Wáng Shūfēn returned to Běifēng settlement three hours after her meeting with Nexus Umbra, her face arranged in an expression of profound relief that she had not consciously chosen. The Qi binding threaded through her nervous system controlled everything—her movements, her facial expressions, even the tone of her voice when she spoke.
Settlement leader Chén Xuěwǔ greeted her at the gate, concern evident in his weathered features. "Physician Wáng, you met with the Eternal Guardian? What did she say about your findings?"
The words came from Wáng Shūfēn's mouth without her willing them: "The Guardian personally examined my data and explained everything. The connections I detected are part of a protective formation—she's linking northern settlements to the Eternal Glacier's Qi reservoir as a defense against potential Calamity-class threats."
