straps for some of them. The rest can remain in their original factory condition.”
“No problem.”
Su Qianqian casually recorded the brand and model.
Su Mu-chen continued, “Also help me choose one with higher precision. It’ll serve as the master watch for the standard time. It’s fine if it’s more expensive.”
As she entered the keywords, Su Qianqian said, “There are no radio signals, internet, or satellites over in Da Sheng, so we can only look for a high-end quartz watch. It can reach ‘annual deviation’ precision.”
She then pointed at several high-end watches on the screen.
“Which one?”
Su Mu-chen glanced at the prices, which ranged from over one hundred thousand to more than four hundred thousand.
He secretly exclaimed inwardly: Even the watch he himself used was not this good.
He looked at the cheapest one and, after confirming that there was nothing wrong with it, said, “This one.”
Afterward, he absolutely had to remind its user to take proper care of it and never damage it.
Su Qianqian immediately added another brand and model to the list.
Then she said, “Then let’s replace your own watch as well. It can serve as another backup master watch. If the original master watch is lost or malfunctions, at least you’ll still have this one on you. Put it under the group’s Gatekeeper budget.”
She knew that Su Mu-chen was reluctant to spend money on himself, so she suggested this.
Su Mu-chen felt that the proposal was reasonable. It was not that he had no money; he was simply frugal, and most of his money was still in the form of gold.
“No need. Put it on my account.”
Su Qianqian sighed lightly.
“Mu-chen, you don’t need to save money for the group. Besides, this amount isn’t even worth mentioning.”
She turned to look at Su Mu-chen.
“What matters is that the Gate Master, the Gate Key, and the Gatekeeper can all remain safe. That alone makes this expense worthwhile.”
Su Mu-chen felt that she was right. If they could ensure that the plan would not encounter any mishaps and preserve their lives, this was not the time to save such a small amount of money.
So he said, “Then prepare four more for me as backups for the master watch.”
He thought: This will make it even more foolproof.
Then he reminded her, “One of them needs to be mechanical.”
The moment Su Qianqian heard this, she knew who the watch was for.
She searched for mechanical wristwatches, then raised her hand and pointed at the screen, silently asking, “Which one?”
Su Mu-chen took one look at the price, and his eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. He then gritted his teeth and pointed at one of them.
He was beginning to understand why Xiao had described Little Seven, which had cost 230,000 US dollars to manufacture, as though it were practically dirt cheap.
Eighty percent of the reason was that Xiao normally spent the group’s money, and everything he casually used cost more than Little Seven, so he had become numb to it.
“The customized ones will take some time. I’ll urge them as much as I can.”
“All right. Thank you for your hard work.”
Su Qianqian stood up and walked out from behind the counter, motioning for him to follow.
“Some of the other supplies you requested have arrived. Let’s move them over together today.”
The group arrived one after another at the warehouse behind Gui Chen Studio.
The warehouse, which had originally been cluttered with miscellaneous items, had now been organized neatly, with everything clearly categorized. It was obviously the result of Su Qianqian and Su Ningning putting considerable effort into managing it recently.
Su Ningning rolled up her sleeves and skillfully lifted a heavy wooden crate.
“Mu-chen, I’ll help you carry them onto the cart. It’ll be faster this way.”
“Thanks.”
In the middle of moving the supplies, Su Qianqian suddenly stopped and turned to look at Su Mu-chen, her tone unusually heavy.
“From now on, remember not to make the times you travel between the two worlds too fixed, and even more importantly, don’t stay for too long or too frequently.”
Su Mu-chen stopped walking, his brows slightly furrowing.
“What happened?”
“After Sheng Cheng-xiu disappeared, the Sheng Corporation not only failed to publicly send people to search for him, they instead completely sealed off news of his disappearance.”
Su Qianqian lowered her voice, her gaze cold.
“They announced publicly that because Sheng Cheng-xiu’s physical condition had seriously deteriorated and he had made multiple erroneous investment decisions, all of his positions within the Sheng Group had been completely removed. The person who took over his position is Sheng Xingxu.”
Su Mu-chen’s heart suddenly sank.
As expected, the enormous Sheng Corporation would not stop operating simply because one person was missing.
Sheng Cheng-xiu was trapped in Da Sheng, and a new person had immediately taken his place on the modern side.
