Once linked, the jade slip began recording data continuously, mirroring the structure of the main array while allowing Han Yu to modify and annotate it independently.

This was exactly what he needed.

Not just a map.

But a controllable one.

A map that could be shaped according to his plans.

With that secured, Han Yu returned to the mine.

And the real work began.

Two more weeks passed in a similar rhythm.

But the progress made during this time far exceeded his initial expectations.

Much of that was due to Chitterfang.

The rat proved to be invaluable beyond measure. Its ability to navigate tight spaces, its instinctive understanding of terrain, and its unwavering enthusiasm made it the perfect scout.

Paths that would have taken months to discover through conventional methods were revealed within days.

Connections between sections were mapped.

Hidden tunnels were identified.

Blocked passages were partially cleared.

In some cases, Chitterfang even discovered routes that bypassed major monitoring points entirely, slipping beneath areas heavily guarded by curse masters and clan overseers.

Han Yu recorded everything.

Every path.

Every connection.

Every potential route that could be used.

At the same time, his understanding of the underground rivers deepened.

Initially, he had only identified a few viable channels. Now, he realized that the entire mine sat atop a far more complex water system. The rivers were not isolated.

They branched.

Merged.

Diverged.

Some extended far beyond the mapped areas, disappearing into unknown depths. Others looped back, forming natural circuits beneath the mine.

The more he studied them, the clearer it became.

These tunnels had not been created solely by miners.

They had been shaped by water.

Over countless years, perhaps even thousands of years, underground currents had carved through the earth, creating the very pathways now being exploited.

The miners had only expanded and stabilized them.

That realization changed everything.

It meant that the structure of the mine was not random.

It followed patterns.

Natural ones.

Predictable ones.

And those patterns could be used.

To explore these rivers more effectively, Han Yu began constructing a new tool.

An underwater survey puppet.

He had studied such designs before, but never had a reason to create one himself. Now, the need was clear. The rivers held answers, and sending Chitterfang alone into deep water channels was neither efficient nor safe.

The process was not simple.

The puppet required specialized components. Materials resistant to water pressure. Mechanisms capable of functioning without disruption in a fluid environment. A stable energy core that would not fluctuate under constant movement.

But Han Yu had both the knowledge and the resources.

Within a few days, the first prototype was complete.

Small.

Streamlined.

Designed for speed and maneuverability rather than combat.

Once deployed, it proved highly effective.

It moved through the water with minimal resistance, transmitting data back through linked formation plates that Han Yu had discreetly placed throughout the tunnels.

These formation plates became another crucial part of his system.

Hidden carefully within less noticeable areas, they recorded the paths taken by the puppets automatically. Han Yu no longer needed to monitor every movement directly. The data was stored, organized, and integrated into his jade slip map.

Only when the plates began to run low on energy did he intervene, replacing spirit stones and maintaining their function.

Everything was becoming… efficient.

Structured.

Controlled.

After two weeks, Han Yu paused to review his progress.

The map within his jade slip had grown significantly.

What had once been a simple layout of tunnels was now a layered network of routes, connections, water channels, and hidden passages. It was not complete, not yet, but it was far more detailed than anything the mine's supervisors possessed.

For the first time, Han Yu could see the mine not as a prison.

But as a system.

One that could be navigated.

One that could be manipulated.

One that could be escaped.

He estimated that, given his current pace, a few more months would be enough to chart a complete escape route.

A path that could move people through hidden tunnels, across underground rivers, and out of the mine without leaving clear traces.

A path that would not rely on brute force.

But on understanding.

However, one problem remained, unchanged and unresolved.

The slave seals.

Han Yu stood silently within a quiet section of the tunnel, his gaze lowered slightly as his thoughts turned inward.

No matter how perfect the path.

No matter how detailed the plan.

As long as those seals remained active… Escape would be impossible.

And that… Was the next obstacle he would have to overcome.

A few days later, a message arrived without warning.

Han Yu had just finished reviewing a newly mapped segment within his jade slip, refining a set of potential routes that connected three different mining sections through a series of narrow subterranean paths.

His mind was deep in calculation, adjusting distances, estimating traversal time, and accounting for structural risks when the communication talisman at his waist pulsed faintly.

He paused.

A sliver of spirit sense entered it.

The message unfolded instantly.

Elder Jurhanzi had summoned him.

Han Yu's gaze stilled for a brief moment.

The timing was… inconvenient.

Very much so.

He had just begun to gain momentum within the mine. The mapping process was accelerating, Chitterfang was uncovering more connections than expected, and the structure of the underground rivers was slowly revealing itself.

Another few days, perhaps a week at most, and he would have been able to confirm several more viable escape routes.

And yet, he could not ignore this summons.

Not only was Elder Jurhanzi a key figure within Puppet Peak, but the identity Han Yu currently wore, Ju Fan, was directly tied to him. Any delay or refusal would immediately raise suspicion.

Han Yu exhaled softly.

There was no choice.

He would have to leave.

But that did not mean his work would stop.

His gaze shifted slightly, and without moving his lips, he reached out through his connection.

'Chitterfang.'

A faint, energetic response came almost immediately.

'I'm here!'