Chapter 74: Chapter 74
If he wanted the status panel to be seen directly by the vessel body, environmental factors had to be outright excluded. Ron didn’t want a panel that could be seen in one place but vanish in another.
If he had to consider the environment, it would mean the panel was interacting with its surroundings in some way. Would that mean certain individuals extremely sensitive to the environment could also “see” his panel through environmental changes?
Therefore, environmental interference was what Ron needed to eliminate the most. He didn’t want his panel to be seen by anyone else. Even if this was merely a form of influence over the Pollution Secret Patterns, and perhaps others could achieve it as well, at least for now, it was still an exclusive tool he had created by utilizing the characteristics of his true form.
…
Still analyzing past data, the first thing Ron did after lying down in bed wasn’t to analyze the Transcendent Secret Patterns of the Breathing Technique, but to expel the Pollution Secret Patterns from his Body Secret Patterns.
Although this was a symptomatic treatment that didn’t address the root cause, temporarily unable to purge the Pollution Secret Patterns from the surface of his Light Orb true form.
But once his Body Secret Patterns became “clean,” both his control over himself and his enhancement speed would improve. This could also further elevate his “resistance” to the Pollution Secret Patterns.
As a result, Ron dedicated himself to this task. He had to be diligent; his current body was the sanctuary for his Light Orb true form. Once the Pollution Secret Patterns covered the entire surface of the Light Orb, he might just drop dead.
Yet today, after expelling the Pollution Secret Patterns from his Body Secret Patterns, Ron was still able to observe Pollution Secret Patterns that were far sparser than those outside the territory, right within the territory itself.
From this, he could draw two inferences:
One was that the very existence of the territory could repel Pollution Secret Patterns, or perhaps the region where the territory was located was special.
The other was that the ability to observe Pollution Secret Patterns might have nothing to do with geography, and little to do with their concentration, being more related to the observer themselves.
Perhaps it was a change in mindset or spirit.
There was still a subtle distinction between mindset and spirit. The former might reflect a person’s worldview and values, acting as a metaphysical entity, while the latter might merely be an umbrella term for various physical metrics at the mental level.
There were intersecting parts between the two, as well as independent parts.
For Ron, he still hoped that the ability to observe Pollution Secret Patterns was tied to the observer’s physical body rather than those metaphysical things.
He could grasp physical changes, but shifts in mindset were often tied to elusive things like worldviews, knowledge, upbringing, and perception.
Ron came from a modern society with highly developed material wealth. He possessed beliefs, but they weren’t firm enough. Even though his transmigration had changed much, he still couldn’t fully control his own inner mind.
To put it more specifically, he truly couldn’t resist external temptations. The hardest to resist among them was the temptation to become stronger, followed closely by the desire to live.
If Pollution Secret Patterns were truly linked to mindset, then he might have to re-examine his relationship with these Secret Patterns, and perhaps even reconsider the very essence of this world.
…
In the darkness of the night.
Requiring no rest, Ron continued his research until he was startled by a series of hurried footsteps from outside. He immediately projected his consciousness into his body and reached for the longsword placed vertically by his left side.
It wasn’t until his right hand gripped the hilt that he regained his senses, realizing that the footsteps outside just now weren’t the Lord discovering his anomaly and sending people to capture him.
“Ron, are you awake?”
In the darkness, Aunt Mary’s voice rang out from a room off the living room. Ron gave an affirmative response and began to get out of bed to put on his armor.
“I don’t know what happened outside, I’m going out to take a look. Aunt Mary, wake up Liya. Stay at home and don’t go out. It would be a huge problem if we get separated at night. Wait for me to come back.”
Emergency assembly was also one of the daily training subjects in the Sis Territory. Plus, Ron was only wearing leather armor, which he could quickly equip by himself.
Taking his sharpened sword and grabbing two javelins, Ron stepped out the door.
The footsteps from just now had come from the north, only about two streets away from Liya’s house. They were moving from west to east. Barring any surprises, it should be the members of the Territory Guard’s garrison camp, located southwest of the residential area, crossing the Bell Tower Square.
After more than a month of training, Ron’s understanding of the Sis Territory had long surpassed that of the original “Ron.” He knew that the Sis Territory Guard was divided into two parts: the mobile Knight squadrons and the fixed garrison quasi-Knights.
After completing their three months of training, Apprentices like Ron and the others would also be assigned to various garrison camps until they became Formal Knights. By then, there would be plenty of choices.
They could stay at the garrison camps and wait for the members of their original squad to become Formal Knights, or they could first join other Knight squads.
Under normal circumstances, personnel in the garrison camps wouldn’t stray far from the camp to avoid defensive loopholes. In this current situation, Ron guessed that the only possibility was that reinforcements were urgently needed elsewhere.
Ron took a turn around Liya’s house and noticed that many people had been awakened and were gathering toward the Bell Tower Square. He immediately returned to Liya’s house, where Liya had also finished dressing.
“Aunt Mary, Liya, something happened outside. Pack some food and bring some water. Let’s head to the Bell Tower first to take shelter.”
Of course, the Bell Tower wasn’t the final destination. The only place that could truly provide shelter was the Lord’s castle. However, since no evacuation notice had been issued from above, they naturally couldn’t head straight to the castle.
They would first observe from the Bell Tower to see what exactly had happened.
As they were speaking, Ron suddenly heard bursts of rapid, almost non-stop Bone Whistles. There were parts of these whistle signals he couldn’t decipher yet, but a portion of them was impossible to ignore:
The higher-ups were summoning them, the Apprentices, to assemble at the Bell Tower Square!
It was directly on their way!
…
On the way, Ron informed Aunt Mary and Liya of the orders he had just received, then exhorted, “When we get to the square, try to stay as close to the Bell Tower as possible. If the situation gets dire, don’t overthink it, just head straight for the Lord’s castle.”
“Mhm, don’t worry, we know what to do. It’s you who needs to be extremely careful. You’ve only been training for a month, so don’t show off! Also, if you run into Jason, tell him we’ll be waiting for him at our usual spot in the square.”
“I will.”
Ron promised solemnly. At this moment, he also noticed that Aunt Mary, Liya, and even the other territorial subjects they encountered on the way all maintained remarkably calm expressions, even if they appeared slightly disheveled, with some still putting on their clothes as they walked.
If someone accidentally tripped, the person next to them would immediately lend a helping hand. Meanwhile, the people behind would deliberately slow their pace.
Had it not been nighttime, had it not been the dead of winter, and had some people been more neatly dressed, they wouldn’t have looked like they were seeking refuge, but rather like they were going on an outing!
Seeing this scene, Ron’s previously uneasy heart gradually settled down.
With such territorial subjects, what difficulty could possibly stump the Sis Territory!