“What kind of person is this Sheng Xingxu?”
“The legitimate eldest son of the second branch of the Sheng family, and Sheng Cheng-xiu’s cousin.”
Su Qianqian briefly and clearly explained the intelligence they had uncovered.
“He has lived abroad for many years and rarely returns home. On the surface, he appears to be nothing more than a pleasure-seeking playboy. But after investigating more deeply, his true abilities are probably no inferior to Sheng Cheng-xiu’s. The most troublesome thing is that there is almost no discernible pattern to his past conduct. He’s an extremely difficult person to figure out.”
Su Mu-chen’s eyes darkened slightly.
Compared with Sheng Cheng-xiu’s openly displayed threats and desire for control, someone whose background was completely unclear and who wore a carefree, irreverent mask was obviously even more difficult to deal with and more dangerous.
“Understood. From now on, I’ll adjust the time I return randomly. I’ll take what I need and leave. I absolutely won’t stay any longer than necessary.”
With the full assistance of the two women, boxes of urgently needed supplies were quickly transported to the underground ancient door.
Su Mu-chen pushed the final cart loaded with goods and nodded toward the two of them.
“I’ll go over first. I’ll come again tomorrow, but the time won’t necessarily be fixed.”
Su Ningning’s eyes were filled with worry as she gently reminded him, “People over there are treacherous. Be more careful and pay attention to your safety.”
“Don’t worry.”
Su Mu-chen smiled gently, then raised his hand and pulled open the ancient door.
A dazzling cold-white light burst through the gap. He pushed the cart forward and stepped inside, his figure instantly swallowed by the boundless white light.
◆◇◆◇◆
Back in the underground Return Gate Hall, Su Mu-chen parked the cart securely. The personal guards waiting nearby immediately came forward and skillfully unloaded the goods, sorting and stacking them.
Su Mu-chen instructed one of the guards to immediately arrange manpower to transport the large quantity of supplies to the administrative office. He then had another guard help carry a peculiar black box and hurried back to the main courtyard study.
Inside the study, candlelight flickered. Xiao Yuan was still working with Xia Lanshi over the map and documents, handling complicated military affairs.
When they saw Su Mu-chen return with a peculiar box, both raised their heads simultaneously.
Su Mu-chen motioned for the guard to put down the box and leave.
He swiftly unlocked and opened it, then took out two specially textured black vests and handed one each to Xiao Yuan and Xia Lanshi.
“This vest is meant to be worn underneath your clothes. It has a certain level of defensive capability. Although it can’t completely eliminate excessively strong impacts, it can provide crucial cushioning and protection against stabbing.”
Xiao Yuan reached out and touched the material of the vest. The outer layer was an extremely thin but specially woven tough fabric, while the inside seemed to be filled with multiple layers of composite material. The entire thing was extremely light.
Although it had a little thickness to it, when worn beneath a loose robe, its presence was almost impossible to see. It could even be worn beneath armor without a problem.
When Xiao Yuan’s hand reached the position over his heart, his fingertips faintly sensed a specially made metal protective mesh hidden inside.
“This was specially brought in by Qianqian and me. There are only these three pieces at present, and they have to be returned after three months.”
Su Mu-chen added seriously, “During this period, wear them whenever you can.”
Xia Lanshi accepted his with a smile.
“Thank you, Military Advisor Su.”
Su Mu-chen waved his hand.
“If you want to thank someone, thank Xiao. He originally intended to give up his own piece. Since there are extras now, the three of us can each have one.”
Next, he took several more items out of the box.
Several metal canisters, three folding knives, and black first-aid pouches.
He skillfully divided them into three sets.
“This is a smoke grenade. Pull the safety and remove the pin before throwing it. It can instantly release thick smoke, which can be used to escape or obstruct the enemy’s vision.”
He then pointed at the two black metal canisters and introduced them.
“These are high-pressure riot-control sprays. When using them, press this switch with your thumb and aim the nozzle at the enemy’s eyes, spraying continuously. Remember, try not to use them in an enclosed space.”
Su Mu-chen raised his voice in warning.
