Chapter 514: Magnetic Shock Cannon (High Energy)

He Jiaqing fought a battle against the Green Water Beggar. For this fight, He Jiaqing had prepared thoroughly.

He found the opportune moment: the Green Water Beggar had recently been frequently leaving his residence and wandering around Green Water City. By rule, the Green Water Beggar was only allowed to appear once a year, but in reality, he came out often. As long as he didn't go on a killing spree targeting civilians, the peddler usually didn't bother to intervene. After interacting for a period, He Jiaqing understood the Green Water Beggar's movement patterns. This time, he launched a preemptive sneak attack, gaining the first move and a significant advantage in the early stages of the battle. However, in the end, he still lost.

The cost of losing this battle was severe. He Jiaqing's illness worsened; what had initially been only rashes now developed into extensive festering sores all over his body.

The Green Water Beggar was still in pursuit, and He Jiaqing wanted to find a place to hide. Duan Shuqun couldn't think of a good place right away, so after careful consideration, he took He Jiaqing to the Night Blooming Jasmine Newspaper Office. To evade the Green Water Beggar, they needed to go to a crowded place, where the Green Water Beggar would be hesitant to act. Duan Shuqun's stationery factory also had many people, but the workers had all gone home after their shifts. There were no dormitories in the factory, making it desolate. With only the two of them and a few gatekeepers left, they clearly couldn't stop the Green Water Beggar.

Newspaper offices were a special industry. To prepare the morning paper, reporters, editors, and workers all rotated night shifts. Even at midnight, large newspaper offices were bustling with people. And Night Blooming Jasmine was Black Rock Ridge's largest newspaper office, with a large scale, many workers, and ample space, making it not too difficult to hide one or two people. Moreover, the Night Blooming Jasmine Newspaper Office was close by. They walked quickly, and in less than two minutes, they had reached the entrance.

He Jiaqing had many ways to enter the newspaper office, but Duan Shuqun suggested they walk in through the main gate. "Jiaqing, Boss Ye, the owner of the Night Blooming Jasmine Newspaper Office, is a notoriously ruthless person. There are many traps hidden inside the office. You are currently injured, so entering the courtyard walls rashly might lead to significant trouble."

He Jiaqing followed Duan Shuqun's advice and walked with him toward the main gate. Seeing Duan Shuqun, the gatekeeper trembled. Duan Shuqun's height of nearly two meters and weight of over 230 jin (approximately 115 kilograms) made him an imposing figure standing before them in the dead of night.

Just as the gatekeeper was about to call for help, Duan Shuqun crossed his arms, twisted his waist, and suddenly performed a dance. Seeing Duan Shuqun's burly physique instantly transform into such graceful beauty, the gatekeeper was utterly mesmerized and said nothing, allowing Duan Shuqun and He Jiaqing to enter the newspaper office. This was a third-level Dance Cultivator technique: "Graceful Drunken Gaze."

Duan Shuqun led He Jiaqing deeper into the newspaper office. If no one questioned them, they simply passed through; if someone did, he would perform a dance. They eventually reached the printing workshop. The morning paper had not yet been fully typeset, and it was still over three hours until the printing workshop would begin operations. Most workers were resting in their dormitories, so Duan Shuqun led He Jiaqing to sit inside a large concrete pipe for now.

They waited like this for over half an hour. The Green Water Beggar did not pursue them. He Jiaqing used a stolen Medical Cultivator technique to temporarily control his illness. If they could have waited another half an hour for He Jiaqing to tend to his injuries, he would have been able to at least put up a fight even if he encountered the Green Water Beggar. Unfortunately, his luck ran out. A moth fluttered its wings, flew to the concrete pipe, and spotted He Jiaqing inside. He Jiaqing flicked a ball of flame from his fingertip, burning the moth to ash.

