A full tank would support only about four hundred kilometres.
They also had to reserve fuel for the return journey. Running out in the ice and snow would mean everyone in the vehicle freezing to death.
Calculations showed that after travelling just over two hundred kilometres outbound, they would have to turn back to ensure sufficient fuel. Returning to base for resupply and then coming back out would waste another two hundred kilometres of unnecessary travel.
To maintain exploration progress, Kikuchi Kohei made a bold decision. He mobilised every remaining snowmobile at the base. Each survey vehicle was paired with a support snowmobile that shuttled back and forth between base and teams, transporting fuel and supplies. This allowed the survey vehicles to press forward without retracing their paths.
In his fanatical state, however, Kikuchi Kohei overlooked one crucial detail.
Their base was already operating beyond capacity, with tight supplies. Fuel reserves had been sufficient only for small-scale operations. Now every vehicle was mobilised for high-intensity back-and-forth runs, and the helicopter had been deployed as well. Fuel consumption was several times higher than planned.
By the time Charlie wade awakened Grace Lowes and Song Rife and brought them once more beneath the aurora, the Japanese research team at Wu Han Palace had entered a phase of intense searching.
Beneath the aurora, Charlie wade again sacrificed most of his body’s spiritual energy to obtain sixteen new hand seals.
The Great Sun Tathagata Hand Seals now totalled ninety-six.
The underlying logic of the Great Sun Tathagata Hand Seals was straightforward. Each additional seal strengthened the overall effect. Through gradual accumulation, it was far beyond the limitations of the original sixteen seals.
This gave Charlie wade immense confidence.
If further seals existed, reaching one hundred and sixty would likely push efficiency to astonishing heights.
Yet beneath the aurora, Grace Lowes noticed an issue.
She said to Charlie wade with puzzlement, “Mr Wade, this servant has tried the new seals, but they seem to have no effect.”
“No effect?” Charlie wade asked in surprise. “That should not be. I have circulated all ninety-six seals, and the improvement over before is clear. How can they have no effect for you?”
Grace Lowes was equally baffled. “This servant has indeed completed circulation of all the seals. Strangely, spiritual energy began to emerge after the first eighty seals. At first I was confused, because previously, when increasing from sixteen to thirty-two seals, spiritual energy only appeared at the end of the thirty-second seal, when returning to the first. I thought that was one complete cycle. But just now, the final sixteen seals did not connect with the preceding eighty.”
At that moment, Song Rife also opened her eyes and said, “Mr Wade, my situation is the same as Elder Sister Yun’s.”
“How peculiar.”
Charlie wade frowned deeply and analysed, “When I completed the eightieth seal, I executed the eighty-first at normal speed and rhythm. Spiritual energy emerged only after all ninety-six seals, and the increase was indeed noticeable. Why has it not worked for you?”
Grace Lowes asked, “Could it be that our own cultivation is insufficient, so we can only circulate the first eighty seals?”
Song Rife added, “Or perhaps the seals themselves have tiers. Eighty seals form one level, and we are still only at the first level?”
Charlie wade said, “Both possibilities you mention are plausible. We shall try again when we return. If it still fails, continue secluded cultivation to consolidate the first eighty seals properly.”
Grace Lowes nodded gently and asked, “Shall we return now?”
“Yes.” Charlie wade stood. To the three women he said, “Let us go back.”
The four walked from beneath the aurora towards the research station. In the quiet depths of the night, Charlie wade suddenly caught an unusual sound.
He murmured to himself, “Strange. Why is there the sound of a helicopter engine?”
