Under One Person: The Puppet Immortal in the Tang Sect

Whether it's building secret underground transportation lines, storing supplies, or conducting guerrilla warfare and harassment operations behind enemy lines, Diyouxian can play an irreplaceable strategic role.

Therefore, it is even more important to ensure the safety of the Diyouxian base. Seeing He Zhengyan deep in thought, Cui Ming changed the subject and brought up the issue of the base's defense.

"Clan Chief He, please forgive my bluntness."

"Although Dimai Village is not far from Qinghe Town in Miao territory, the fact that the Japanese were able to reach the depths of the cave has exposed the village's defensive weaknesses."

"The combat style of Earth Wanderers relies heavily on terrain and their own secret techniques, making their methods somewhat simplistic."

"If we encounter a well-prepared and powerful enemy, we can only rely on stone pillars and cones, or risk getting close to drag people into the ground. This is not only inefficient, but also extremely risky."

He picked up a piece of paper and quickly sketched a simple diagram of the cave passage.

"I propose that the Tang Clan provide funding and technology to assist the Earth Vein Village in adding traps and mechanisms to the cave passage leading to the village."

"For example, trigger-activated crossbow volleys, rockfall traps, poison fog traps, and so on."

"At the same time, the village guards can be equipped with crossbows and special arrows made in the style of my Tang Clan to enhance their long-range attack capabilities."

"In this way, the defensive capabilities of the Earth Vein Village can be greatly enhanced. Even if we have to practice again, we can rely on traps and mechanisms to kill and hinder the enemy, buying time for reinforcements or evacuation."

He Zhengyan looked at the schematic diagram of the mechanism drawn by Cui Ming, his face slightly red, a mixture of embarrassment and excitement.

The awkward thing is that, as Cui Ming said, the combat methods of the Earth Wanderers are indeed primitive and inefficient.

What's exciting is that after pointing out the problem, Cui Ming also provided a practical solution.

Then, Cui Ming pointed out a flaw that the Earthly Immortal was trying hard to cover up.

"Moreover, through my observation, I have discovered that although your Earthly Wanderer moves freely underground, there is actually a fatal limitation—breathing!"

"The Earth-walking technique does not actually transform into soil; it is essentially still about moving between soil, which requires a lot of physical strength."

"In the end, you are still human. No matter how good you are at holding your breath, there is a limit."

"But you are very clever; you often use attacks to cover up your need to breathe."

"But if you look closely, you can see the clues in the frequency of your attacks."

"Therefore, once you are entangled by the enemy and unable to escape, the next time you return to the ground to breathe will be your death."

These words made He Zhengyan's expression turn completely serious.

This was the Earthly Wanderers' biggest secret, and also their biggest weakness. Unexpectedly, Cui Ming saw through their true nature in just a few days.

"However, these defects are not insurmountable."

Cui Ming spoke with absolute certainty.

"Our Tang Clan's Skilled Crafts Hall can develop specially designed oxygen supply equipment for your wandering immortals."

"Preliminary estimates suggest that a portable gas storage device can be manufactured and carried on your back, which could greatly extend your continuous activity time underground."

"Furthermore, in the future, we can even develop weapons specifically for underground warfare for you based on this."

The embarrassment of having his biggest flaw pointed out was quickly replaced by the alluring prospects proposed by Cui Ming.

He Zhengyan's breathing became a little rapid.

The only way for Earth Wanderers to improve their underground time has always been through arduous physical training and breath-holding techniques, which not only leads to slow progress but also has its physiological limits.

If the oxygen supply problem can be solved, the combat power and survivability of the Earth Wanderers will experience a qualitative leap!

"Master Cui!"

He Zhengyan suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to Cui Ming.

"If you can truly help our Youxian clan resolve this deficiency and strengthen village defenses, our Youxian clan is willing to form an eternal alliance with the Tang Clan and the Divine Machine Alliance."

"If you need to use us in the future, as long as it does not violate morality, our clan will have no objections!"

"Chief He, you flatter me. It's just a mutually beneficial arrangement."

Cui Ming got up and helped him up.

"We'll finalize the details later. The most urgent task is to strengthen the defenses of the Earth Vein Village as soon as possible."

The talks lasted for about an hour, and the two sides reached a preliminary consensus on matters such as cooperating in mineral exploration, building village defenses, and developing specialized equipment.

Cui Ming, on the other hand, requested to go to the place where the ore was stored in the Earth Vein Village. Using the mechanical arm, he spent several hours creating twenty sets of newly made assassination crossbows and hundreds of crossbow bolts on the spot.

These supplies were handed over to He Zhengyan as the first batch of aid to Dimai Village, and he was given instructions on how to use them and suggestions on setting up crossbow arrays in the cave.

In this way, even if the village of ley lines is attacked again, it can withstand the attack for a while.

Next, as long as the hidden dangers in Miao territory are resolved, and as long as Xiangnan does not fall, the Earthly Immortals and the Miao Gu Masters can watch over each other.

Before leaving, Cui Ming gave him special instructions.

"Chief He, the Japanese devils' plan has been thwarted this time, and it's hard to guarantee they won't make a comeback."