But it was too late. A large swarm of moths gathered in the courtyard, first forming a sphere, then transforming into a humanoid shape. All the moths then dissolved into pus, merging together to form the Green Water Beggar, covered in festering sores. The Green Water Beggar shook the begging bowl in his hand, bent at the waist, lowered his head, and looked at He Jiaqing inside the concrete pipe. He had arrived at the newspaper office earlier, circling outside the courtyard walls a few times without entering. Duan Shuqun's choice was correct; in crowded places, the Green Water Beggar would be hesitant to act. But once he confirmed He Jiaqing was inside the newspaper office, the Green Water Beggar still pursued him in.

"Come out," the Green Water Beggar chuckled, "it would be quite unsightly to die inside that concrete pipe."

Duan Shuqun was about to rush out and fight the Green Water Beggar but was stopped by He Jiaqing. Given Duan Shuqun's strength, he wouldn't last a single exchange against the Green Water Beggar.

He Jiaqing stepped out of the concrete pipe, looked at the Green Water Beggar, and calmly said, "The Imperial Seal is not with me, nor is the Sage. The person you encountered at Jianren Gang was not me at all. I was framed. If you don't believe me and insist on killing me, I will fight you to the death. When we both end up grievously wounded, consider if it's truly worth it."

The Green Water Beggar smiled, "Whether it's a mutual defeat is hard to say. Even if we both get hurt, our injuries wouldn't be the same. I might only hurt a finger, while you'll likely be reduced to ashes."

As he spoke, He Jiaqing subtly shifted his position, moving closer to the workers' dormitories. The festering sores on the Green Water Beggar's face cracked open, and pus transformed into thousands of moths, blocking He Jiaqing's escape route. If He Jiaqing couldn't break free from the moths' encirclement and was directly subdued by them, it would be the best outcome for the Green Water Beggar. If He Jiaqing broke through the encirclement, as long as a single moth could lay an egg on him, that egg would immediately hatch and parasitize his body. The Green Water Beggar would also be quite satisfied with this outcome. If the parasitism failed, the moths would quickly approach He Jiaqing and then explode one by one, attacking him with pus.

This method of attack would make it difficult to completely control He Jiaqing. If He Jiaqing were hit by the pus, it would simply worsen his existing injuries, unlikely to have a fatal effect. Moreover, this attack method could easily affect others. This was the outcome the Green Water Beggar least wanted to see. However, He Jiaqing's cultivation level was too high. Even in a disadvantageous situation, he still relied on his agile movements to break free from the moth encirclement, leaving no opportunity for the moths to lay eggs. There was no other way. The Green Water Beggar controlled the moths, blocking He Jiaqing's escape route.

He Jiaqing jumped into the corridor of the workers' dormitory, getting as close as possible to the sleeping workers. Seeing the opportune moment, the Green Water Beggar prepared to detonate all the moths. A finely woven fishing net flew down from the dormitory building's roof, trapping all the moths. Before the Green Water Beggar could detonate them, the net burst into flames, burning all the moths to ash.

Who used a magic artifact? Was it Duan Shuqun? Duan Shuqun didn't have that ability. The Green Water Beggar's pus-moths were incredibly agile; even He Jiaqing struggled to deal with them. For this net to instantly clear all the moths indicated a magic artifact of a caliber that a Ground Cultivator couldn't wield.

The Green Water Beggar stood downstairs, looking up at the dormitory building's roof. There was no movement on the roof. A middle-aged man walked out of the hallway, wearing overalls and yellow rubber shoes, with a white towel draped over his shoulder, and holding an enamel mug containing a toothbrush and toothpaste. At first glance, he appeared to be a worker getting up to wash. Duan Shuqun poked his head out of the concrete pipe, glanced outside, and quickly pulled his head back in. He had seen this person before. Although they didn't know each other, he knew this person's identity. This was Black Rock Ridge's local deity, Tang Shijiang!

Was Tang Shijiang's arrival a good thing for He Jiaqing? Duan Shuqun couldn't be sure, but for the Green Water Beggar, it certainly wasn't good news.

