Chapter 72: Chapter 71: The Sender Plan
Baru’s expression was intent. He waited until Qin Xiaoxia had finished laying out all his requests before raising his doubts.
"I understand what you mean, Master Sage, but if I find them, I’m sure the Three Kingdoms Organization won’t be far behind. They might not interfere in my personal life, but an international incident is too high-profile. By the time they get involved, I might not be able to protect them."
That was an understatement. If they were truly discovered, even if Baru turned on the Three Kingdoms Organization right then and there and unleashed his full power, he wouldn’t be able to protect them. In fact, he’d undoubtedly be dragged down with them.
At that moment, those around him noticed their Mentor—the Sage—give a mysterious smile.
Qin Xiaoxia turned and glanced at the group.
"No, Baru, you don’t need to oppose them. In fact, quite the opposite. You need to leverage your professional talent and enthusiasm to proactively and effectively search for the ’sender’."
No one understood what he meant. ’Wouldn’t that be the same as helping the enemy?’
Although no one objected, the confusion was plain on their faces.
Qin Xiaoxia didn’t keep them waiting. His smile faded.
"Baru is already a true Silent Knight, and the rest of you will earn your own seals sooner or later. It’s time I told you about some of the keys to the Association’s power."
Baru remained calm, but for Jenny, Mark, and Joey—unlike the four Quasi-Knights—this acknowledgement was incredibly important. They had been constantly worried they might never be truly accepted into the Association.
He didn’t keep them in suspense and got straight to the point.
"I believe I’ve told you about the power of names, haven’t I?"
Qin Xiaoxia had mentioned this during their conversations that night and over the subsequent days.
On a level that transcends the ordinary, a name that you accept in your heart is more than just a codename. It’s a tether, binding your existence to the physical world.
What kind of tether?
The connection is incredibly complex. It relates to the patterns of your behavior and can even influence the will of your physical body. To put it more mystically, it is inextricably linked to the very trace of your existence.
Of course, this had all sounded like gibberish to them before, as they hadn’t reached the necessary level of understanding. Still, it had made them take the concept of their own "true name" far more seriously.
Seeing their thoughtful expressions, he could tell they were recalling his previous explanation.
"By applying Magic Power according to certain special principles, it’s possible to erase the traces of a ’true name.’ Of course, that’s something we can only do after we’ve found and made contact with them."
"Before that happens, I’ll help you find them first. As for how to stay hidden from prying eyes, that will be your next lesson."
"We call it ’Weaving the Secret Realm.’ It’s a profound Magic Power technique that originates from ancient Demons."
Speaking of Secret Realms, Qin Xiaoxia went on to give them a selective, general explanation of the concept.
He didn’t specify how these two methods would be used to achieve their goal, only offering a vague concept.
Then, in a clear instructive manner, he had Baru, Jenny, and the others discuss and speculate on how these techniques might be applied.
He was their Mentor, after all.
Everyone was fascinated by such a wondrous concept and couldn’t wait to witness it for themselves.
They were, of course, very enthusiastic about imagining its potential applications.
Master Sage’s method of testing them was a clear hint—in the future, they too might be able to truly master this power!
This test was clearly for "extra credit."
Faced with such a miraculous technique, even though they could only speculate about its use, everyone was quick to share their ideas.
Jenny and Mark suggested that, with the Association’s help, they should first find the people, erase the traces of their true names, and then confront them directly.
Joey and Baru, however, argued that if the targets were truly from "Dawn," then even if they had strayed from the orthodox path, there was no guarantee they didn’t possess special powers of their own.
Acting rashly could easily backfire.
In particular, Baru analyzed the flaws in their proposed plans from his perspective as an insider of a special United States department.
In his words, the plan proposed by an amateur like Jenny was riddled with holes.
"While that might hide us from outside observation, I’ll still be on an official mission for the United States, after all. I’ll have to keep them updated on my route and plans. If I find the group, my superiors will have enough information to deduce the identity of the ’sender’ just from my movements."
"Besides, if I go there and immediately use the Secret Realm Power granted by Master Sage to pull them out of the physical plane, how am I supposed to explain to my new colleagues why I was even in that location afterward?"
Baru’s seasoned experience was evident; his few sentences left Jenny and Mark speechless.
CLAP CLAP CLAP~~
Qin Xiaoxia’s applause rang out at just the right moment, before the atmosphere could get too tense.
"Very thorough. You’ve pointed out the critical weakness in the plan."
By this point, after listening to their discussion, he had identified the key issues he needed to address.
Now he could patch up the holes in his own plan.
"However, your thinking is too rigid."
"Secret Realm Power isn’t just for rescuing the ’sender’—it can also be used to create an alibi!"
Jenny and the others still hadn’t processed it, but for Baru, inspiration struck in an instant.
"That’s right. With that explanation, you should understand how to use it now, shouldn’t you?"
As long as Baru could slip away while on his mission, many things would become much simpler.
After that night’s discussion, the mission for the group in Los Angeles changed once again.
Jenny and the others would no longer be on the sidelines; they were tasked with finding and preparing a suitable location for a branch headquarters where a Secret Realm could eventually be established. But Baru’s mission remained the top priority.
...
「The next day.」
Baru consulted his superior, Norton, in Washington via video call. He requested permission to go directly to France and begin an on-site investigation.
His pretext for intervention would be the recent anomalous incident in France.
He also submitted an analytical summary stressing the importance of an on-site investigation, emphasizing that they could not allow the French to be the first to make contact with the "Savior Organization."
Sitting in his office, Norton felt deeply conflicted about the report from his capable new subordinate.
Baru wasn’t the only one who had this idea, but France had already made its position clear: it would not permit foreign intervention for the time being.
The United States would probably have done the same in their position, but it was still a headache for the Americans now that the shoe was on the other foot.
His subordinates thought negotiations were still ongoing, but he had learned just yesterday that the French were being extremely stubborn. There was basically no room for negotiation.
This attitude from the French authorities likely meant they had already locked onto some key information!
But then, as if reading Norton’s mind, Baru sent another short message.
"If the French won’t let us intervene, I think we can conduct a ’covert investigation under the guise of tourism.’"
Norton, who had been slouched in his chair, shot upright.
’That’s it! We can do it that way!’
This kind of tactic wasn’t exactly rare within the US Military and intelligence communities. Norton realized he’d been stuck in a mental rut, treating his special department as too distinct from the others.
An old military hand like Baru, on the other hand, would naturally use whatever method worked.
Norton couldn’t help but feel grateful once again for recruiting such an exceptional talent.
He immediately picked up his phone and dialed a number.
The call connected five seconds later.
"Hello, Baru. Put your work in Los Angeles on hold. Pack what you need and get ready to head to France. You’ll rendezvous with the other operatives at Charles de Gaulle Airport. I’ll arrange for your weapons and gear."
There was no nonsense from the other end of the line, just Baru’s deep and steady voice.
"Does the operation have a name, Director?"
Norton cradled the phone between his neck and shoulder, his hands typing a few words on his computer.
"It does. For now, the operational plan will follow your analytical report. As of this moment, you are to execute ’Operation Sender’!"
This was the report he planned to submit to his superiors—after the fact.
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