"I have reached an understanding with the Miao Jiang Gu Master. Next time I come, I will facilitate the joint defense between the Miao Jiang Gu Master and the Earth Vein Village."

"Only in this way can we effectively deal with their tricks. I also hope that Chief He can strengthen his vigilance and not let his guard down in the slightest."

He Zhengyan agreed repeatedly and personally escorted Cui Ming and Yong En to the village entrance.

After Cui Ming and Yong En disappeared into the mountain path leading to Miao territory.

He Zhengyan's respectful expression faded slightly, and he turned and quickly returned to the house in the center of the village.

Interestingly, when He Zhengyan opened the door, he faced Wang Qingshi, who was directing his clansmen to clear the spoils of war, with a hint of seeking instructions in his expression.

"Clan leader, Hall Master Cui has left. Regarding the matter he mentioned..."

He Zhengyan recounted all the key points he had discussed with Cui Ming to Wang Qingshi in detail.

It turns out that Wang Qingshi, who seemed honest and simple and was in charge of perimeter security, was actually the real leader of this earth vein village.

He is also the most unfathomable being in the history of the Earthly Wandering Immortals.

After listening, Wang Qingshi stroked his chin and pondered.

"This Master Cui has a sharp eye and his methods are endless."

"The woman beside him named Yongen is even more unfathomably powerful."

"Judging from his actions, although he has ruthless methods, he is willing to humble himself and adopt a conciliatory approach."

"Moreover, the cooperation he proposed would indeed be of great benefit to our group."

"Whether it's hiring miners or strengthening the defenses of our village, these are things we urgently need right now."

Wang Qingshi looked at He Zhengyan, his eyes sharpening.

"I think it's feasible to expedite the cooperation with the Tang Clan. We should compile a list of all the ores we possess; didn't he leave behind a list of the required ores?"

"As a token of sincerity, let's send it to the Tang Clan first."

“The village’s defense construction really can’t be delayed any longer. You personally lead the people to build the defense system at the entrance of the cave, according to the crossbows and blueprints left by Cui Ming.”

"We can't withstand a second attack from these Japanese devils."

"Yes, clan leader! I'll take care of it right away."

He Zhengyan respectfully agreed and immediately turned to make the arrangements.

Wang Qingshi gazed in the direction Cui Ming had left, his eyes deep, and muttered to himself.

"Hopefully, this Master Cui can bring a true way out for my wandering immortals..."

However, neither Wang Qingshi nor He Zhengyan noticed.

In an inconspicuous corner under the eaves of this house, a brick, unbeknownst to anyone, had been transformed by Cui Ming into his "eyes and ears."

Cui Ming, who had deliberately controlled the distance, listened to the entire conversation through the puppet.

"Clan Chief of the Earthly Wandering Immortal Clan... Wang Qingshi... Interesting."

Cui Ming silently chanted in his heart, then increased his speed and, together with Yong En, embarked once again on the journey to Qinghe Town in Miao territory.

Soon, the ley line village gradually shrank behind the two people and the puppet, and was eventually swallowed up by the winding mountains and dense forests.

Since this time it wasn't urgent, Cui Ming and the others didn't trek through the forest and climb the mountains, but instead chose some gentler paths to proceed.

The mountains were shrouded in mist, and the damp, cold air was filled with the scent of earth and vegetation. The only sound was the rustling of leaves in the wind.

Cui Ming was no longer in a hurry to continue his journey, but was instead choosing a suitable place to rest.

After all, it's a good opportunity to get rid of the materials we've acquired.

Chapter 102 The Possibility of Encirclement and Suppression

Yongen followed in Cui Ming's footsteps, his hands resting on the longswords at his sides.

With an indifferent expression, he scanned his surroundings warily to ensure there were no followers or lurking dangers.

Meanwhile, Cui Ming was replaying in his mind the information he had obtained through the disguised puppet after leaving the Earth Vein Village.

Wang Qingshi, the seemingly ordinary guard, is actually the true ruler of the Earthly Wandering Immortal Clan.

This village of ley lines is far more complex than it appears on the surface.

However, judging from Wang Qingshi's final statement, he still holds a positive attitude towards the cooperation between Tang Sect and Shenji Alliance.

This is a good thing. The value of the Earth Wanderers lies not only in their ability to explore mineral veins, but also in their strategic value, which must be firmly grasped.

When they reached a relatively open clearing in the woods, Cui Ming signaled Yong En to slow down. He needed a moment to rest and process the materials he had just acquired.

Let's take a short rest here.

Cui Ming informed Yong En directly through the mental link.

Yongen nodded slightly, without asking any further questions. He simply stood quietly not far from Cui Ming, raising his senses to be on guard.

The substitute puppet followed Cui Ming to the center of the open space and was controlled by Cui Ming.

The substitute puppet retrieved the Japanese devil's head that was trapped inside its body.

The creature was tightly bound by invisible threads, with only its head and part of its torso exposed. Its eyes were unfocused, filled with despair and fear.

After being terrified by the horrific acts of the substitute puppet, she suffered a mental breakdown.

He finally recovered, only to discover that the internal mechanisms of the substitute puppet not only restricted his movements but also completely sealed off the Qi within his body, making it impossible for him to even end his own life.

Cui Ming looked at the prisoner with an expressionless face and icy eyes.