Tang Shijiang asked the Green Water Beggar, "What are you doing here?"

The Green Water Beggar pointed at He Jiaqing in the dormitory corridor and chuckled, "I'm looking for him. It has nothing to do with you."

Tang Shijiang frowned, "Aren't you talking nonsense? You've come to my home to fight, and you tell me it has nothing to do with me?"

The Green Water Beggar said, "I assure you, I only want his life; I will absolutely not harm innocent people."

Tang Shijiang squeezed some toothpaste onto his toothbrush, and while brushing his teeth, he asked, "How much is your promise worth? Lives in Black Rock Ridge are very precious. Can you afford to compensate?"

The Green Water Beggar rubbed his nose, then abruptly blew out a glob of snot and threw it towards Tang Shijiang. Tang Shijiang, who was brushing his teeth, spat out a mouthful of white foam, which enveloped the snot, dissolved it, and turned it into a puddle of water on the ground.

"You're disgusting! Don't you use tissue when you blow your nose?" Tang Shijiang threw a stack of paper. The sheets scattered in mid-air, twirling and fluttering at varying speeds, flying one by one towards the Green Water Beggar. The Green Water Beggar wasn't flustered. He sneezed on the spot, spraying saliva that scattered the papers, knocking them down one by one. Only one sheet flew past his cheek, leaving a scratch on his face. During this exchange, Tang Shijiang squatted by the faucet, rinsed his mouth, washed his face, and dried it with a towel.

The Green Water Beggar smiled. He enjoyed clashing with Tang Shijiang; regardless of victory or defeat, it was truly invigorating. But it wasn't the right time, as his target was He Jiaqing. Clashing with Tang Shijiang now would be equivalent to giving He Jiaqing a huge advantage. The Green Water Beggar shook his begging bowl at Tang Shijiang, and his figure immediately vanished.

Tang Shijiang turned to look at He Jiaqing, waved his hand, and motioned for him to come down from the dormitory building. He Jiaqing approached Tang Shijiang and was about to cup his fists in gratitude, but Tang Shijiang waved him off, saying, "Don't thank me. I don't want to protect you either. Just leave quickly and don't cause trouble in my territory."

"Senior, I'll leave after resting for a moment."

"Didn't you understand?" Tang Shijiang's expression turned cold.

He Jiaqing running into the workers' dormitory during the Green Water Beggar's pursuit, attempting to use the workers as a shield, deeply annoyed Tang Shijiang. He Jiaqing said no more and quickly left the Night Blooming Jasmine Newspaper Office.

Tang Shijiang knocked on the concrete pipe and said to Duan Shuqun, "You're a native of Black Rock Ridge. I'll spare you this once, but remember one thing: everyone's life is precious, no one's more valuable than another. Don't use other people's lives as your shield. Stay in this concrete pipe all night as self-reflection. You're not allowed to come out before dawn."

Duan Shuqun truly didn't dare to come out. Not only did he not dare to emerge before dawn, but he also didn't dare to move after dawn. It wasn't until noon, when the sun was directly overhead, that Duan Shuqun carefully crawled out of the concrete pipe. The printing workers had just finished lunch, casually reading newspapers and chatting while smoking. Seeing Duan Shuqun, the workers stared for a long time. They had never seen this large, dark man before. Duan Shuqun let out two dry chuckles, crossed his arms, and once again twisted his waist.

He Jiaqing hid deep within a forest in the New Territory. His wounds continuously oozed pus, and the festering areas rapidly increased. The most agonizing part was that He Jiaqing had just coughed up a mouthful of blood, and the blood contained pus. This indicated that the illness had spread to his internal organs. How much longer could he last in this condition? Although he had bought his life from Zhang Gunli, in this state, he could probably only survive for a few more days. There was certainly no chance of fighting the Green Water Beggar again.