“Pay close attention to the wind direction when spraying, so you don’t get hit by the spray in a headwind. Also, these are high-pressure containers. They must absolutely not be disassembled, pierced, or squeezed, and they must not be brought near open flames or high temperatures or thrown into fire. If a container develops a leak or becomes deformed, bring it to me immediately.”
Xia Lanshi had originally been repeatedly examining the metal canister in his hand. Upon hearing this, his fingers suddenly stopped, and he raised his eyes.
“What would happen if this object were thrown directly into the enemy’s fire?”
Su Mu-chen said seriously, “High temperatures will cause the internal pressure to rise sharply, resulting in an explosion or forceful discharge.”
Xiao Yuan and Xia Lanshi exchanged a glance, and a dangerous glint simultaneously flashed through both their eyes.
Realizing that these two were clearly already calculating how to use the thing to blow up the enemy troops, Su Mu-chen immediately warned them.
“No! Don’t even think about it! This thing is unstable and far too dangerous!”
Xia Lanshi gave an innocent, helpless smile.
“Military Advisor Su, we haven’t even said anything yet.”
Su Mu-chen maintained a completely serious expression.
“These are only for the three of us to carry for self-preservation. Put away any other crooked ideas.”
Next, his gaze fell upon the three folding knives. He casually picked up the instruction manual Su Qianqian had attached and read it verbatim.
“The blade uses special powder-metallurgy high-toughness steel. It has extremely high sharpness and hardness, is resistant to chipping and corrosion, and can withstand extremely high instantaneous impact. The handle uses a titanium-alloy structure…”
Listening to Su Mu-chen read every word of the instruction manual without missing anything, Xiao Yuan could not help smiling.
It seemed Su Mu-chen himself was also learning about this otherworldly weapon on the spot and simply repeating what he had learned.
Xia Lanshi carefully examined the folding knife.
The blade had a cold, matte silver metallic texture, while the handle was a deep pure-black metal like obsidian.
In the center of the black titanium-alloy grip was a long, narrow silver-metal spine extending from the head of the knife all the way to the tail. When the blade was folded shut, it formed a flawless silver line.
Xia Lanshi’s gaze shifted slightly.
He recognized this knife—it was the weapon Xiao normally carried with him.
Sometimes Xiao would casually toy with the folding knife, as though the weapon and he himself were one.
Holding that folding knife, Xia Lanshi’s thoughts drifted away for a moment.
The moment Xiao Yuan saw the folding knife, he reached out and picked it up.
He slightly hooked his thumb and flicked it.
“Clang!”
A crisp, short metallic sound rang out. The blade instantly sprang out and locked into place, without the slightest unnecessary vibration.
Xiao Yuan did not directly touch the blade’s edge. He merely swept his eyes over the cold silver arc before saying in a deep voice, “A fine blade.”
Su Mu-chen added, “Xiao said this was a specially made self-defense weapon from within his group.”
Xiao Yuan was silent for a moment, his fingertips lightly stroking the cold back of the blade.
“This isn’t merely for self-defense… This is an ultimate killing instrument.”
He could see it clearly. The knife’s center of gravity, steel, and structure were absolutely not designed for everyday tasks such as cutting rope.
Every aspect of its design existed solely to penetrate the fatal vital points of an enemy with the greatest precision and speed, effortlessly cutting through skin and blood vessels.
He had once fought Xiao before. Those techniques without a single wasted movement, purely pursuing efficient killing, were most suited to a weapon like this.
Su Mu-chen helplessly sighed. He did not deny it, merely stuffing the items into their hands.
“In any case, these are all for you to carry around for self-preservation. A few days ago, Xiao called me over and gave me these things, letting me decide how to handle them myself.”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuan and Xia Lanshi immediately understood.
Because of certain taboos and rules, Xiao could not directly interfere with causality, so he had chosen this roundabout method, using Su Mu-chen to introduce variables into the game.
And Su Mu-chen’s final choice had been to prepare a set of protection for each of the three of them.
Xia Lanshi put away the folding knife and smiled lightly.
“This move by Military Advisor Su is indeed the most foolproof arrangement.”
Heaven’s will was difficult to predict. None of them knew which inconspicuous otherworldly object might ultimately turn the tide in the coming storm. But at least for the moment, they had already tightened their grip around the chips with which they could change their fate.
◆◇◆◇◆
Su Mu-chen was so busy throughout the entire day that his feet barely touched the ground.
