Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life

Chapter 297: Repairing the Ground Beneath One's Feet

The door of the Formation Hub Steward's room slowly closed behind him with a dull thud, completely sealing off the warmth and the lingering scent of tea inside.

Su Ming stood under the corridor. The biting wind unique to the Northern Border, mixed with snow pellets, lashed against his face.

The cold sweat he had broken out inside the room moments ago now clung to his back, icy and piercing, as the wind hit him.

He looked down at his own hands.

In his palm, the fragment of dark golden insect carapace was still there.

Wu Miao hadn't shown the slightest intention of taking it away just now, not even deeming it worth a second glance.

Su Ming's fingers slowly tightened. The sharp, serrated edge of the fragment pierced the skin of his palm, oozing a trace of bright red blood, but he seemed to feel no pain.

"Master."

In his Consciousness Sea, Lin Yu's figure materialized. He sat cross-legged, his usual teasing expression gone. He just looked at the wind and snow outside and sighed softly.

"This is reality, disciple."Lin Yu's voice sounded somewhat distant. "From their position, they see the big picture, the century-long plans, the allocation of resources. As for the lives of the 'ants' beneath their feet, as long as it doesn't affect the overall situation, it's just an expendable number, a negligible loss."

"Low status, little voice. It's been true throughout the ages."

Su Ming opened his hand, letting the insect carapace fragment fall into the accumulated snow.

He raised his head, looking toward the majestic Formation Tower standing tall in the distance.

The light at the top of the Formation Tower remained brilliant, enveloping the entire Iron Wall Pass under a pale golden shield. And in the shadows untouched by that light, countless low-level cultivators like Zhao Tiji and Chen Chuan were fighting bloody battles to protect this very radiance.

They believed this pass was impregnable.

They believed the higher-ups behind them were strategizing from within the tent.

But they didn't know that beneath this seemingly grand fortress, a greedy river was silently hollowing out the very ground they stood on.

"Century-long plans..." A bitter curve tugged at the corner of Su Ming's mouth. "But people like us don't even know if we'll survive the night."

A profound sense of powerlessness surged in his heart.

his skills, with that

was like a cold, hard wall, smashing him until

colossal war machine, he, Su Ming, was still just a screw

"Let's go back."

they don't believe us, then we have to figure it out ourselves. If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up, but if the ground gives

a deep breath, slowly exhaling the stifling, turbid air pent up in

in his eyes gradually cleared, finally settling into

"Master is right."

is to repair formations. Since

...

returned to the Sector

third squad, Zhao Tiji was with several brothers,

to a shine, the several new notches

teeth. The scar running across

"Brother Su, you're back?"

*thud*. "What did the Steward's office say? Did we repair

nearby also gathered, their eyes shining

few extra bottles of Reviving Spring Pills would be good.

exchange for a new sword, that'd be great. This

these familiar faces, the words on

an

the higher-ups don't care

besides making them distracted and getting

strained smile appeared on Su Ming's face, the standard professional fake smile he had honed in the

a

Zhao Tiji slapped Su Ming's shoulder with such force he nearly knocked him over. "I knew

out a cheer and

watched Zhao Tiji's broad back,

me

Su Ming walked toward his own Stone House Number Seven, he silently recited in his mind. "If I want to 'reinforce' the secondary foundation beneath Sector C without alerting the Formation Hub's monitoring, how much material would I need?

trace of excitement. "That's more like it! That's my good disciple. As long as your determination doesn't waver, there are always more

is to repair formations, then let's 'repair'

work. Too much movement, and we don't have

plate fragments to construct an inverted 'stress-dispersal net'. As long as those insects don't swallow the entire foundation in one go, this net can