To survive, there seemed to be only one option left. He Jiaqing squeezed his button, contacting Zhu Junlong. "Jiaqing, how are things?"

"Things are not good, Junlong. You can go and visit Kang Zhenchang now. It would be best if you could invite him here. If not, at least get him to provide a treatment method."

"Alright!" Zhu Junlong had just agreed, but He Jiaqing hesitated again. "Junlong, don't go yourself. Leave this matter to Han Mingqi. Little Han is a smart person. Before he goes, he'll definitely scout the location first. Don't rush him; let him act when the time is right. If anything feels off, tell me immediately."

"What's wrong?" Zhu Junlong couldn't understand He Jiaqing's reasoning. "Don't you trust Big Head?"

"I trust Big Head, but I can't shake my unease about this matter."

"Don't worry, I'll handle this," Luo Zhennan said, looking at the list. "The items are easy to procure, but some materials aren't finished products, so we'll have to process them ourselves."

Li Banfeng called Luo Zhennan over from Prozhou, gave him a large sum of cash, and asked him to help procure electromagnetic equipment. Luo Zhennan reviewed the list again and found it somewhat odd. "Seventh Master, the person who wrote this list seems to be from Prozhou. There aren't many people in Prozhou who study electromagnetism, and even fewer who can write about it with such expertise." Ordinarily, Luo Zhennan never asked about matters Li Qi didn't bring up himself. However, Luo Zhennan was very passionate about electromagnetism, and seeing someone with similar interests made him genuinely curious.

"This was written by an expert, who wishes to remain anonymous." Li Banfeng was also curious as to why the Portable Residence understood electromagnetic knowledge. Were the materials Big Head sent to He Jiaqing also related to the boundary lines? If so, he wondered if He Jiaqing would find a way to break through the boundary lines first. Luo Zhennan quickly gathered all the materials, leaving the remaining tasks for the Portable Residence to handle.

Li Banfeng went to the Dark Star Bureau, specifically to the security team, to check on Big Head's situation. Big Head was busy catching insects. Not just him, but the entire security team was catching insects. They collectively handed the caught insects to their leader, Sugar Cube, who would select the strongest one as a test subject.

Li Banfeng asked Sugar Cube, "What kind of experiment are you doing?"

Sugar Cube explained, "The laboratory has just issued a new insecticide. We need to test the efficacy of this new type of insecticide."

Li Banfeng said, "Catch the insects and then spray insecticide? Are you kidding me?"

Sugar Cube shook his head, "This is a very special experiment. We're using poisoned bait to feed the strongest insect. Through this strongest insect, the toxicity will spread, wiping out all insects in one fell swoop and completely eradicating the pest infestation in the office building."

Li Banfeng looked at the busy team members and asked, "Why is the security team doing this? Why doesn't the laboratory, which developed the insecticide, conduct the experiments themselves?"

Sugar Cube replied, "This is Director Shen's instruction: to move laboratory work out of the lab and root it in the front lines, in the battlefield."

Li Banfeng didn't know how to comment. Insect Cultivator He Bensheng was standing nearby. Li Banfeng said, "Don't use them to catch insects. For you, isn't this just a matter of lifting a finger?"

He Bensheng shook his head, "The team leader said I shouldn't intervene, saying it's a matter of attitude and understanding. We shouldn't be allowed to have ideas of taking shortcuts."

Back in the office, Junior came to report on his work. There had been some progress in the investigation of Chu Zikai. "Director Li, Chu Zikai has fallen into a debt crisis. His entertainment company has gone bankrupt, and he himself might become a discredited individual."

Li Banfeng opened his phone and looked at the trending topics ranking. "His name is still on the list, and he recently released a new song. Logically, he shouldn't be in such a dire state." To investigate Chu Zikai, Junior truly put in effort. "I don't know much about this industry, so I specifically sought out insiders to help me with the investigation. Chu Zikai's new song doesn't have high play counts on major platforms. Many say the singing is very good, but the song itself isn't widely circulated."