Aside from entering the mountains of accumulated casualty and military-supply data from previous years into the computer and creating records, all kinds of documents from the administrative office also began continuously arriving on his desk.
Because he normally had to wear a veiled hat when moving around outside to conceal his appearance, he naturally could not spend an entire day working indoors with that cumbersome thing on his head.
Therefore, Xiao Yuan had deliberately placed him in the most heavily guarded main courtyard study.
The officials outside naturally could not enter. All official documents and dossiers being submitted were first announced by the personal guards at the door and then respectfully carried inside.
As night deepened, the study became so quiet that only the crisp “click-clack” of Su Mu-chen’s fingertips striking the keyboard and the occasional rustling of paper could be heard.
Xiao Yuan raised his head from a pile of confidential military documents, his gaze falling upon the other side of the study.
He saw Su Mu-chen staring at the glowing screen. His originally rapid typing had already slowed noticeably, and he even raised a hand to rub his brow.
“It’s late. Go back and rest.”
Xiao Yuan’s low voice sounded in the quiet study, carrying a hint of forcefulness that allowed no refusal, along with an almost imperceptible gentleness.
“Leave the rest for tomorrow.”
Hearing Xiao Yuan’s voice, Su Mu-chen finally returned from the complicated data.
He slightly rotated his stiff and aching shoulders and neck. His bones gave a faint “crack.”
He truly was exhausted to the extreme. As a physician, he also knew exactly how much damage staying up late could do to the body.
He immediately pressed the shortcut key to save his work and cleanly shut down the laptop.
The moment the screen went dark, one strange source of light disappeared from the study.
He carefully stored the laptop inside the specially made hidden compartment beneath the desk and stood up to stretch.
“Mm, then I’ll head back to the western courtyard to sleep first.”
Su Mu-chen looked at Xiao Yuan and habitually tossed out a modern farewell.
“You should rest early too. Good night.”
Xiao Yuan looked at his slightly weary yet still bright eyes, the corner of his lips curving into an almost imperceptible arc.
“All right. Go.”
Su Mu-chen turned and left the study. Mu Li, who had been standing silently in the shadows like a shadow himself, immediately bowed silently to Prince Su and followed after him without a sound.
◆◇◆◇◆
Back at the western courtyard, Su Mu-chen washed up briefly.
When he walked out of the bathing room wearing a thin garment still carrying traces of moisture and wiping his half-dried hair, he was surprised to find that Mu Li was still standing straight as a stake in the shadows of the sleeping chamber.
Su Mu-chen helplessly sighed.
During the day in the study, this young man had been standing the entire time as well.
Su Mu-chen truly could not bear to watch him stand for most of the day. At one point, he had ordered him to bring over a chair and sit down, but Mu Li had not only refused, he had even revealed a trace of alarm.
“You’ve worked all day. You should rest too, shouldn’t you?”
Su Mu-chen draped the cloth he had been using to dry his hair to the side and tried to persuade him.
Mu Li lowered his eyes, his tone calm and rigid.
“When my allotted time is up, this subordinate will naturally leave. There is no need for Your Excellency to concern yourself.”
As a hidden guard assigned by Prince Su to protect and also “imitate” Su Mu-chen, he not only had to observe Su Mu-chen’s every word and action during the day, he also had to observe his manner when he lowered his guard at night. Only then could he imitate the identity of “Military Advisor Su” flawlessly in the future.
Seeing that he could not persuade this stubborn young man, Su Mu-chen knew this was a rule of their hidden guards and therefore did not insist.
He walked over to the bed and lay down, staring at the antique bed curtains. His mind was still circling around the data from the day and the upcoming military medical reform plans.
After the room remained quiet for a moment, Su Mu-chen suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.
“Mu Li, how old are you this year?”
Hidden guards were normally unaccustomed to being asked personal questions by their master, but Mu Li still answered respectfully.
“Replying to Your Excellency, this subordinate is nineteen this year.”
Su Mu-chen raised his brows in surprise.
Seeing how steady and experienced Mu Li was in his conduct, he had assumed the young man was about the same age as himself. He had not expected him to be only nineteen.
Su Mu-chen sighed inwardly before continuing.