As Li Banfeng understood it, the Sound Cultivator technique was applied well, but the song's quality itself was poor. Junior continued, "In fact, many industry insiders have mentioned this issue. Aside from 'I Am Your Guokui,' Chu Zikai doesn't have other compelling representative works. The new songs released recently have very limited genuine popularity. His persistently high ranking on the trending list is a result of marketing operations. The exorbitant operating costs led Chu Zikai to spend beyond his means, thus entangling him in this debt crisis."

Spending beyond his means! This was a key point. Chu Zikai desperately needed money, which was why he was willing to personally participate in black market transactions. But here lay a contradiction.

"How's the investigation into Snowfall Port coming along?"

Junior opened his notebook and said, "Information on Snowfall Port is scarce. So far, the only reliable content comes from the Border Defense Office's investigation report, which indicates that Snowfall Port is the economic pillar of Prozhou and possesses exceptionally strong financial resources."

Exceptionally strong financial resources. Red Lotus had also said that Snowfall Port usually only considered two things: the quantity of silver coins to mint, and selecting suitable locations to distribute them. Such an organization couldn't possibly lack money, yet Chu Zikai was in dire need of it. So, were Chu Zikai's Ferry Gang and Snowfall Port, represented by An Zongding, truly the same organization? Judging from the experiences of the Green-Clothed Girl Feng Yuqiu and others, they were first abducted by An Zongding, then sent to other states and handed over to Chu Zikai for disposal. This consistent process made it seem like the work of a single organization. Or perhaps there was a loophole in the intermediate steps?

Li Banfeng put away Junior's investigation materials, intending to deal with Chu Zikai and An Zongding together after resolving the boundary line issue.

That evening, the Portable Residence achieved a breakthrough: he built a handcart. On the cart was an iron pipe over a meter long, which reminded Li Banfeng of playing tanks with a handcart when he was a child.

"This thing, can it open a boundary line?"

The old man said, "That's what the information you brought back say. The Outer States call this a Magnetic Shock Cannon. I can't say for sure if it works, but you can try it."

This thing was indeed called a cannon. Next to the cannon barrel were numerous wires and switches, as well as several dials and knobs. Li Banfeng scratched his head, wondering what their functions were. "How do you use this thing?" he asked.

The Portable Residence said, "See the battery underneath? Charge it fully first."

"Where do I get electricity?" Daboyins was stumped. He found craftsmen and, according to Xiao Zhenggong's requirements, had the equipment made in batches, completing the assembly of the Magnetic Shock Cannon in Green Water City. However, when it came to charging, Daboyins couldn't find a suitable power source. The concept of electricity was rare in Prozhou.

Xiao Zhenggong offered a suggestion: "Take the Magnetic Shock Cannon to the Outer States. They have more equipment and more talent there. Once it's all ready, we can bring it back."

Daboyins shook his head, "You make it sound easy. How do we take it out? By train? Carrying such a large cannon onto a train would be like walking straight into a trap at the Border Defense Office, wouldn't it?"

Xiao Zhenggong shrugged his eyebrows. "Then let's think of another way."

"What other way is there? Besides the train, there's no other way to leave San Tou Cha. We can't even get to the Outer States."

Xiao Zhenggong pondered for a moment. "Actually, there are things in Prozhou that can generate electricity. Not to look far, Green Water City has them, at the Wonderful Sound Phonograph Store."

Daboyins thought for a moment, "Are you talking about the solar-powered phonographs? Will that little bit of electricity be enough?"

Xiao Zhenggong checked his notes and said, "That depends on how much you want to use. If you want to eliminate a ten-li long boundary line, that amount of electricity definitely won't be enough. But if you're only eliminating a one or two-meter boundary line, it should be about right."

Daboyins considered it, decided it was worth a try, and that morning, he went to the Wonderful Sound Phonograph Store. Spider Detective's luck was truly good. If he had come two days earlier, he might have run into Li Qi, who was there to collect grease. He bought two phonographs, took them back to his residence, where Xiao Zhenggong dismantled the photovoltaic panels and connected them to the Magnetic Shock Cannon. Xiao Zhenggong checked the primary instruments and said to Daboyins, "Once it's charged, it should be usable. Let's find a place to test it first."

Daboyins had already chosen a spot: "Let's go to Mazhu Village; it's quiet there." Mazhu Village was on the border between Green Water City and Medicine King Gully. Daboyins prepared a carriage, and as they left Green Water City, Xiao Zhenggong hung the battery outside, charging it as they went.

On Li Banfeng's side, the Magnetic Shock Cannon was almost fully charged, and he also needed to find a place to test it. For Li Banfeng, going anywhere was convenient. He didn't need to carry the Magnetic Shock Cannon around; he just had to keep it inside the Portable Residence, and it would follow him. From the Flower Lake Park New Territory, he would first go to Iron Gate Fort, then find a boundary line around Iron Gate Fort, and the experiment could be successfully conducted. Li Banfeng was selecting a boundary line on the map, looking for a quiet place where no one would disturb him. The location was almost chosen, but the Portable Residence seemed a bit nervous.

"A-Qi, let me see the Magnetic Shock Cannon again. I just feel like it's not quite what I wanted, or maybe you made a mistake when copying it."

The latter half of the information was copied by the Judge's Brush, and the Judge's Brush was certain it had not made a mistake. However, the first half was harder to say. Too many people were involved, so it was indeed inevitable that some errors might have occurred. Li Banfeng took the Magnetic Shock Cannon into the third room, asking the Portable Residence to inspect it carefully.

The next morning, Li Banfeng arrived at the Dark Star Bureau, intending to hear Junior's work report, but unexpectedly, Junior and Lightbulb had been called away for a special mission. "What special mission?"

Tangyuan shook his head. "It's a special mission personally organized by Director Shen. Even our captain isn't clear about it. The team members carrying out the special mission were selected in advance and are under strict lockdown. I reckon we won't see Junior or Lightbulb for the next couple of days."

"This matter can be kept from your captain, but it shouldn't be kept from me. His work attitude is still not proper!" Li Banfeng had wanted to talk to Shen Jingye, but Shen Jingye was unreachable. This truly was a special mission; even he himself had cut off all communications.

With nothing to do all day, Li Banfeng returned to his residence early and discussed matters with the Portable Residence. "Old Man, have you finished checking the Magnetic Shock Cannon? If you're worried about any omissions, I can get the original documents out for you to see again."

The Portable Residence pondered for a long time. "No need to look. The crucial parts should have been copied correctly. I'm just worried about minor issues in the finer details."

Li Banfeng asked, "What kind of impact could such minor issues have?"

The Portable Residence said, "It's hard to say. Maybe it won't be a big deal, or maybe the cannon will explode halfway through using it. Find the safest place to test it. Even if something goes wrong, we'll have a retreat."

The safest place would definitely be Seven Autumn City. Li Banfeng said, "Seven Autumn City is our own territory, and right next door is the Ink Fragrance Shop. If I conduct an experiment on this border, even if I get injured by the cannon, someone will rescue me. Plus, Seven Autumn City has a train station; you can just send me there directly, and it won't waste any time going back and forth."

The Portable Residence pondered for a while. "Is Seven Autumn City suitable? What if the entire Seven Autumn City explodes?"

Li Banfeng was startled. Such immense power? "Old Man, you're joking, right?"

The Portable Residence thought carefully and replied seriously, "I genuinely think it's possible it could blow up the entire Seven Autumn City. Explosives don't work in Prozhou, but whether this thing works or not is still hard to say." Looking at the handcart before him, Li Banfeng felt a sense of responsibility and mission, as if he were pushing a nuclear bomb.