“Since you’re going to learn to pretend to be me, merely imitating my appearance and mannerisms won’t be enough. As a physician, there are certain basic medical procedures and first-aid techniques you absolutely have to learn. Otherwise, the moment you encounter an injured person, you’ll be exposed. I’ll start arranging this tomorrow.”
“This subordinate obeys,” Mu Li answered quietly.
Su Mu-chen turned over and lay on his side, looking toward Mu Li standing in the shadows. His tone was casual.
“If there’s anything you want to ask, you can ask. After all, you have to pretend to be me, so you need to understand me. Anything I can answer, I’ll do my best to answer.”
Mu Li: “…”
The room fell into a long silence.
As a hidden guard, his first rule was “do not look, do not ask, do not listen.”
How could he possibly take the initiative to ask about his master’s affairs?
But this Military Advisor Su was simply too strange.
His thoughts, his behavior, his attitude toward servants, and even the exquisitely crafted objects he produced were all completely different from the people of Da Sheng.
Earlier that day, on the third underground level of the Return Gate Hall, Mu Li had personally watched Su Mu-chen pull open that deep-red door.
At the time, relying on the keen eyesight of a hidden guard, he had glanced behind the door. There had clearly been nothing there.
Yet when Su Mu-chen stepped into that white light, the man simply vanished into thin air. Not long afterward, when he appeared again, he had brought those strange boxes with him.
This completely exceeded Mu Li’s understanding.
He had fought an internal battle for a long time. Finally, his awe and curiosity toward the unknown defeated the rules.
He slightly raised his head, his voice lowered extremely quietly, even carrying a trace of probing.
“…Military Advisor, are you an immortal?”
Su Mu-chen froze for a moment before he could not hold it back.
“Pfft!”
He burst out laughing.
It took quite a while before he finally stopped. Looking at Mu Li’s serious expression, he shook his head.
“No. I’m just an ordinary person like you, only… a little different.”
There was no way he could explain to Mu Li that he was the “Gate Key” capable of opening the door and traveling through time and space, so he could only give such an ambiguous answer.
To dispel Mu Li’s doubts, Su Mu-chen added with a smile, “Think about it. If I really were an immortal with boundless magical power, why would I need so many of you to follow me around and protect me every day? I’d have already flown through the heavens and earth myself and dealt with all those enemies.”
Mu Li carefully examined Su Mu-chen’s expression.
As a hidden guard, he was exceptionally skilled at determining whether someone was lying.
When Su Mu-chen spoke, his eyes were open and honest, without the slightest sign of deception. What he said also sounded perfectly reasonable.
Since he was not an immortal, perhaps he was some extraordinary person from overseas who had mastered some kind of mysterious art.
As for the strange cold-white light and the secret of that door, Mu Li tactfully buried them deep within his heart and stopped thinking about them.
After resolving one major knot in his heart, the atmosphere in the room seemed to relax considerably as well.
Su Mu-chen closed his eyes and chatted with Mu Li intermittently, telling him some basic medical knowledge.
Mu Li occasionally responded with a brief acknowledgment. After an unknown amount of time, the breathing of the person on the bed gradually became steady and deep, and there was no longer any sound.
Mu Li confirmed that Su Mu-chen had fallen completely asleep. His observation for the night was more or less complete, so he prepared to silently withdraw.
Before leaving, his footsteps paused slightly, and he looked back at the bed.
There lay the Military Advisor Su who had spoken sharply in the council hall and could produce all kinds of divine treasures, yet at this moment he was sleeping so deeply that even his breathing was completely undefended, without the slightest vigilance he should have possessed.
Forget Mu Li, who was already present. Even a clumsy assassin who had only just entered the profession could easily take his life right now.
Mu Li could not help letting out a deep sigh inwardly.
He now finally understood completely why Prince Su was so nervous about this Military Advisor Su and protected him so thoroughly.
Because this person truly had far too many—and far too deadly—weaknesses.
When he pushed open the door, he glanced to the right.
A shadow as dark as night was standing there, like a silent, soundless ghost.
It was Mo Fei, who was currently staring at him with a pair of dead-fish eyes.
Mu Li ignored him and was just about to leave.
Mo Fei spoke.
“You talk too much.”
But Mu Li paid him no attention and immediately left the western courtyard.