The Portable Residence said, "It's not guaranteed to explode, but other problems might arise. In any case, it's better to be careful. I'm old, and the quality of what I've made this time is truly uncertain." With such destructive power, where would be a suitable place to test this thing?

Li Banfeng thought for a long time and found a suitable location: The New Territory. Ordinary New Territories might not be able to withstand it. Li Banfeng chose Bei Wushuang's New Territory. In Bei Wushuang's New Territory, even the anomalous creatures had been "pried away" by Li Banfeng, making it completely desolate. It was the most suitable place for the experiment. But the New Territory had no boundary lines. No boundary lines, so what would he test it on?

Li Banfeng had a solution. He ran from Flower Lake Park to Iron Gate Fort, and then from Iron Gate Fort, using the New Territory, he ran to Bei Wushuang's domain. Actually, he had a shortcut. Bei Wushuang's domain was adjacent to Li Banfeng's own New Territory, which had a train station, a major one at that. Li Banfeng could have easily used the train station to take a shortcut. But he didn't do so, because for the upcoming operation, the Portable Residence couldn't be left at the station; it had to stay by his side.

Li Banfeng chose an open area in Bei Wushuang's domain, pushed out the Magnetic Shock Cannon, sprinkled blood on the ground, and used the "Closed Door, Barred House" technique. The Portable Residence was right by his side. As the "Closed Door, Barred House" technique took effect, a halo of light appeared around Li Banfeng. Could this halo of light be considered a boundary line? Li Banfeng thought so, though its power was somewhat diminished. If the Magnetic Shock Cannon could extinguish the halo Li Banfeng created, it would prove its effectiveness against boundary lines. The extent of its effect would require future experiments to confirm. If the Magnetic Shock Cannon could not extinguish the halo Li Banfeng created, it wouldn't necessarily mean it was ineffective against boundary lines. It could also be that boundary lines and halos created by House Cultivators were fundamentally different concepts.

Li Banfeng had previously tried using a boundary line switch modified by the old man. That switch could open an exit on a boundary line but had no effect on Li Banfeng's halo. Of course, the switch's principle was certainly different from the Magnetic Shock Cannon. The Magnetic Shock Cannon extinguished boundary lines using its own power, while the switch was likely akin to a remote control, operating an Outer States device at a specific location to open a breach in the boundary line. Regardless of the outcome, only by trying would he know the answer.

Li Banfeng first used the "Closed Door, Barred House" technique to create a halo. He then activated the Magnetic Shock Cannon according to the instructions in the documents. Electrical energy gathered, and the indicator lights illuminated one by one, from low to high. The device made by the Portable Residence was very simple. There were ten lights in total; each lit light indicated that one-tenth more electrical energy had gathered. If all ten lights were lit, it meant the energy was fully charged. Did he have to wait until the energy was fully charged before firing? The Portable Residence had cautioned Li Banfeng not to wait until the energy was fully charged; five or six tenths would be enough. The Portable Residence was genuinely worried the cannon would explode.

When the charge reached six-tenths, Li Banfeng pressed the fire button. After a low hum, the halo beneath Li Banfeng's feet changed. The halo didn't disappear; instead, it became exceptionally bright. Bei Wushuang's domain had been completely dark, but now the surrounding area for tens of meters was illuminated as brightly as day. Li Banfeng was greatly alarmed and quickly withdrew his technique. The bright halo disappeared, and Li Banfeng quickly returned the Magnetic Shock Cannon to the Portable Residence.

The Phonograph asked, "My dear, does this thing work?"

Li Banfeng didn't know how to answer. "I'll ask the old man first." He went to the third room. The Portable Residence also couldn't figure it out. "What exactly is this thing for?"

Li Banfeng didn't linger. He left the Portable Residence, put away the key, and immediately hurried back. He hadn't walked far when he encountered Meng Yuchun. "Li Qi, why are you dressed like that?" Li Banfeng was wearing a jacket and no top hat, and Meng Yuchun almost didn't recognize him.

"It's nothing, just changing clothes occasionally," Li Banfeng replied casually, then asked, "What are you doing here?"

Meng Yuchun said, "I was just wandering around the domain earlier and suddenly saw a bright flash of light here. I wanted to see if anything was wrong."

Li Banfeng said, "I also saw a strong, dazzling flash of light." Meng Yuchun could see it from her own domain? Li Banfeng seemed to have realized the function of the Magnetic Shock Cannon.

On the barren mountain outside Mazhu Village, Xiao Zhenggong aimed the cannon barrel at the boundary line, preparing to begin the experiment. The Magnetic Shock Cannon he and Daboyins made was even simpler, lacking even a device to control and regulate electrical energy; whatever charge it had, it used. Xiao Zhenggong cautioned, "If something goes wrong with this thing, you'll have to find a way to save me."

Daboyins was a bit nervous and stood twenty meters away. He knew nothing about boundary lines or electromagnetism, so standing further away wouldn't hurt. "You don't need to be that scared," Xiao Zhenggong smiled and pressed the fire button. If the Magnetic Shock Cannon worked and the boundary line was extinguished, Xiao Zhenggong would immediately flee, shaking off Daboyins as fast as possible. If it didn't work, he would be safe for now, and they could consider improvements later.

The Magnetic Shock Cannon fired. The boundary line, previously imperceptible in shape, suddenly illuminated. Amidst flashing strong light, a halo branched off the boundary line, encircling Xiao Zhenggong and the Magnetic Shock Cannon. "What's happening?!" Xiao Zhenggong exclaimed in shock.

Daboyins stood at a distance, having avoided the halo's encirclement, and was bewildered for a moment. After a long silence, Daboyins shouted, "Quick, extinguish the boundary line! Such a bright light will attract others!"

Extinguish? How do I extinguish it? Xiao Zhenggong only knew there was a fire button; he had no idea how to extinguish the surrounding halo. Seeing Xiao Zhenggong's blank expression, Daboyins shouted, "Run! Get out of here quickly!"

Xiao Zhenggong was about to leave but hesitated upon seeing the surrounding halo. He didn't know if he could get out. He detached a part from the Magnetic Shock Cannon and threw it out. The moment the part flew through the halo, it was incinerated into ash. "I can't get out..." Xiao Zhenggong was surrounded by the boundary line. If he dared to rush out, only annihilation awaited him. He trembled all over, looking at Daboyins. Daboyins was silent for a moment, then turned and disappeared into the night.

"Don't go!" Xiao Zhenggong shouted, "You can't leave me here!"

Daboyins glanced back. Xiao Zhenggong stood inside the circle, at a loss for what to do. Under the night sky, Xiao Zhenggong's position was so dazzling, like a spotlight shining specifically on him on a dark stage. That night, the constables near Mazhu Village surrounded Xiao Zhenggong. With such a dazzling halo around him, even if the constables were merely going through the motions, they couldn't help but notice him.

By noon, Liao Zihui arrived with his men beside the boundary line. Looking at Xiao Zhenggong within the halo, he chuckled, "Sect Leader Xiao, I never expected to see you here." Xiao Zhenggong looked at Liao Zihui, lowering his head in silence. Liao Zihui looked at the Magnetic Shock Cannon nearby and asked, "What's this excellent device? Sect Leader Xiao, who instructed you to make this?"

Li Banfeng returned to Yuezhou. Upon arriving at the Dark Star Bureau, Junior immediately came to report on his work. "Is the special mission over?"

Junior nodded. This matter shouldn't have been discussed openly, but since Li Qi asked, Junior didn't conceal anything. "The special mission was to apprehend someone, a person named Han."

Li Banfeng asked, "What does this Mr. Han do?"

Junior shook his head, "I don't know about that. Only Director Shen knows the specific reasons."

P.S.: The Outer States are not as simple as imagined. This long chapter, esteemed readers, please...